Riding mud and sand
Like many obstacles, riding through sand well is mostly about high entry speed and well-timed body shifts. Apart from being light on the bike, it’s critical to keep movements subtle but constant while maintaining momentum. Here are some tips to make sand riding easier.
- Approach with confidence and speed.
- Shift weight forward just before hitting obstacle.
- Throw your bike forward under you as if you’re throwing it at the obstacle (manual).
- Keep the front wheel floating in front of you, with more of your weight on the back wheel.
- Start pedalling as soon as you can after throwing your bike forward, so not to get bogged down.
- Pedal in smooth circles in a solid gear (not too easy, not too hard) to keep driving the bike without pauses and without letting the pedal strokes throw you around.
- Keep your shoulders square, but relax your upper body, pedalling from the hips to keep the bike driving constantly but keeping your weight off the front wheel.
- Look well ahead for firm patches of sand and lean your body to manoeuvre the bike rather than turning the bars.