How do you become a better mountain biker? Mainly by doing it a lot and, of course, by continuously trying to improve your fitness and skills… However, in my opinion, other factors can contribute to this and help you become a better mountain biker.
In this article, you’ll discover the six changes I’ve made over the years that have made me a better mountain biker. Because you’re probably very curious, you’ll find the six changes right below:
If you also want to discover how these six changes have made me a better mountain biker, keep reading…
Regarding the first 3 (material) changes, one could argue whether they simply make life on the mountain bike easier rather than improving skills or fitness. However, the other three have definitely contributed to improvement, especially for me.
Table of Contents
Riding with wider tires
In recent years, mountain bike tires have only become wider. When the World Cup was held in Houffalize, riders bounced down the steepest slopes on 1.9-inch tires. Even the standard of recent years, namely 2.25 inches, is making way for 2.35-inch and 2.4-inch tires.
I’ve been riding around for a while now with a Wicked Will 2.4-inch and Racing Ralph 2.35-inch combo. It’s a combination that I can get quite lyrical about, but since tire choice can vary greatly from person to person, I’ll spare you that epistle.
How has this helped me?
The wide tires have given me so much more confidence that it feels awkward when I step back to the 2.25-inch tires that are still mounted on my hardtail.
Especially on technical terrain and in fast descents, I find the wider tires very pleasant to ride, and in my opinion, they are much more forgiving. Of course, the tire tread also plays a role in this.
In theory, that 0.1″ to 0.15″ might seem like peanuts, but I find it makes a world of difference in practice. So, you won’t see me quickly going back to narrower tires.
In the summer and dry periods, I might dare to put a narrower tire on the rear, but the gains I might achieve with that seem minimal to me and, therefore, in my opinion, not worth the effort.
Using a dropper seat post
Until a few years ago, there was no talk of dropper seat posts in the cross-country world. They were mainly reserved for rougher MTB disciplines like enduro and downhill.
However, XC trails, such as those in the World Cup, have become much more technical, leading to professionals increasingly appearing with dropper seat posts.
As a result, cross-country mountain bikes available in stores nowadays are more frequently equipped with a dropper seat post as standard.
In the marathon discipline, there is some resistance. I recently spoke with a marathon mountain biker who often finds himself in the top 5 and on the highest podium. He told me he rides without a dropper purely because of the extra weight…
How has this helped me?
Fortunately, as a recreational marathon mountain biker, weight doesn’t bother me much. Like with wider tires, I couldn’t imagine riding without a dropper seat post now. Although “could” might not be the right choice of words…
Everything is possible, but you have to want it. A dropper seat post is so practical that you don’t want to go without it once you have it. Moreover, you’ll wonder why you didn’t mount it on your mountain bike much earlier.
When descending steep and technical terrain, it’s fantastic that the saddle isn’t in the way. This gives you much more freedom of movement, making such passages much smoother.
Especially if you, like me, don’t have the sublime technical skills of someone like Nino Schurter, a dropper seat post makes a difference.
Switching to a full suspension
When I bought my first mountain bike, a Giant XTC Advanced, I hadn’t even considered getting a fully suspended bike… It didn’t seem necessary at the time since I “just wanted to bike in the forest”…
With my next mountain bike, I still wasn’t entirely convinced and decided to go for a hardtail again. Looking back, it was a major mistake.
Meanwhile, the concept of “just biking in the forest” had expanded a bit, with the Stoneman Arduenna in one day being the craziest achievement.
Now, looking back on that, I find that achievement even more impressive, considering I did it on a hardtail. Although everything went smoothly, both during and afterward, I won’t attempt that again.
Before venturing into a full suspension, I did test out a few beforehand. I tested a BH Lynx Race Evo and the Scott Spark Team Issue AXS below.
If you’re still unsure whether a full suspension could be right for you, I highly recommend giving one a test ride. This way, you’ll immediately find out if it suits you and what the differences, advantages, and disadvantages are compared to a hardtail.
Or you can keep reading below and find out why I no longer look back (at the hardtail)…
How has this helped me?
Last year (2023), I cycled the Limburg 200 MTB Ultra in one day. But oh, was I glad to have a full suspension under me… What a luxury!
The extra rear suspension makes a difference, especially on rough trails with obstacles like rocks, roots, potholes, and other uneven terrain…
Since riding with a full suspension, I’ve had much less lower back pain. It makes sense because my lower back had to absorb part of the shocks on the hardtail. The 120mm rear suspension now does that for me, and it feels great.
The dual suspension provides much more comfort and makes technical terrain easier. Again, in my opinion, it compensates quite well for some lesser skills.
You sometimes hear that you’ll develop your skills best on a hardtail, and I agree to some extent. But once you get used to the luxury of dual suspension and experience the benefits, you won’t want to go back.
If I sporadically or reluctantly take the hardtail out, I regret it after a few kilometers or a technical section, haha!
Participating in competitions
Fortunately, it’s not just material things that have made me a better mountain biker. Because it all costs money… One non-material thing that has made me a better mountain biker is participating in competitions.
In 2023, I participated in several marathon races of the Belgian Ardennes Marathon Series (BAMS)…
How has this helped me?
A perfect way to improve is by riding with mountain bikers who are better than yourself. These can be both your biking buddies and random participants in such races.
I’m usually in the middle of my age category in these races. I definitely can’t keep up with the very best, and that’s not my ambition.
