Bike
Bike
11 New Year's resolutions every mountain biker should have
And yes, they are all to do with riding your bike. Here's our list of suggestions for making the most of your riding time in 2022.
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Another 12 months have passed and with that, naturally, have come a lot of ups and downs – specifically though on hills and trails while riding a mountain bike.
But it’s now that time of year where we get to dream up a set of New Year’s resolutions to take us through to the end of 2022. Resolutions can be a great reminder that sometimes it’s nice to have a sit down and think about some things that you would just love to do, learn or see in your lifetime and in this case, on your bike.
Here are just a few suggestions for mountain biking-related resolutions.
Want to become a better MTB rider? We've got you covered
01
Go bikepacking, do a long distance ride or even plan a cycling tour
There’s nothing quite like waking up to watch the sunrise over your local hills, cooking up a pot of coffee and then setting off for a day of riding even deeper into the wild. There’s something deeply meditative and empowering about the whole experience. There's no travelling to the trails to be done and no rush to get up to the hills before it gets busy; you’re already there.
Bikepacking can open up loads of adventures
© Rodrigo Philipps
It can seem like a pretty big leap to go from a few hours on the trails to fending for yourself for a whole weekend. But it’s a lot less daunting than it once was, with there being a lot of purpose-built gear for bikepacking on offer these days and loads of information online. Do your research, get all the equipment together and get outdoors. One trip will likely lead to another.
1 min
Essential kit for a bike ride adventure
What to pack for the ultimate two-wheeled adventure.
Of course a bike packing trip is marvelous to do entirely on a bike but you can always use a motor vehicle to take you off to a far off distant place where you can ride, and then move to another location. Check out Payson McElveen's van set-up below for ideas on how to adapt a vehicle to suit your biking needs
3 min
Payson McElveen
We head to Sedona, Arizona, with endurance mountain biker Payson McElveen to look inside his van.
02
Learn the anatomy of a bicycle
So, you know how to fix a flat tyre, regularly pump up your wheels before riding to get that pressure just right. That puts you ahead of about 75 percent of other mountain bikers in terms of giving your steed some tender loving care.
Rachel Atherton and mechanic Joe check over her bike
© Trek Factory Racing
But could you build a bike up from scratch? Do you really know what every single bit of your bike does, how it connects to the next, how to keep it in absolute tip-top shape and how to fix any given part should something go wrong? Learning all about your bike will not only help to keep your ride running smoothly and exactly how you like it, but it’ll probably save you quite a bit of cash as a result in the long run, too. Plus, if you do get into bike building, you’ve got a whole new hobby on your hands.
Looking for inspiration? Watch the video below to see how a wooden bike was built from scratch:
3 min
Fettlers: Episode 1
The incredible story behind what it takes to build a wooden bike.
03
Try a different discipline of cycling
We understand it may sound like sacrilege to certain mountain bikers to suggest that they don some lycra and climb on a road bike, but there’s actually quite a bit mountain bikers could learn from their tarmac-based cousins – not least improving endurance, which will come in handy when you do get back onto the trails. If a road bike isn't your thing, maybe a gravel bike is more suited to your pursuits in that they are suited to riding on roads and off-road.
Autumn and winter are prime times for gravel riding
© Duncan Philpott/Tweed Valley Guides
Even out on the trails though, there’s so much you can learn from switching up your riding patterns every now and then. If you’re a downhill fiend, then a bit of cross country won’t do your fitness levels any harm and you’ll end up seeing some beautiful scenery you won’t have come across before.
Alternatively, if you’re a dedicated cross-country rider, a bit of time on the downhill trails could improve your bike handling skills. Cyclocross can be a good laugh too and a great way to keep your fitness up and weight down in winter, especially if you don’t mind eating substantial amounts of mud.
2 min
What is cyclo-cross?
Hear from the pros as they reveal what skills are required to be successful at cyclo-cross.
04
Learn a new bike skill
We're not talking about learning to do double backflips here or anything that Emil Johansson tries on his bike at Crankworx Slopestyle competitions here. No we're thinking of skills a lot more basic that will help your trail riding. It could be something as simple as bunnyhopping or learning how to wheelie to more technical skills such as riding berms or how to drift. Of course, if you want to learn how to do barspins then be our guest!
3 min
How to ride berms
Tom Oehler and Rob Warner teach you how to ride berms of all sizes.
Make mastering that skill you've chose as your primary focus, and don't rest until you've perfected it. Watch how-to videos, then break down the skill into smaller parts before practicing it again and again.
Want to learn some new bike skills? Go here to visit our How to MTB video series.
05
Enter a bike race
Entering a bike race, whether cross-country, gravel, enduro, downhill or even pump track racing, could be the best motivation to start your new year's riding, and a carrot to look forward to as you ride past winter into spring and summer.
Racing will add adrenaline and excitement to your riding
© Long Nguyen/Red Bull Content Pool
Racing a bike is something all regular mountain bikers should try at least once. If you hate it, never do it again. But if you love it, it could give you a whole new motivation in the sport and just because you start competing doesn’t mean you have to stop riding for fun, either – it just adds another side to your riding. You don’t have to be an amazing rider to compete; most races tend to be incredibly friendly and a lot of people will be there for the laugh and the buzz of it all rather than to try and grab a prize.
The Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships qualifiers is one event where literally you can just rock up and race. Red Bull's Swedish Bike Editor Hanna Jonsson did just that was when she took up the challenge to ride Pump Track for the first time at a Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships qualifier in Järvsö, Sweden. It's that easy to just go and race:
3 min
Hanna Jonsson takes on pump track racing for the very first time
The Red Bull Pump track Worlds Qualifer came to Järvsö, Sweden, so Hanna Jonsson decided to take on the challenge.
06
Ride abroad
If you were planning on going on a city break with your friends this summer, then why not look to get out to a bike park somewhere in Europe instead. It won’t be that much more money all in, plus you can rent a ride pretty cheaply for the day while you’re there to tackle some stunning new trails.
12 min
Châtel, France
We go on a trip to Châtel, France, where the boys spend a week riding one of the best bike parks in the world.
Not only does riding in another country feel like a proper cycling adventure, but it also challenges you to ride a completely different type of terrain, lets you know what your skills and weaknesses are on a bike and ultimately makes you a better rider. If you want to take your bike to even wilder destinations take a look at Rob Warner's Wild Rides series for inspiration.
24 min
Nepal
Rob Warner and downhill pro Olly Wilkins ride around the world's tallest mountain range.
07
Build a mountain bike trail
You ride them every single time you get on your bike, so why not make 2022 the year that you finally get involved in trail maintenance?The best way to do this is to get in contact with your local mountain biking community – often there is a Facebook group or equivalent – and ask how you can help. This will ensure you don’t start shovelling and accidentally disrupt someone else’s work or get in the way of other plans.
Trail building can be a labour of love
© Fred Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
Not only does trail building help you get a better sense of how to ride features you build, but it’ll also develop your personal preferences and help you realise what features and styles of mountain biking you really love to ride. Once you know this, you can build more of it! And you’ll probably make a good few friends along the way. The dirt always feels better under your wheels when you’ve earned it.
Even the pros have a dreamline they want to build – watch World Cup-winning downhill rider Laurie Greenland design, oversee the build, and ride his dream line at BikePark Wales:
15 min
Laurie Greenland – Wales
Downhill rider Laurie Greenland designs, oversees the build, and rides his dream line at BikePark Wales.
08
Ride that trail you've been avoiding
You know the trail we mean. It’s the trail that you’ve thought about riding half a dozen times. Maybe you've even ridden the majority of the thing a couple of times, but had to get off the bike and walk a few sections because you lost your nerve or things got a little too gnarly. Maybe there’s a big drop you’re not sure you can handle, or a jump section that feels just that bit out of reach.
2 min
Jill Kintner
Jill Kintner and Clay Porter join forces to create an MTB masterpiece on the trails of Bellingham, Washington.
Make 2022 the year that you ride that trail! It’s the perfect motivation to centre your riding on. Build up to it, practise on similar trails and on similar features until you’re really comfortable and confident and eventually you’ll be able to smash through the thing like a pro. Don’t rush it – you’ve got all year. Look at the segments you’re struggling on and target them with your practise. There are few things quite as rewarding as flowing through a trail that once felt beyond your skill level.
09
Set some fast times
We all love to go fast right? We're competitive animals after all and in a non-race environment setting fast times is a way of showing how we're improving as riders whether we're going uphill or downhill. Find a route that you like and either time yourself with an onboard cycle computer, GPS timing on apps like Strava or get a buddy to record you.
If you're looking to faster your times out on the trials then these tips on climbing uphill or descending downhill may be of help. Nothing beats the feeling of having bettered a previous time, just ask Max Stöckl, the man who beat the MTB speed record in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
1 min
Max Stöckl's V-Max project
Watch the story of Austrian Max Stöckl's V-Max project as he attempts to break a MTB speed record
10
Make that bike look good as new
We know how it can be for the average shredder. You get too busy riding and you forget to keep up with the maintenance and cleaning of your bike. No doubt after the last few months of the year, dirt, mud and grime have got into a few places that are hard to reach on the bike! Now that's you're done with Christmas and New Year celebrations you've got time to give the bike some of your attention and get it running better for the new year.
A day on the trails can be ruined by a mechanical problem
© Mirja Geh/Red Bull Content Pool
First of all, give that bike a good old clean. Mud and dirt can get everywhere so for a real deep clean you may want to clean individual parts of the bike separately. It's a good idea to check that bolts, bearings and cables on the bike are still fit for purpose and parts of the bike are running efficiently as they can. Don't forget to pay attention to your wheels as well. They need TLC as well. Check the spoke tension on your wheels, replace brake pads if worn.
11
Get a new mate into mountain biking
Last but by no means least, make this year that you spread the bike love. Sure, you’ve probably already got friends that ride, but we’re betting that you also have some really good friends that love the outdoors, but probably couldn’t pick out a downhill track if they were standing on one.
Share that MTB love with someone else
© Trail Creatives Ltd/Red Bull Content Pool
Mountain biking can be quite a daunting thing to get into after a certain age if you don’t have someone to explain what the hell is going on. Get your friend on a bike – lend them an old one to start with, if you have one, or maybe get them to rent a bike from a local shop – and then take them up into the hills. Show them your favourite trail, the beautiful scenery and by the end of the year you could have a new favourite riding buddy.
Even pros like Kaos Seagrave and Kade Edwards like riding buddies when they go out to ride – what better way to have fun then spending.a day on the trails with a mate.
2 min
Kade and Kaos
It's all thriller, no filler as downhill riders Kade Edwards and Kaos Seagrave tear into Whistler Bike Park.
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