How to mountain bike in 2024

Imagine the perfect ride. That feeling when everything coincides, everything works, time disappears, and you get completely lost in the ride. Nothing else is on your mind, being one with the bike, the trail and nature. Your work or school deadline or family pressures are gone. Your bike is moving and working hard to soak up the trail. You are confident in your ability, and you know what to expect on the trail. You are in complete control and not stressed about crashing or worrying about running over dangerous obstacles.

Everything happens automatically, and you are fully focused on the ride. Overcome your perception of yourself and the time that is completely lost in the journey. This feeling is known as “flow”, the perfect state of effortless bliss that is fully absorbed in the journey.¹. We crave this situation and it is often what keeps us coming back. It is a reward for prior effort, training, and preparation.

Flow is about finding the sweet spot between worrying about crashing, breaking your bike, or not being able to overcome a trail or obstacle and doing something out of the ordinary and feeling lonely. Matching presence, ability and confidence with a lead is how flow is achieved. In collaboration with a team of experts from the University of Queensland, the University of Tasmania, and the University of Otago, we found out what actually causes the runoff, what the water killers are, and how local businesses can help.².

So, what can we do to meet the flow and kill the flow?

Before and during the ride there is a lot to consider in creating the right setting to reach a state of flow and to avoid the “flow killers”, things that take us out of the moment and back to reality.

Don't have distractions. When we get an email from an annoying co-worker, an angry text from a scorned lover, or a missed bill payment notice it pulls us out of the moment and kills the flow. These moments pull us out of the flow and back into a world of worry and stress. So, consider keeping your phone on silent and your worries first and your focus on the road ahead.

Getting ready. Have you ever cursed your favorite route and felt the flow to break the chain? Or completely crushing part of the road only to be dumped at a confusing intersection unsure of where to go next? However, these times kill the flow. Mechanical issues, creaky suspension, a skipping derailleur are all flow killers. So, keep your bike in top condition and be ready for the inevitable with all the necessary repair parts. And know where you're going and what routes you'll hit ahead of time.

Go with like-minded partners. Having a trusted and supportive riding partner of the same or more advanced level than us not only gives us a community vibe, but also gives us confidence. Following your riding partner's line and discussing the trail before and after builds confidence we can tackle the trail in a stock and flow situation. Less self-doubt and more confidence creates an environment that is conducive to flow and partners can help.

Ride the same route more than once. We're usually looking for the hottest new trails and when we're on a new trail system, we want to ride as many types covering the new terrain as possible. But the more we know the characteristics of the route and know what's coming around each corner or after the descent, the more likely we are to achieve the flow. We reach a state of flow when we do the riding smoothly and automatically, not when we have to figure out where to go or what line to take, or worry about a possible obstacle that is beyond our skill level. So, after hitting the trail, come back for seconds.

Control fear. A healthy dose of fear on the bike can be good to bring us into the moment, but too much of it kills the flow. So, be aware of what skills you have to overcome and wear safety gear to eliminate anxiety. The coaches also help.

Embrace the Zen ride. While performance tools like Strava can be a great aid for training to get stronger and faster, focusing on pure athletic performance and competition can be a flow killer. Maybe don't worry about capturing segments and more about enjoying your presence and leave the GPS at home.

Walking. One of the best things we can do as individuals to achieve flow is to walk. Stepping out of your normal environment leaves stress and worries at home. And the more we go to a different place, the more we get away from our worries. When we go for rides, we take a mental break from the mundane daily worries that plague our minds. Even more so when we ride in new places that are very different from what we are used to at home. So, load up the car or hop on a plane and go!

How can mountain bike businesses help create flow?

A key facilitator of the flow of experiences for local mountain biking businesses from shops, rental agencies, trail builders, accommodation providers, and guides. Roll it all into one provider and you can spend less time thinking, and more time riding. The team at Blue Derby Pods Ride in Derby, Tasmania have done a great job considering everything from tours, bike hire, trail selection, accommodation, and food and drink.

Route design. Creating routes that provide a seamless experience, are easy to ride, have long sections, are easy to measure difficulty, and have smooth flowing sections is the key to providing a flow experience for riders. In route planning, we tend to think that creating long flowing pump type routes is the key to achieving flow, but it's more than that. Riders need to be able to find the route easily, test their skill and difficulty of the route and find long uninterrupted sections of trail, and connect sections of tracks to feel the flow.

Guided tours and experiences. In general, guided tours offer a one-size-fits-all experience with a set schedule and route. But, to achieve flow, travel must be a flexible experience, not bound by rigid schedules or routes. Itineraries need to change with the changing needs of passengers on a daily basis. Segmenting groups and providing precise experiences based on rider skill levels, confidence, and fitness throughout the experience helps create flow. Go from concept A to B and enter a dynamic, intuitive flow experience.

Professional guide. From our research, professional, friendly, emotionally knowledgeable and reliable trained guides were the main facilitators of experiential flow. This all starts before the ride begins, with the guides listening and assessing the guests' abilities and expectations of the experience. Avoiding adversity and building friendly relationships before the journey begins goes a long way. Great guides can hear what the guest wants and how they feel before and during the experience and solve problems and adjust the ride along the way to suit each guest. Accurate guidance senses when a visitor has had a flow or is still craving more by looking for non-verbal cues such as smiles, standing up, fist bumps, sounds of happiness or frustration, and cheering at the end of the trail. Guides can help instill confidence by gently encouraging, explaining routes before riding, and informing you of potential hazards/route features and conditions. Front and rear guides create a good flow setting. Also, generally by monitoring morale and keeping the team positive the conditions for finding flow are improving.

A stress-free living space. Where we live, and the associated stress is important to consider. If you live in an area that is hard to get to or live in, this can be a flow killer. Ideally, our accommodation is nature-oriented, easy to get to, stress-free and bike-friendly. A seating area that allows you to get in and out without accessing the track without having to navigate to load the car and find a parking space is great.

Food and Drinks. At the end of the day, we want good food, most likely a beer and a burger to be specific³. It needs to be simple, accessible, nutritious, and satisfying. Planning removes anxiety.

Events. Well organized events with thoughtfully marked different courses make the whole riding experience easier and less stressful (eg, getting lost, choosing routes, preparing food).

Alright, streamers, let's get out there!