SAFE BRAKING ZONES

Despite what some riders will tell you, it’s OK to brake for control. While advice like “stay off the brakes over the roots” is technically correct, the bit that nobody ever takes the time to explain to you is “do all your braking somewhere where it’s nice and safe”. Try to pick places on the trail where you can trust the grip and do more braking there. That way when you find something you don’t like the look of, you can rely on having better traction because you won’t be using up all of your grip slowing down. Stay low and close to your bike over the rough stuff, and you’ll be in control because you are letting your arms and legs (and bike) track the ground fluidly.