Mountain Bike Fitness, Skills, and Equipment Self-Assessment
By guest contributor Christina Mattsson of Epic Life Fitness
“The bike will transform anyone who is willing to let it happen.” Ina-Yoko Teuntenberg
Christina Mattsson
You may be asking yourself; “Am I really ready for this?” Or you may be high fiving your riding pals saying “Heck-yeah I’m ready for this!” Either way, as part of your pre-trip preparation it is important to honestly consider all the dynamic factors that will contribute to a successful and enjoyable Athara Adventures e-mountain bike adventure. For our purposes here, we will broadly review three key components at each of the predetermined levels: fitness, skills, and equipment. It is important to recognize that in each of these areas you may feel more-or-less confident and may not fit specifically into one level category. However, realistically acknowledging components that you may have less experience with, or even a fear of, will help you in creating areas of focus in a solid pre-trip training program. After all, as the adage says; momentum is your friend…. until it’s not!
Fitness, Skills & Equipment Self-Assessment
Please note: while some injuries or ailments will have no impact on your ability to take part in an Athara Adventures tour, please consult a medical professional prior to signing up for an adventure if you have any pre-existing conditions that may impact your or another participants’ safety or enjoyment of a tour.
Level 1 / Beginner
As a new rider the most important consideration in making a commitment to a multi-day riding adventure is whether you are comfortable on your bike for long periods of time, and if you understand how your equipment works. To determine if you are in fact a Level 1/Beginner rider, consider that you should answer yes to all these questions:
Put a stick or draw a line in the dirt on flat ground ahead of you on a trail or path. Pedal to gain momentum as you approach it. Can you stop your bike using just your rear brakes, just your front brakes, and a combination of both brakes just at the stick or line and balance there for a few seconds after you have stopped?
Set up a series of several objects (cones, rocks, etc.) along a trail or path on flat ground in a varied pattern. Can you steer smoothly through and around these objects while maintaining momentum and balance?
Can you shift through the entirety of your gears smoothly, both up and down, while pedaling and maintaining momentum?
Can you ride your bike up and over a parking space marker, curb, or small downed tree across a flat trail?
Can you ride your bike at moderate exertion (5 or 6 on a scale of 1-10) on relatively flat ground for over an hour and 1) feel comfortable on your bike, and 2) maintain a conversation?
Do you know what a derailleur is and have a basic understanding of how it works?
Do you love riding your bike? That should be a gimme, but if you’re not there yet you want to be there!
Level 2 / Beginner/Intermediate
As a Level 2/Beginner/Intermediate rider, you have caught the mountain bike bug and you are starting to feel the fire! At this point you are making the transition to single track trails and experimenting with various features and bigger, longer hills.
To assess at this level, consider this:
Find a ride that incorporates several sections of intermediate (blue) single track trails and will require you to be on your bike for at least 2 hours. These can be combined with doubletrack, or gravel roads as needed. I suggest using the Trail forks app, www.Trailforks.com, and search networks in your area. If you are not on Trailforks yet, you should be. Grab a riding buddy and go for it!
Were you able to shift smoothly and maintain momentum and an efficient cadence? Did you feel smoked after you finished, or a comfortable level of exhaustion that would be expected? The latter is the answer we are looking for!
Did you have many features that you had to walk or push your bike over or around? If not, would you have been able to ride those same features if it were raining, muddy, or the conditions were less than ideal?
Most importantly, could you do this ride again tomorrow without feeling that you need additional recovery time?
Was this fun for you? Do you love riding your bike? If this still is not a firm yes, we need to work on that!
Level 3 / Intermediate
This is where things get spicy…at this level we are pushing to ride more challenging technical terrain and our climbs are growing, which inevitably (if we planned our ride well) means that our descents are getting longer, steeper, more flowy, and ultimately more fun! This is generally the place where we find that to take a step forward, we may need to take a step backward first as we navigate learning new skills and growing our overall fitness and efficiency. To assess at this level, consider this:
Find a ride that is mostly, if not all, intermediate (blue) single track and incorporates a few sections advanced (black) single track trails. Shoot for an elevation gain of at minimum 1,000 feet for the single-track sections of your ride. Generally, depending on skill level, this ride should take between 1.5-2 hours, so try to also incorporate additional time in the saddle as needed to get you to a solid 3-hour pedal.
