“Tricks” here means shortcuts to progress
For advanced riders, the useful tricks are less about stunts and more about method: how to see where you are weak, choose one thing to fix, and keep making small gains. Moving up a level mostly comes from honest self-assessment and patient repetition. This is general information, not coaching, and any new skill involving speed, height or rough ground carries a risk of falls, so a helmet and a safe, traffic-free practice space matter.
Find the weak spots
Most riders improve fastest by working on what they avoid. A few ways to spot those gaps:
Notice where you hesitate. Think back over your usual rides. Which bends, descents, junctions or surfaces make you tense up, brake early or avoid them altogether? Those moments tend to point straight at the skill that needs work.
Run a simple skills check. In an empty car park, try a handful of basics and score yourself honestly:
- Riding a slow, straight line over about the length of a car park.
- Stopping smoothly and predictably from a moderate speed.
- Looking over each shoulder without the bike drifting.
- Signalling with each arm in turn, briefly and at low speed, while keeping a steady line.
- Making a tight turn in both directions.
Many experienced riders find that one side is clearly weaker, or that slow-speed control is poorer than they assumed.
Ask for a second opinion. A riding partner can tell you what they see: a stiff upper body, sudden braking, drifting to one side. Cycling coaching or an in-person skills session can give specific feedback, and some riders find that a single lesson shows them more than months of solo guessing.
Film yourself. A short phone clip from the side or behind, taken safely and without distracting anyone, often reveals habits you cannot feel. Video review for cyclists works best when you look for one or two things at a time rather than everything at once.
Turn weak spots into goals
A vague wish such as “get better at descending” is hard to act on. A useful goal is specific, small and measurable by feel or observation. For example:
- “Look further ahead on the descent near my house, rather than at the front wheel.”
- “Hold a steady line while shoulder-checking, five times each side.”
- “Brake before the bend, not in it, on three different corners.”
- “Hold a track stand for a few seconds on flat ground.”
Setting skill goals like these gives each practice session a point. Limit yourself to one or two at a time. Working on five things at once usually means improving none of them.
Pace the progression
A skill tends to move through levels: first it takes all your attention, then it is possible but shaky, then it is reliable in easy conditions, and finally it holds up when things are messy. Moving too fast through these stages is a common cause of falls.
A sensible way to pace yourself:
- Practise the skill in the easiest possible conditions: slow, flat, dry and empty.
- Repeat until it feels boring. Boring is a good sign.
- Change one thing, such as more speed, a slightly smaller space or a rougher surface.
- If it falls apart, go back one step rather than pushing through.
- Allow time between steps. Skills often settle after a rest day or two.
Deliberate practice, which means focused repetition with attention on what is going wrong, is generally more productive than long unfocused rides. Short sessions of around twenty minutes a few times a week are a common pattern, though what suits you depends on your time and energy.
Choose skills that match your riding
The next level should come from the kind of riding you actually do. A road rider might choose smoother cornering and calmer group riding, while a gravel or trail rider might focus on loose-surface control and picking lines. There is little point learning tricks you will never use if your rides would benefit more from better braking.
If you are curious about tricks, pick ones with a reasonable risk profile for your setting, such as a basic track stand or a small bunny hop done on flat ground. Skip tricks that involve flips or spins unless you have qualified instruction at a skills park. Skills should add to your riding and enjoyment, not turn it into a risk you did not choose.
Keep going when progress stalls
Plateaus are normal. A few ideas that help:
- Return to a skill you can do well and enjoy it. Confidence feeds into everything else.
- Change the setting. A familiar skill in a new place often feels different.
- Take a few days off if you are tired. Fatigue and frustration are both poor teachers.
- Keep a short note of what you tried, so progress is visible over weeks rather than hours.
Staying interested matters as much as technique, and some riders find that practice motivation improves when sessions are short and have a small, clear aim. The aim is not to reach an imaginary top level, but to keep widening what you can do comfortably and safely.