When taking a corner on a mountain bike, the main objective is simple to say but complex to achieve: lose as little speed as possible.
You can enter without braking and see how it goes, or, more effectively, read the terrain and round the curve radius as much as possible.
Unlike motorcycles, where the engine can help even in very narrow entrances, in MTB a golden rule applies: the better you are at making the wheels run, the better.
Taking the concept to the extreme, the aim is not so much to reach very high top speeds, but rather to maintain a high and constant cruising speed. This not only reduces fatigue, but often makes you faster and more efficient throughout the entire course.
How you do it?
We already talked about riding position, now let's go into the details of the advances in the curve.
To keep the speed high it is often necessary increase the radius of the curve, entering slightly higher than the natural line of the trail. This technique requires a good level of technical skill and, in some cases, is reserved for expert riders.
1-Look ahead
The first skill to develop is drive with your head held highOnly in this way do you have time to “read” the curve and set it in advance.
This concept is fundamental especially in theenduro and in 'all mountain, disciplines where you often face unknown paths, or in the cycle mountaineering, where the trails are natural, without connections or lines “softened” by trail builders.
However, this is also true in downhill or in bike parks: even if you ride the same trail dozens of times, if you ride with your head down you risk missing out on more effective trajectories.
Golden rule: always travel with your head held high.
2-Reading the soil
This skill improves with experience. The more hours you spend in the saddle, the more natural it becomes to sense the best lines.
A useful exercise (for true MTB enthusiasts) is to imagine yourself riding your bike along trails you'd normally hike, whether on a hike or a walk. Visualizing where you'd put your wheels and at what pace trains your mind to automatically read the terrain.
3-speed and usefulness of the advance
Anticipating a turn often means climbing slightly on the slope or navigating sections with roots and uneven surfaces. If you don't go fast enough, you risk covering more ground for nothing, entering the turn too slowly, or even losing control.
The pro rider Martin Maas He said in an interview that, during reconnaissance of enduro competitions, he sometimes avoided looking for advances and preferred to stay fluid, following the main line: in races lasting over twenty minutes, memorizing every advance would have been impossible.
The lesson is clear: always evaluate whether the advance is really useful for maintaining or increasing speed.
Training and tests
In training, experimentation is essential: try different entrances, higher or narrower lines, and understand how your speed changes upon exit. Only in this way can you learn to decide in a fraction of a second how to approach a turn based on the terrain and your speed.
As with riding position, practice on known trails is the best way to build sensitivity and become expert “benders”.
💡 In summary:
- Always look forward.
- Read the terrain, even when you're not on your bike.
- Consider whether the advance actually gives you speed.
- Train on familiar tracks to experiment and understand your limits.
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