Because most of us seldom head out to ride when it’s really muddy, we’re usually caught by surprise when we’re faced with a muddy ride or race. As an obstacle, mud can vary in depth, texture, viscosity and duration. But the best way to tackle it, in any form, requires some fairly straightforward steps.
- Momentum is everything. By its squishy, soft nature, mud will generally slow you down when you hit it. If it’s a short and/or shallow section, shift to a harder gear and power across it; if it’s long and/or deep, then shift to an easier gear and pedal, pedal, pedal! Don’t stop pedalling. Even on muddy descents, which you’ll generally slow down on. Keep pedaling to ensure you maintain your momentum. On very steep descents, stand to keep your centre of gravity low for greater stability.
- Look ahead. You can’t always choose your line in mud because it can be so slippery, but you can choose your general direction. So look ahead and avoid looking down at the mud or at your front wheel. Look where you want to be, not where you are.
- Keep adjusting your body weight. You’ll generally be seated when tackling mud in order to give your back wheel as much traction as possible. But be sure to shift your body weight around in order to maintain balance and control. You want to keep enough weight over the front wheel and the back wheel at the right moments. It takes experience to know when exactly to shift your weight, which in mud, is a reactionary thing.
- Let your wheels slide. Don’t try and stop your wheels from slipping and sliding around, just focus on keeping your momentum (pedalling) and your direction (looking ahead/up). Trying to fight your wheel slips will only destabilise you further.
- Don’t panic. Just treat mud as another obstacle. Visualise yourself powerfully pedalling through it and then follow that up with 100% commitment. If you panic or hesitate, you’re likely to fail. And fall.
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