Then youвЂ™ll be prepared if something happens to make them veer or change speed. Let your peripheral vision keep tabs while you look a couple of riders ahead to see what theyвЂ™re doing. 17 DonвЂ™t stare at the rear wheel youвЂ™re following in a paceline. ItвЂ™s usually smoother there than in the center. 16 Cross railroad tracks near the side of the road. That way, you are always prepared to slow.

15 When riding in a group, always keep your hands in contact with your brakes, either in the drops or on the hoods. 14 As your effort becomes harder, increase the force of your breaths rather than the frequency. This is an easy way to make yourself more aerodynamic and go faster with no extra energy. 13 Keep your arms in line with your body, not splayed elbows out. 12 If youвЂ™re leading a paceline up a hill, keep your cadence and pedal pressure constant by shifting to a easier gear. Position the angle of the bar so the bottom, flat portion is parallel to the ground, or else points just slightly down, toward the rear hub. Pick the one that favors your riding style. A wider bar opens your chest for breathing a narrower one is generally more aerodynamic. 11 Handlebar width should equal shoulder width. But always keep each thumb and a finger closed around the hood or bar to prevent yourself from losing control if you hit an unexpected bump. When standing, grasp the hoods lightly and gently rock the bike from side to side in sync with your pedal strokes. On long climbs, hold the top of the bar to sit upright and open your chest for easier breathing. Grasp the drops for descents or high-speed riding and the brake-lever hoods for relaxed cruising. This not only will help alleviate muscle tension, but also will reduce the amount of road vibration transmitted to your body. On smooth, traffic-free pavement, practice draping your hands over the handlebar. Shift to a higher gear and stand to pedal periodically to prevent stiffness in your hips and back. 8 Beware of creeping forward on the saddle and hunching your back when youвЂ™re tired. You may still damage the rear wheel, or it might suffer a pinch flat, but youвЂ™ll prevent an impact on the front that could cause a crash. 7 If you donвЂ™t have a chance to slow for an obstacle such as railroad tracks or a pothole, quickly pull upward on the handlebar to lift your front wheel. This helps transfer your energy to the pedals rather than into wasted movement. 6 Pull on the bar with a rowing motion to counter the power of your legs. Too much weight forward makes the bike hard to handle and could cause the rear wheel to skip up into the air. 5 Keep your shoulders behind the front wheel axle. Let your back serve as a fulcrum, with your bike swaying from side to side beneath it. 3 If youвЂ™re not comfortable taking both hands off the bar, after pulling an arm warmer down with the opposite hand, use your teeth to pull the bundled fabric the rest of the way over your wrist and off. And donвЂ™t forget to take occasional breaks to stand for a few pedal strokes.

Moving forward accentuates the quadriceps, while moving back emphasizes the hamstrings and glutes. This is useful on a long climb as a way to give various muscles a rest while others take over the work. 2 By sliding rearward or forward on the saddle, you can emphasize different muscle groups. Tilt your head every few minutes to stave off tight neck muscles. 1 To avoid muscle soreness and fatigue, donвЂ™t hunch your shoulders. Drawn from my Bicycling book, 1,100 Best All-Time Tips(Rodale Books, 2013), here is a generous helping of wisdom from the most skilled and knowledgeable coaches, physiologists, and cyclists in the world. Of course, one well-placed cycling tip, trick, or nugget of wisdom can help you achieve something you might otherwise not learn for years.

Every time you turn the pedals, you naturally improve a little. Want to be a better road cyclist? Just ride.

Tips for starting a successful mtb ride