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Off Camber Riding Technique - Pro Riding Secrets

With Nathan Woods
By Derek Steahly
Photography by Derek Steahly
Off Camber Climbs Climbing
In setting up for a hill, the most important thing is to look ahead. From the bottom of the uphill, pick a point at the top to look at and position your body for the climb. This hill doesn't have much of a run, so steady throttle control, to avoid breaking loose the rear tire, is extremely important.
Off Camber Climbs Weight Bike
Weight the downhill side of the bike heavily and stay seated to keep the center of gravity low and help maintain traction. (Notice that Woods is sitting with all of his weight on the downhill side of the seat and his uphill leg is not on the peg).
Off Camber Climbs Rear Wheel
To minimize the chance of the rear wheel spinning or sliding off the trail, keep the front end light and place it just to the uphill side of the main line. This keeps the rear wheel hooking up and out of the sluff on the downhill side of the trail.
Off Camber Climbs Setup
The most critical part of attacking this uphill is in the setup and keeping the rear wheel tracking; without focusing your sight on the top of the hill and careful throttle and body positioning, you will end up with your rear end dangling off the trail and having to lift your bike back up, which wastes a lot of time and energy.

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