Matti Lehikoinen reveals the secrets to hitting your favourite trails faster than ever before…
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1. Don’t waver
You must be 100 percent confident in your own ability to ride the section and not hesitate. It helps a little if you know the trail, allowing you to push that bit harder.
2. Look up the trail
Keep your head up and look ahead. You can’t go fast if you’re looking down at your front wheel. The faster you go, the further up the trail you need to look. Always look where you want to go, not where you don’t want to go.
3. Don’t drop your arms
Keep your elbows out and arms up. That way you can absorb bumps and hits better. If you drop your elbows, your ability to absorb bumps at high speeds will be poor and it’ll be sketchy to go fast.
4. Stay centred
Stand up on the pedals. Bend your legs slightly but keep them firm and drop your heels. Try to keep your weight distribution pretty even between the front and back wheels. If you lean too far back at high speed, your front wheel will get really light and you’ll lose the feeling for what’s happening between the wheel and ground.
5. Chill out!
It’s essential to stay relaxed, no matter how fast you’re going. You can’t fight the bike. Have good composure and let it flow beneath you.