Mountain Biking Economics 101:
Saving Energy Ain't Just for the Planet!
by Eric Hess and Sol Frost
Austin Bikes Owners"Speed is our friend. Fatigue is our enemy"
We all know that cycling requires a lot of energy. Anyone that's ridden a mountain bike knows that it requires even more energy due to varying terrain, sharp elevation changes and technical features. It would require less energy (and be boring) if the trails we rode were flat, smooth and straight. (Wait, then it wouldn't be mountain biking!) Instead, the mountain biker must orchestrate several skills, at precise moments, to be balanced and in control of the bike while pedaling and during heavy braking, acceleration and cornering. If executed well, the rider is fast, wastes precious little energy, and gets back to the trailhead in one piece.
In mountain biking terms, this harmonious blend of skills and fitness is referred to as 'economy'. To ride with 'economy' means to ride fast and efficiently. Riding efficiently means wasting as little energy as possible as you rail quickly through the woods. How do you waste energy, you ask? What can go wrong? Where do I even put the weatherstripping?
In central Texas, we typically ride on rough, twisty trails with an abundance of features, contours and creek crossings. These conditions force us to use our technical skills in order to ride not only fast, but without fatigue, which is often the result of excess wasted energy. Simple skills such as keeping your head up & looking down the trail (as opposed to staring at your front wheel) enable you to ride proactively and plan your approach. Even experienced riders are guilty of this mistake, which will often occur as fatigue sets in. Getting out of the saddle & accelerating over a short, steep rise will help keep your momentum & speed up. More advanced skills such as a well-timed bunny-hop or j-hop enable a rider to ride offensively, skimming over a rock (instead of bashing into it) and maintaining not only speed but complete control of the bike.
Lastly, and perhaps the most difficult & time-consuming to develop, are speed skills. These are necessary to pedal through corners and maintain or increase speed in tight terrain, through rock gardens & across creekbeds.
All mountain bikers can benefit from improving their technical skills, and it takes constant practice to keep them honed. Even those riders that train extensively on the road for fitness need to find their way to the trail at least once a week just to maintain their level of efficiency. Skills also tend to disappear quickly as the body fatigues, requiring the rider to maintain constant focus and determination to stay sharp. When you're bouncing off of rocks instead of picking a better line, or floating or skimming over them, you must not only absorb the energy of the impact but also keep the bike moving forward. If you lose speed during the encounter, you have to accelerate, wasting energy. Efficiently pulling the front end (and back end) of the bike up & over a limestone ledge requires the finesse & strength of the entire body, but if you possess good mountain biking fitness and technique it will cost you less overall energy than if you bounce off of it, causing you to react, correct & accelerate back up to speed.
Another skill that is often practiced in the subconscious of experienced riders is the art of visualization. Even beginning cyclists, however, can benefit from visualizing riding smoothly (like water flowing over rocks, Grasshopper) or taking the perfect line. Just simply riding with an experienced rider & observing them from behind while on the trail will enable you to emulate their approach and form.
So now that you've got your skills down, how else can you improve your economy?
It really starts with the bike. A 22-lb mountain bike made for racing will require less overall energy to ride than a 30-lb bike found at a department store. A mountain bike should have a good mix of performance, weight and price for the rider's experience level and budget.
Equipment improvements such as clipless pedals, suspension forks and tubeless tires will each add a significant level of control, speed and comfort to your ride. Ultimately this means you pedal faster & with less fatigue.
Cycling-specific fitness is one of the more obvious weapons to possess that makes you fast on the mountain bike. The sport requires a high level of total-body fitness and a relatively high overall strength-to-weight ratio. However, if your fitness is high but your skills are low, you're likely to exhaust yourself halfway through a race by riding with poor efficiency. Multi-sport and endurance athletes have a great ability to suffer, but greater economy on the bike saves energy for the next transition.
Perhaps of greatest importance is the fit of the bike to the rider. The bike must not only be the correct size, but the position of the rider on the bike must be optimal. An ill-fitting mountain bike can result in loss of power and increased levels of fatigue (or injury in the worst of cases). During our Pro Fit sessions at Austinbikes, we often have to swap stems, handlebars and seatposts to achieve the rider's perfect position. A rider who is fit correctly is in an optimal position over the pedals for power transfer, and is in an efficient, balanced yet aggressive position on the handlebars for control.
Mountain biking is an incredibly fun, exhausting and personally rewarding sport. MTB racing requires top form and sharp skills. Whether or not you're racing for the money, for your next personal best, or simply for the finish line, greater economy will always result in faster times and a better experience.
See you at the races!
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