Jumping on and off the bike… how do we do it?!

Getting on and off the bike is a skill worth practicing. When getting off, the aim is to do it on the move. Unclip both feet so they are just resting on the pedals, swing your right leg over the back of the saddle so you are almost scooting along with your left foot still on the pedal. Finally – you can either step right through the middle of your left leg and bike with your right leg or just step backwards with your right leg and hop off to the side. There are lots of great videos on this.

5 Essential Cyclo Cross Skills

Re-mounting is the hardest part and it may be worth checking some videos on YouTube…The aim is to jump back on the saddle whilst keeping the bike moving. It is more like a gliding motion, where as you push your bike along, you swing your right leg round the back of the bike, landing mainly on your thigh and then move onto the saddle.

If you’re getting off it’s often for a hurdle, or a hill that’s faster to run up. Either way, you need to carry the bike… what’s the best way to do it?

For a hurdle, pick the bike up on the top tube near the back of the bike. My top tip is to stand on the barrier to help you over, as sometimes for women they can be quite high.

For running up hills or longer stretches of running, try to get your bike on the shoulder so you keep the tyres out of any unnecessary mud that can clog up your bike.

To get the bike on your shoulder, reach through your frame with your right arm and pick it up from the down tube. As you lift it, your top tube should then rest nicely on your shoulder. Then, try and reach round and grab the drop of your handlebars whilst running to prevent the front wheel moving around and throwing you off balance. Whilst you’re practicing this skill, it’s a good idea to tape a bit of foam padding on the underside of your top tube to avoid any bruising on the shoulder

Sometimes we feel nervous about the more technical singletrack sections – any tips?

 Get out there and practice! Don’t go too ridged, keep your body loose and practice letting the bike move around under you. Most local parks have little sections you can practice on

Fancy it? There are races all over the UK – check out the British Cycling race calendar. If you fancy the NEC Cycle Show race, the show takes place from 25 to 27 September. It’s the UK’s largest cycling exhibition with over 280 exhibitors spread over three days covering every aspect of the cycling industry. Click here for more info.

***NEWSFLASH: GET £1.50 off tickets to the Cycle Show in Birmingham. Just use the code TWC when checking out***