Skill-building Videos

Learn how to progressively and incrementally train your body to improve your bike handling skillset and navigate any trail any time anywhere.

Jordan performs a stationary no handed trackstand on his Kona Unit X bicycle in a parking lot in the Kenton district Portland Oregon.

How to Trackstand

A trackstand is an essential skill for mountain bikers, offering the ability to balance on your bike while remaining stationary. Mastering this technique can help you manage tricky situations on the trail, like navigating steep inclines, nailing tight switchbacks, or negotiating technical obstacles. Here’s a step-by-step guide to train your body to master the trackstand.

1. lEVEL 1 - Handlebar end wall stand

  • The Spot: Find a level surface with adjacent vertical wall

  • The Challenge: Riding parallel up to the wall, come to a stop, resting the end of your handlebar against the wall. When steady and ready, bump off the wall and ride away.

  • Foot Positioning: Riding with cranks horizontal (parallel to the ground), one foot should be forward at the 9 o’clock position, and the other rearward at the 3 o’clock.

2. LEVEL 2 - tIRE wALL STAND

  • Similar to the previous challenge, but now only the tip of the front tire will rest against the vertical wall.

3. Level 3 - tire curb stand

  • Similar to the previous challenge, but now the vertical balance surface is a short curb.

4. lEVEL 4 - INCLINE STAND

  • Now the vertical surface is taken away, and a slight uphill incline uses gravity to push against with forward foot downward pressure.

5. Level 5 - trackstand

  • Now you’ll free-float in space, using brakes, forward foot pressure, body weight positioning, steering angle, and rolling balance to stay upright in place without putting a foot down.

  • Hold the front tire against any small trail or road imperfection with forward foot downward pressure.

Jordan demonstrates riding a bicycle across skinny features by riding his Surly Krampus mountain bike atop a jersey barrier across the Adams Street bridge over the Ogden River in Ogden, UT

How to ride skinny things

By slowly, incrementally, safely, an progressively learning how to ride across skinny or narrow features, the rider begins to build-in a second nature. Once out on a singletrack trail all of the now built-in nuance, micro movements, weight shifting, adjustments, and balance are automatically recalled by the body at speed. Think less about the trail, and simply enjoy riding.. any trail, on any bike, anywhere!

1. lEVEL 1 - ride the painted line

  • The Spot: Find a level surface with a painted line

  • The Challenge: Ride your bike on top of the painted line, for as long as you can. Try it fast, try it slow.

  • Bike Handling Mechanics: Steering the front wheel, leaning our body side to side, but also leaning the bike independently beneath us. Body weight can also be manipulated front to rear between the wheels. Dropping a pedal to the 6 o’clock position lowers center of gravity and can sometimes help. Short, quick forward foot ratcheting can easily keep momentum.

2. LEVEL 2 - ride embedded mower curb

  • Similar to the previous challenge, but now using an embedded “mower curb”, providing more feedback.

3. Level 3 - Ride a half curb

  • Similar to the previous challenge, but now one side of the curb has a short drop off, while the opposite side is embedded.

4. lEVEL 4 - ride a skinny

  • Now the feature you’re riding is a stand-alone, raised curb, with short drop offs on both sides. Once confidence is built, ride along roots, wooden trail features, etc.

5. Level 5 - ride a skinny 90 degree corner

  • Start with a mow strip that’s embedded, with a 90 degree corner.

  • Walk the corner on foot can be benificial.

  • Learn use of brakes, rear wheel hop adjustments, lean, foot out, etc.