BLUE TRAIL SKILLS
CUT WIDE A P P R OAC H Always adjust your speed before entering the turn, so that you can roll through it rather than having to pedal or brake.
BERMS The berm, or banked turn, is a common trail feature used to help the rider keep their flow and maintain grip in the turns. In a conventional flat turn you need to lower your outside pedal in order to help you get your body in the right position, weight the tyres correctly and improve ground clearance as the bike leans over. But in a berm the bike remains upright in relation to the surface beneath its tyres, so there’s no need to lower a pedal or adjust your riding position drastically – good technique here is more about the approach and line choice.
26 MOUNTAIN BIKING SKILLS
To make full use of the berm, cut wide to enter the turn as the berm starts. Keep your head up and look ahead round the turn.
AT TAC K STA N C E Maintain a typical trail riding position – elbows out, heels dropped and preferred foot forwards. Keep your bodyweight driven through your feet and stay central over the bike.
