Everyone trains differently. No way is the best way, but some ways are better than others. Canadian downhill racing badass Steve Smith broke onto the scene a couple years ago and has been crushing ever since. This didn’t happen on accident; Steve trains long and hard to be this fast. At the World Cup level, riders train all winter and come into the race season in better shape than most people ever achieve. Steve uses with a combination of downhill riding to stay loose and comfortable, sport-specific weight training to stay fit, and enduro riding on his moto to simulate the full-body stress of downhill races. Check out the vid for some training tips and some pretty good riding footy.
Gear Articles tagged ‘mountain biking’
Winter Mountain Biking
By: Kate Showalter | December 1st, 2010
Winter mountain biking
Maybe you think mountain biking isn’t a snow sport. HucknRoll writer Dan Hall disagrees. Hall, who used to ride in circles in the basement during the long northeast winters before discovering winter mountain biking, gives the lowdown on what gear you’ll need to get rolling on the snow, from frame to tires, jacket to shoes.
Three Reasons: Get a Bike Stand
By: Justin Mool | October 14th, 2010
Bike Stand = Easy Tuning
When it came to making minor adjustments on my bike, for years I had been using my creativity to keep the damn thing upright. I’d strap my mountain bike into my car rack for cleaning, but if it was raining that option was out. I’d turn my road bike upside down to twiddle with a derailleur, but everything seemed to go to hell when I flipped it back over. And I’ve paid my fair share of security deposits for apartment walls that were marked with dirt stains, nicks and dents from leaning an unstable bike. Read More …
2010 Fall Whistler Report
By: Adam Riser | September 9th, 2010
Chip Vincent riding a bit of tech on In Deep
It’s 5 p.m. on the first day of a seven-day stay in Whistler, and I’ve done exactly one run. It’s not that I’m lazy or not stoked on this place. I blew up my fork on the very first lap when I went off the lip of a jump and heard the loud metallic “thwang” of something going really wrong. Despite the fact that I broke my rebound cartridge clean in half, the guys at Fanatyk had me up and running before the lifts closed. Two runs later, I broke a rear derailleur and finished the day chainless. Average cost per lap at the end of day one: about $230. Was it worth it? You bet your ass it was! Read More …
Downhill Race Day Tool Kit
By: Adam Riser | July 22nd, 2010
Fixing this crushed wheel in the parking lot with wrench, screwdriver, hammer, spoke tool, and two beers.
Downhill races are hard on bikes. I think I’ve seen everything: broken cranks, blown tires, taco’d wheels, and just about anything else that can go wrong. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then check out Matti Lehikoinen’s crash at Leogang. His mechanics had his bike back in working condition in about the time it takes to ride the lift to the top, and it was running smoothly enough to let him qualify for 4th the next day. We mortal riders don’t have a team mechanic or a van full of enough spare parts to build three new bikes, but anyone who races should at least have the parts and tools to get their rig running after a bad off.
Bike Trail Building 101
By: Adam Riser | July 21st, 2010
Put some thought and effort into your bike trail features
Good bike trails don’t build themselves. They take a lot of planning, time, and effort to create. Too many bikers are satisfied to simply ride existing trails, never thinking of how they got there in the first place. All too often I hear a rider complain about a jump or a berm or a section of trail that kills the flow, but that rider never thinks of picking up a shovel and fixing the problem. If a section of trail needs some love, get out there with tools, and fix it up. If some friends are building a new bike trail, go help them out for a few days. If there isn’t a trail around your home that has the type or riding you like to do, then step up, and build it yourself. Just make sure you do it right. You don’t want to put in weeks of effort only to find that your trail isn’t that good, or worse, creates access issues for everyone. Read More …
Bike Helmet 101 – Good Guide on HucknRoll
By: Justin Mool | July 15th, 2010
Last weekend my girlfriend borrowed my Giro Ionos Cycling Helmet that I wear when I’m getting rad in spandex, so she could take a bike ride around town. Like a douche I said, “Don’t lose it! It’s worth more than your bike.”
What a stupid thing to say.
It made me wonder, “why on earth did that thing cost so much in the first place?” … And then, “why on earth did I just say that?”
Luckily HucknRoll.com bike specialist Dan Hall created a bike helmet 101 guide to help explain the first conundrum. Sadly, he can’t help with the second. Read More …
Guide to Backcountry Bottle Openers
By: Adam Riser | July 1st, 2010
Whatever you do, don't use the tooth method.
You head back to camp after a good, long day of gettin’ after it and pull an icy cold beer from the cooler to celebrate. Suddenly, and not without a small measure of panic, you realize you forgot your bottle opener. Before you resort to breaking the neck off your Polygamy Porter with a rock and risk drinking down busted glass with your brew, open your eyes and look for some other alternatives. There are plenty of items in camp that will help you get access to a cold one. Depending on your chosen activity, you may have nearly limitless options.
5 Outdoor Trips for Summer
By: Jeb Admire | May 10th, 2010
Whether you need a weekend of outdoor-infused peace or are the next badass moving in to claim a place in local legend, cancel your über-spendy St. Tropez wine-tasting/windsurfing trip, pack up the Vanagon, and hit the road. Thanks to a complex process of deduction (throwing darts at a dusty map), we compiled a rockin’ list of spots around the country where you can paddle until you’re blue in the face, climb until your hands are a mélange of blood and chalk, and crank until you collapse in a pool of sweat. Read More …
Mission Workshop Bags: The New High-End Messenger Bag Company from the Creators of Chrome
By: Rocky Thompson | March 29th, 2010
The seatbelts started appearing on the messenger bags ages ago. Your friend would show up at your house wearing one, answer a question about the airbag on his bike, and then make a grab for his falling bag after you bashed his seatbelt’s button. Only after the sickening crunch of his laptop hitting your tile floor did you feel a little bad.
Gaper-Proof Your Biking
By: Adam Riser | July 20th, 2010No Comments »
Gaper? No way. This guy will probably ride you into the ground.
To gape or not to gape, that is the question. For some reason, the things that make a mountain biker look like a gaper aren’t as cut and dry as they are in other outdoor activities. Some things change with time, and some things you can get away with if you ride well enough. Then, there are some things that never change. In the end, it’s a lot more about what you do and how you treat other riders than how you look.
Read More …
Tags: bike helmets, downhill, freeride, mountain biking
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