A bit of rain can turn the easiest trails into technical challenges, so here are five tips on how to surf the slop.
- How to gap trail obstacles
- How to rail berms like a pro
- How to get a perfect body position for trail riding
1. Ruts
It can be tough to get out of wet ruts, so steer clear of them. Ride wide or your tyres may be guided onto a line you want to avoid.
If you do get stuck in a rut, try to sidehop out so you don’t get cross-rutted.
In corners, small ruts can give you a useful positive camber to lean against.
2. Puddles
Popping a small manual through a puddle will stop the front wheel spraying water all over your legs and up into your face.
It’ll also stop you going over the bars if there are any submerged obstacles.
3. Roots
Always try to hit wet roots straight on, and not diagonally, to avoid losing front wheel grip.
A little manual or unweight over the root(s) will help too.
4. Balance
When your wheels could slip due to lack of grip, near perfect balance and good body position will give you a better chance of keeping things rubber-side down.
Support your weight with your legs by dropping your heels and lightening your grip on the bar.
5. Braking
Being heavy on the brakes will cause your wheels to lose grip and slip, so just go steady and avoid the temptation to haul on the anchors when things start to get dicey.