Bike
MTB
9 tips on how to ride wet trails from an MTB pro
From tyres to braking and professional insight into how to conquer slippery rocks to roots, these eight tips will have you slaying in the wet weather.
Wet, muddy and slippery trails can feel overwhelming at times, but there are benefits to wet-weather riding. Going out and getting sideways will not only make you into a better, more confident rider, it can also be a lot of fun.
Swedish World Cup downhill and enduro rider Josefine Björkman is used to training in slippy conditions, thanks to the unpredictable Swedish weather. Below, she shares her top tips for riding your bike in wet weather along with some additional tips from Canadian World Cup winner Finn Iles
01
Choose wet-weather specific tyres
Tyre choice is important
© Nathan Hughes
Wet weather tyres have a tread pattern that give extra grip during the wetter months of the year. Josefine’s favourite are the Maxxis Shorty, but there are lots of good options from different brands out there.
02
Stay loose
If you're too tense on the bike then you'll end up like this
© Leo Francis/Red Bull Content Pool
Riding in the mud is obviously different to riding in the dry. It's easy to tense up when the bike moves and slides underneath you, but it's important to stay loose on the bike and look where you want to go. By staying relaxed and keeping your arms soft you'll be able to absorb bumps and knocks a lot better and it also gives you room to correct the bike and counter a slide when it happens.
03
Plan where to brake
Loïc Bruni finds a way through the ruts
© Bartek Woliński
It's important to brake in the right spots. Try not to brake on slippery rocks and roots, but rather control your speed going into the technical sections and then let go of the brakes over the technical stuff to get better traction. A good tip is to brake a little more than usual beforehand to have more control going into the slippery section.
04
Keep your momentum
Trails can turn to chaos after heavy rain
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
You don’t want to get stuck in a mud hole or lose all of your speed when riding over something techy. Try to keep your eyes up and body position nice and low to be able to pump and jump over things that are slick. If you don’t feel comfortable jumping, simply try to take the weight of the front wheel over the slippery sections.
Trails change completely when they’re wet and there are a few different features that become even harder to ride and more dangerous. Below, Josefine explains how to adapt to these features when they’re wet.
05
Dealing with slick roots
Richie Schley, tackling wet roots
© Ale Di Lullo
You want to make sure to keep your momentum and not touch the brakes over the slick roots. Keep your eyes on the next section of trail where you're heading and either roll over the roots by unweighting the front of your bike or try to jump over them. I always try to avoid going diagonally or alongside the roots, as that makes it easier to lose grip. I want to spend as little time as possible on them and therefore prefer hitting them as straight on as possible.
06
How to ride slippery rocks
Myriam Nicole approaches the slippery rocks
© Nathan Hughes
Wet rocks and roots are very similar. The idea is to brake before them and not on them. Remember that if your tyres are very muddy the rock will be even more slippery. Look for spots that have grip.
07
Cornering in the mud
The muddy conditions made for slippery work
© Leo Francis
Once again, it is all about keeping your momentum. Make sure to brake before the corner and then enter the corner early to stay high – that way you keep as much speed as possible going out of the corner. Remember to keep your body position centred and your eyes on the exit.
08
Riding steep, muddy chutes
Look at the exit and keep the wheels spinning
© Leo Francis/Red Bull Content Pool
Muddy chutes can be tricky in the wet, especially if there are slippery roots and rocks in the way too. Decide before entering the chute where to brake if you need to and also check out your exit point (where you want to end up) and keep your eyes on it once you set off. Remember to be soft and loose on the bike and if you have to brake, never lock your wheels up – make sure they always keep on turning or you'll lose all your traction. Basically, keep your weight back, your eyes on the exit, brake before the entrance and keep your wheels spinning.
09
Have confidence and ride it like it's dry
Trusting your riding ability even in the rain means that you’re going to be fast, if not quite as fast, in the wet as in the dry.
Finn Iles says: “There's nothing that really changes in riding in the wet. I try and ride the exact same. The biggest thing is to ride like it's dry. I feel like that's just confidence."
Training in the rain or wet conditions help build confidence.
