Technique versus skill
A skill is a broad ability, such as braking well. A technique is a specific way of doing something, such as a particular method of stopping quickly. Learning individual techniques gives you tools for situations that arise less often but matter when they do. This article looks at three: emergency braking, looking back while holding a line, and the track stand.
All of them involve some risk if learned carelessly. Practise in a safe, flat, traffic-free place such as an empty car park, wear a helmet and suitable protection such as gloves, progress in small steps, and stop if something feels beyond your comfort. This is general information, not coaching, and a qualified instructor can give feedback on your own riding.
Emergency braking
Stopping hard is a technique many riders never rehearse until they need it. The aim is to slow as quickly as the conditions allow while keeping the bike upright and under control.
The general idea is to use both brakes, with weight moving back and low as the bike slows, because braking shifts load forward onto the front wheel. Squeezing progressively rather than snatching the levers helps avoid locking a wheel. A locked rear wheel tends to skid, while a locked front wheel can cause a fall, which is why smooth, increasing pressure is generally recommended. How much each brake can do depends on the bike, the surface and your weight distribution, which is covered in front vs rear brake.
Practise at low speed first. Choose a flat, clear area, mark a stopping point and gradually increase your speed over several sessions, only if you remain in control. Dry, grippy surfaces are best to begin with, and wet or loose surfaces need extra care. Keep a straight line and a relaxed grip. Over time you learn how your brakes feel, which is useful information in itself.
If your brakes feel weak, spongy or noisy, have them checked by a bike shop before practising, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adjustment.
Looking back while holding a line
Checking behind before changing position is a safety habit, but many riders swerve when they turn their head. The technique is to rotate your head and shoulders while keeping your hips, arms and pedalling steady.
A way to build it:
- Ride slowly in a straight line on an empty, flat surface, with your hands relaxed on the bars.
- Glance briefly over one shoulder, then straight ahead again.
- Make the glance longer over several sessions, always returning to look forward.
- Try the other shoulder, since many people find one side harder.
- Only later, add a hand signal.
Tips that help include loosening your grip slightly, keeping your elbows soft and looking for a fixed point behind you. If you start to wobble, return your eyes forward at once. The wider topic of shoulder check is worth reading if you ride among traffic, as it explains how to avoid steering your bike toward where you look.
The track stand
A track stand means holding the bike almost still without putting a foot down. It originated in track racing, and many riders use it while waiting at lights or at a junction. It is a balance exercise rather than an essential one, and putting a foot down is perfectly acceptable.
To learn it, find a very gentle slope or flat ground and a soft surface such as grass if you like, with nothing nearby that you could hit. Turn the front wheel slightly, keep your pedals level or with the lead foot slightly forward, and make tiny forward and backward movements to hold your balance. It may take many short sessions to hold a position for even a few seconds, and that is normal.
Because it depends on balance and small steering corrections, practising it also improves slow-speed control. If you use clipless pedals, practise releasing your foot first before attempting it, and do not try it in traffic until you are very confident.
Techniques that need extra care
Some techniques that riders mention in the same breath, such as riding with no hands or one hand, wheelies, jumps or riding on a single wheel, carry considerably greater risk and are not necessary for everyday riding. Several, including flips, tailwhips and similar tricks, are best left to trained riders at a skills park with qualified instruction. Nothing in this article should be taken as encouragement to try them.
Practising wisely
- Choose one technique per session and keep sessions short.
- Warm up gently, and rest when tired, because errors multiply with fatigue.
- Stay clear of traffic, pedestrians and obstacles while learning.
- Repeat a step until it feels easy before moving on.
- Know how to fall as safely as you can, and bail out rather than push through a problem.
- Keep your bike in good order with regular checks.
Progress is rarely smooth and no technique can guarantee that you will avoid a fall or a collision. What a few well-practised techniques can do is give you more options and a little more confidence in the moments when they count, and they often make ordinary riding feel steadier too.