Clipless and learning mountain biking

[Irulan]

My thought was that it would be easier to learn to come out of the saddle if I were attached to the bike. That being said, I found it MUCH easier to stand on the Jamis tonight when coasting down-hill than on my other bikes. Perhaps it won't make that big of a difference at first if I have good grippy shoes on...

Tip: think of it as standing up on your pedals, not coming out of the saddle.

Neutral position review:
*** off the saddle
standing on the pedals,pedals LEVEL not one up, one down, legs extended but not locked, NOT "hovering" over the saddle as if it were a nasty toilet seat.
Arms extended but not locked. Shoulders relaxed. One or two fingers only on brake, if they are disc brakes. Eyes looking ahead; down the trail.
This is the position from which everything in mountain biking starts.
Your weight is on the pedals. This is why you are standing on them, not "coming out of the saddle".

Now you'll be sitting and pedal on smooth trails, non technical stuff etc, but once you find lumpy bumpy trails with "stuff" on them... move into the neutral position and let your body work with the bike.


In the photo, our rider is in perfect neutral position... except she is looking at her front wheel instead of down the trail. The skill we were teaching ( I forget which) changed the eyes. Now some people will tell you she is standing up too tall, and that the 'hover over nasty toilet seat just an inch above the saddle" position is better... but this is what I've been taught, and how I teach it.
have fun.