CONTACT POINTS
BAR SET-UP HAND POSITION DROPPER POST TRAVEL
You need to feel comfortable on your bike in order to feel confident. A lot of riders tend to overlook the contact points of their set-up. Bar width and height, lever position, foot position on your pedals, and dropper-post travel will all make a real difference to how comfortable you feel when you ride. Get these dialled in and you’ll be in a much better place to stay in control on the trails.
■ Width: The width of your bars is down to personal preference. A taller rider might prefer a wider bar width, and a shorter rider a narrower width, but where you ride also has an influence. If you prefer open spaces or bike parks you can generally run wider bars because you won’t be hitting things. If you prefer to ride in forests then maybe a narrower-width bar will allow you to squeeze through tight gaps in the trees with confidence. As a general rule, we’ve found bigger, more gravity-oriented
■ Braking finger: Ideally you want one finger on each of the brake levers. This means that your remaining fingers and thumbs can hold onto the bars, giving you a solid grip. Get into the habit of riding with your brakes covered like this and you’ll always be ready to brake if you need to.
■ Lever angle: Again, this is down bikes work better with wider bars because you’re going faster, so you need more leverage.
■ Height: This will depend on how steep you like to go. Generally a lower bar height is good for climbing because your front will rise as you climb. However, as soon as you point down the hill, that low front end will pull you forwards. Raising your bars will mean you feel way more comfortable on steeper trails but will most likely sit you upright on climbs. to personal preference and what you prefer to ride. A general rule of thumb is that when you are standing in your riding position, your levers should be directly in line with your arms, but generally if you like riding steep trails you can angle them flatter so you can still reach them as you move backwards over larger features.
If you’re looking to optimise your saddle height when sitting down to pedal then speak to a local bike fitter. They can often help you find more power, and a level of comfort that you never thought possible. In terms of your technical riding though, select a dropper post suited to your leg length. Shorter riders will find that the amount a dropper moves is dictated by how much post they need above the seat clamp when extended, and taller riders will appreciate a longer drop so that they can get the saddle all the way down out of the way and use those big legs for maximum range of movement over their bike.