Spring means starting again, a little
After a cold season, your bike and your body are both a bit out of practice. Tyres may have lost pressure, cables may be stiff and the muscles that hold balance may feel slower than you remember. Spring is the time to rebuild rather than to chase last summer’s best trick.
All of the skills below carry some risk of falling. Wear a helmet and appropriate protection, practise in a flat, traffic-free area and move in small steps. No article can promise a particular result, and harder moves are better learned with a qualified instructor.
Check the bike first
Before the first session, look the bike over. Check that both brakes bite smoothly, that tyres are in good shape and inflated as the sidewall recommends, that wheels are secure and that the chain moves without grinding. A pre-ride bike check takes only a few minutes, and a bike shop can handle anything that looks worn or damaged. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for any adjustment.
Spring surfaces bring their own surprises: mud left by rain, grit and gravel washed onto tarmac, and potholes opened by frost. Look at the ground before you commit to a drill, and sweep a practice area if you can.
Ten tricks and skills for spring
1. A steady straight line
Ride a long, straight stretch of smooth ground at an easy pace, looking far ahead rather than at the front wheel. It sounds too simple to count as a trick, but ride a bike in a straight line well and the harder skills become safer. Winter often leaves riders wobbly here.
2. Emergency stops
Practise stopping quickly but smoothly from a moderate pace on a clean, dry surface. Use both brakes, move your weight back and keep your eyes up. Understanding an emergency stop on a bike is worth more than any trick, because it may prevent a crash.
3. The shoulder check
Look behind you without drifting sideways. Start at walking speed, with a finger on a brake, and turn just your head and upper body. Repeating the shoulder check until it is calm helps in tricks and in traffic.
4. Rolling over loose surfaces
Find a gravel patch with a smooth approach and ride across it slowly, in a straight line, with relaxed arms and weight slightly back. Avoid braking or steering sharply while on it. Patches of loose stone on road corners are a common spring problem, and practising on a harmless one makes them less alarming.
5. Braking on gravel
Loose surface braking needs more distance and gentler pressure. Practise at low speed, squeezing smoothly, and notice how the wheels slide. Never practise this near traffic or a drop.
6. Choosing a line through mud
Walk the section first and look for firmer, darker or flatter ground. Ride slowly and keep the bike upright. If the mud is deep, get off and walk. Trail riders can read more on picking a line, and the idea works in miniature on any wet field edge.
7. Bunny hop basics
Start by lifting the front wheel off the ground at low speed, then learn to unweight the rear. Keep the hop small, over a flat object, on firm dry ground. Land with bent knees and elbows. Higher or faster hops are for later.
8. Gentle pumping
Find a gently rolling stretch or a quiet pump track and practise moving your body against the bike’s motion to keep momentum without pedalling. The idea is smooth, rhythmic motion, and good pumping technique is useful on almost any trail.
9. First steps toward a manual
A manual is balancing on the rear wheel without pedalling. Begin by simply lifting the front wheel a little and holding it for a second with a finger over the rear brake. Stay at low speed and expect to need many sessions. Go in stages, following a gradual manual progression, and stop if your lower back or wrists feel strained.
10. A low curb hop
Roll slowly toward a very low, clear curb and practise hopping the front wheel on, then the rear. Check there are no pedestrians or vehicles. If it feels rushed, use a smaller step.
Easing back in
If it has been a long break, a guide to riding after a break covers confidence, pacing and the likelihood that you will feel clumsy. Keep sessions short at first. Warm up with easy riding, stop while you still feel fresh and avoid trying a trick when you are tired.
Pay attention to your body. If you have had an injury, return after injury advice suggests checking with a doctor or physiotherapist, not just pushing through.
Pace the season
Spring is long enough to take your time. Spend the first sessions on the basics, then move to hops and balance, and only later try more adventurous things. Take a friend, carry water, and be ready to walk away if surfaces are too soft or slick.
Come summer, you will want a firm base. A series of calm, uneventful sessions now usually means fewer falls later, though nothing removes the risk completely.