Among the mid-pack riders (in all categories), there are mountain bikers from whom I can learn in some aspects, but the reverse is also true. When you can ride in the wake of such a better mountain biker, you’ll learn a lot quickly.
During the 2023 Ardennes Trophy, I ended up behind another participant. I could keep up with his pace, and I could adopt his lines nicely in the more technical descents where he went through smoothly. It is incredibly valuable and a boost for my skills and confidence.
In the middle of the pack, everyone can pick up a few things from another mountain biker. During that same Ardennes Trophy, I often played leapfrog with another participant. During steep and technical climbs, I swiftly passed him, only to be overtaken by him on the descents… Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep up with him on the descents, which was a shame…
This whole story is also one of the reasons why I rarely participate in recreational rides, except for one in the summer, because mountain biking is still primarily a summer sport…
With all due respect, the level at an average recreational ride is slightly lower than at a real race. And I believe you only learn from those who are better than you.
Participating in races and learning from others is, therefore, a perfect way to quickly improve and further develop your skills at a rapid pace.
Focus on elevation gain instead of kilometers.
Although tearing through (man-made) singletracks certainly has its charms, I find my true passion lies in the origins of mountain biking. That’s right, the mountains.
Unfortunately, in our lowlands, we can’t exactly call them mountains. But the challenging Ardennes and South Limburg hills are a worthy alternative for me.
In the early days of my recreational cycling career, I was mainly proud of the kilometer counter on my handlebars because I pedaled away some kilometers and hardly encountered any hills.
However, that changed when I started focusing more on marathons. And when I moved in 2020, even if it was only 3.5 km away, my backyard changed, as did the terrain where I most frequently mountain bike.
Instead of turning left towards the singletracks and relatively flat areas, I turned right and headed towards the Hageland hills…
How has this helped me?
Nowadays, almost every ride includes a significant amount of elevation gain, whereas rides with elevation gain used to be the exception. I’ve become more and more focused on elevation gain rather than kilometers. And it’s paying off rapidly.
Climbing has never been easier, and it’s just becoming more enjoyable, no matter how tough it may be.
What you do more often, you get better at, and that’s the case with elevation gain and climbing as well.
For example, after a mountain bike ride in the Ardennes, I used to be completely drained, and I’d end up sprawled out on the couch for the rest of the day. That has significantly improved now, thanks to the amount of elevation gain I tackle.
The counter has steadily increased over the years, and in 2023, I logged almost 72,000 meters of elevation gain on “only” 7,300 km.
In 2024, I hope to push that number even higher and I even dream of reaching the 6-digit mark, for whatever it may be worth 😉
Switching to a fully plant-based eating pattern
Although many may skip this last point, I hope it is still read. Without wanting to convert anyone or impose a particular eating pattern, I still want to share my personal experience with a “vegan diet,” as it’s unfortunately commonly called.
In 2019, I became fully vegan, and I did it for one specific reason: the animal suffering behind meat and dairy production.
Animal suffering is carefully hidden in mainstream media and advertisements and, of course, never brought to light. But that suffering does exist behind the closed doors of slaughterhouses (duh…) and many farm barns…
I admit that before I became vegan myself, I had prejudices, but now, after almost five years of being vegan, I know better.
And, of course, the beginning of my vegan journey was one of trial and error. I readily admit that after the first few months, I sought the help of a vegan coach/dietitian. The reason was simple: I kept losing weight… I was exercising too much and eating far too little…
Once that was sorted out, I could truly experience the benefits of a plant-based diet…
How has this helped me?
The big advantage of plant-based food is that it is digested more quickly by the body. This means that your body requires less time and, thus, less energy for this process.
When I ate meat and other animal products, they stayed in my stomach much longer, and I also needed much longer to recover from them. Since I only eat plant-based products, that has completely changed, and I recover much better from (heavy) meals.
As a result, I also get hungry again more quickly and, consequently, simply eat more often (not that I mind).
On the biking front, one consistent trend is noticeable since I switched to a fully plant-based diet: I recover better and faster from intense efforts.
After a ride like the Stoneman, the Limburg200, or an Ardennes marathon, you won’t see me immediately collapsing on the couch. Of course, I am tired after such exertions, but I am certainly not dead or broken.
Those last two words came more often from my lips, and back then, I wasn’t even cycling such distances and elevations…
My daily plates also look quite different compared to before. While you used to have to search for vegetables, they are now much more abundant and form the core of many meals.
Of course, I also sin occasionally. Vegan or plant-based can also be “unhealthy and fatty”… As evidenced by the photo below:
For the non-believers or skeptics, vegans eat much more than just a leaf of lettuce, and grass is NEVER on the menu 😉
Final Thoughts
These six changes have made a difference for me as a mountain biker and have pushed me (literally and figuratively) to greater heights. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, it’s certainly not the first three changes that have brought about the most progress.
However, they have contributed and made life on the mountain bike much easier, more enjoyable, and ultimately more fun for me. And ultimately, that’s what matters most to me.
Shifting focus, changing my eating pattern, and participating in races have proven to be real game-changers for me. And these weigh more heavily than any bike upgrade. You’ll always make the fastest and most significant progress by upgrading and improving yourself.
I’m curious to hear your thoughts and whether any of my changes might also apply to you… Do you have any fun additions, adjustments, or things that have helped you progress? Be sure to let me know in the comment section below.