Did you have many features that you had to walk or push your bike over or around? If not, would you have been able to ride those same features if it were raining, muddy, or the conditions were less than ideal?
Were you able to maintain momentum by shifting early on the steeper climbs, and use your brakes smoothly without skidding on the steeper descents?
Did you feel smoked after you finished, or a comfortable level of exhaustion that would be expected? The latter is the answer we are looking for!
Most importantly, could you do this ride again tomorrow without feeling that you need additional recovery time?
If you flatted or your chain came off your bike in the middle of your ride, would you be able to fix it?
Was this fun for you? Do you love riding your bike? Should be a no-brainer!
Level 4-5 / Intermediate/Advanced and Advanced
At this stage in the game, your self-assessment will most likely be something you already have ongoing as part of your personal journey. You are challenging yourself consistently by choice, and it is evident in your own riding practice when you need to spend time sessioning something or if you are riding trails that are too easy for you. To assess at this level, consider this:
Find a ride that feels as though it will be challenging for you. It should consist of mostly technical single-track, although a couple of long (long being several miles) double-track or gravel climbs thrown in will never hurt. Shoot for at minimum 2,000 feet of elevation gain, which more than likely will require you are on your bike for several hours but aim for about a half-day ride.
Were you able to smoothly navigate all climbs, descents, and clean a variety of features throughout the ride? Was there anything that you would not be able to ride again in wet or muddy conditions?
Could you keep your wind and control your breathing so that you could continue riding after steep or long climbs?
Were you able to ride the downhill sections smoothly while maintaining speed through the corners and over various terrain features?
Although we do not condone riding alone, would you be comfortable doing this ride by yourself?
Could you do this ride again tomorrow without feeling that you need additional recovery time?
This shouldn’t even be a consideration anymore, but do you love riding your bike?
If you are a road cyclist or you are only training indoors and you want to see how your skills and fitness transfer to mountain biking, Christina Mattsson is happy to set up a more technical/measurable assessment for you as that is a more specific and individual. Please set up your individual assessment by emailing: eipiclifefitnessvt@gmail.com.
In conclusion, mountain biking is a dynamic sport that requires the mastery of riding skills, fitness, and knowledge of equipment. It can be difficult to clearly determine what level you are at with all these considerations, however, with honest self-assessment it will make it easier for you to really own where you are in your personal riding journey. From there, you can develop a solid training program that incorporates all the aforementioned ideas, allowing you to optimize your experience in your day-to-day riding and on your next riding adventure! If you have doubts about your fitness or your ability to safely achieve an Athara Adventures tour, please consult a certified personal trainer or medical professional before booking a trip.
I agree wholeheartedly with the famed Gary Fisher, in that “Anyone who rides a bike is a friend of mine.” For more information on customized training programs or for a more detailed consultation, contact Christina Mattsson at eipiclifefitnessvt@gmail.com.
About / Christina Mattsson
Christina began her career working winters seasonally as a snowboarding coach, trainer, and competitive freestyle judge while teaching horseback riding lessons and training horses during the off-season. Her passion for sharing her love of the outdoors with others continued to motivate her to expand her repertoire as a mountain bike instructor, paddling instructor, and OCR coach. As a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and functional movement specialist, Christina is a leading outdoor educator and fitness professional with 20+ years of experience. Her passion for fitness coupled with her deeply rooted connection to the outdoors inspired her to start her training business, Epic Life Fitness. With her specified expertise in a variety of outdoor activities and a focus on recreation sport specific training, Christina has been able to empower those around her with the tools they need to live their most epic adventures. She passionately strives to empower all her clients with the foundation and ongoing support that they need to continue to get outdoors, play hard, and have fun!
Selected Certifications & AchievementsBS, Animal Science, University of Rhode IslandM.A.Ed., Castleton UniversitySnowboarding Instructor, Trainer & CoachCertified Mountain Biking InstructorMaster Certified Horseback Riding InstructorFunctional Movement SpecialistCertified Personal TrainerCertified Cycling InstructorSpartan SGX CoachSpartan Agoge 60-HR Krypteia|Race Director
Photo credit: Christina Mattsson