MTB Skills Articles, Tips & Advice Articles

I love what modern bikes and 30 years of practice allow me to do! But, no one needs the latest and greatest to have fun. In the late ’90s at the end of my downhill racing season, I would go for a ride on my fully rigid Rockhopper with cantilever brakes and 40 pounds of pressure in the flimsy old tires and I would have a blast, on a beginner trail. Two years ago we were climbing up Porcupine Rim from the river (because the top of the trail was covered in snow) and we encountered a smiling guy coming down the trail. He was on an old rigid bike with V-brakes and an elastomer fork. He was grinning ear to ear and told us the snow wasn’t that bad, only 6″ in places!

Just because an mtb pro (or a bunch of pros) uses a piece of equipment doesn’t mean you should make the same choice. Why not? Well, there are several reasons and I will give you some excellent examples.

A student of mine emailed me accusing me of being crazy for riding plus-sized tires. His argument was that Jared Graves and Richie Rude (two World Champion Enduro racers) tried plus tires and didn’t like them. My first question to my student was, can you corner as well and as confidently was World Champion racers? To which he replied, “well, I’m much better after your camp and I have been doing the cornering drills but no, I’m not that good.” Well, plus tires give me the confidence to corner much faster and aggressively than narrower tires I told him. Wouldn’t you corner faster if

I have been fortunate to do a number of skills camps with 3 time World Champion Greg Minnaar over the last 12 years and I have learned a lot from him. You can benefit greatly by doing some of the things he does and by not doing some of the things he does.

What? Not do what Greg does. Isn’t he arguably the best rider in the World? Yes, and you are not the best rider in the world so what works for Greg might work for you because he has way more skill than you do!