Downhill mountain bike tips when using the Michelin Wild Enduro tyres
Downhill mountain biking is definitely not the easiest to master, it takes practice, concentration, technique and most of all guts… but when you’re bombing it down a trail, it will all be worth the few bumps and scratches you’ll pick up along your way.
Ready for the adrenaline rush?
If downhill riding sounds like your kind of thing, then here are our top tips on getting started, let’s start with the basics…
- Don’t jump into the deep end immediately – we get that you’ll be keen to give the big trails a go, but it’s good to find the best trail for your level to start with and build up your skills. All riders have to start somewhere, but flat on your face is not where we’d recommend. Head to one of your local trails and start slow, you’ll be taking on drops off and jumps in no time.
- Take a pal – ideally, you’ll be at a fairly similar level to each other, but taking someone with you will allow you to safely test your limits and have fun whilst you’re at it.
- Relax and don’t second guess yourself – if you’re tense, or nervous then the likelihood of something going wrong is far higher, just relax and stay focused and your bike will do most of the work for you. If you’ve committed to a jump, or downhill straight, you need to just go for it.
- Distribute your weight correctly – you don’t want to lean too far forward and end up over the front of the handlebars.
- Be aware of your balance – you need to feel in control at all stages of your downhill ride, and balance will make a huge difference to your confidence. Adjust your positioning if you don’t feel quite right.
- Always look ahead and know what’s coming up – whether that’s looking ahead for other riders or more challenging obstacles, being one step ahead will work in your favour.
- Use your brakes – yes, the main aim is to get down that hill, but sometimes, the fastest route isn’t the best, especially if you want to get down it in one piece. Remember that brakes are your friend, in particular, around corners or at obstacles. When you’re coming to a new trail, test your brakes out first!
- Alter the tyre pressure and suspension on your bike – it’s not as technical as it sounds, but you will need to change these settings based on the terrain you are riding on and the condition of the trail, for example of it’s wet or dry. You’ll want a lower suspension on wet ground, which will allow you to grip better to the track.
- Change your saddle position – to allow you to have the most control, you’ll want your saddle to be as low as possible. When taking on jumps, you’ll want to be raised off your saddle, so a lower position will mean it’s not in the way and will give you the best possible body position for the obstacle.
- Purchase the right tyres – this will make a world of difference (and is where we come in). You want a tyre strong enough to cope with the trail, but also one that’s super lightweight and durable so you can get down the trail quickly. Read on for our recommendations on tyres.
Why use Michelin Wild Enduro tyres?
You’ll find all our team riders opt for being on #teammichelin at any opportunity, whether that’s moto or mtb, so it’s no surprise that the Michelin Wild Enduro tyres have been the go-to choice for all levels of mountain bike riding, including downhill.
The Michelin Wild Enduro tyres provide everything you need from a downhill tyre, they are:
- Durable – they’ll see you down the tricky obstacles, tough roots, and drop-offs with no problems due to the Gravity Shield technology.
- Lightweight – before you insert any kind of inner tube, the tyre weighs under 1kg, meaning you’ll be able to zip down the trail.
You can read more about why our riders and customers choose the Michelin Wild Enduro tyre here, or you can purchase it for yourself here.
I’ve recently switched to Michelin tyres on my Downhill bike and the new tyres are awesome! I am currently using Enduro Wilds with Cushcore whilst we wait for the dedicated DH Michelin tyres, and have found the Enduro wilds great, so the the DH tyres (when they are release) should be on another level! – Ethan Craik
Coming soon… Michelin DH22 downhill tyres
Ready to take your downhill riding to the next level? Developed by pro rider Sam Hill, the Michelin DH22 is due to be available from late Summer 2019. Whilst we don’t know loads about the new downhill tyre, rest assured we will be the first to stock these when they become available. Keep an eye out for them here.
Buy online with FREE next day delivery
All our mountain bike tyres and accessories come with free delivery as standard, and what’s more, if you order before 1pm Monday-Thursday you should receive your tyres the following morning, ready for you to try out your new skills at the weekend.
As well as downhill tyres, we also stock a full range of tyres for all riding styles, plus many accessories including the popular Dynaplug puncture repair kit, the CushCore tyre suspension system, must-have Pod Active knee brace protection and much more. Shop our cycle products here.
Buy online today from the UK’s leading supplier for all things Michelin off-road. You can see what we’re up to on our Facebook and Instagram channels, or check out what our customers have to say about our products on Trustpilot here.
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