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Unfortunately working with a coach often gets a bad rap cause everybody and their brother (and sister!!) is a "certified mtb coach" these days and a bunch of organizations hand out certifications to anyone that is willing to schelp out a couple hundred bucks.
But working with the right coach, probably a former pro racer that actually knows the sport inside and out, and actually can communicate and identify where you're at, what you need to work on, etc., is priceless.
Again, look to the highest levels of motocross -- the best dudes on the planet on two wheels -- if those guys work with coaches?
The rider:
- Lose some weight
- Improve your power output
- Improve your endurance
- Improve your mobility
- Improve your skills (pick 1-2 during this downtime and see how you can focus on them.
- Learn more about your bike - experiment with different tyre pressures, suspension pressures and settings, more sag, less sag etc. As mentioned above, try a slightly different saddle position (nose down, a couple of mm forward etc)
I know that the greatest thing holding back my riding is me!
Stickers help you go fast too!
Light, fast wheels
Sticky front tyre
Rear tyre insert
DMR Vaults
Coil rear shock (by far the best upgrade)
SWAT style shorts with Nukeproof Horizon soft water bottles if you haven't a bottle cage
Bin the fork volume spacers and used more air (a matter of taste that one)
One up EDC
Build core strength and fitness
And one of the most over looked...
Sound proofng/deadening- a silent bike is a fast bike
upskilled in terms of doing my own maintenance: bike lasted longer, and performed better for longer.
upskilled in riding skill: all that money spent on suspension and tyres didn't mean jack until i learnt to ride the shoulder knobs off, and not crash.
Best upgrade Ever.
1. Brakes - good reliable stoppers which have enough power and some modulation will improve any riders experience on a bike and their ability to ride with confidence.
2. Tubeless - Oh god who remembers riding with tubes!
3. Tyres which are appropriate for the conditions
4. A dropper post
6. Forks and shocks with good quality dampers
Then reliable and powerful brakes (Magura MT5 is my go-to since a few years).
Then stiff and with great damping forks (there are relatively good forks, ie. RS 35, or a little costlier : Pike Select that performs SOOOOOOOO well !) !
Then a reliable dropper post with more than 150mm travel (Brand-X Ascend XL in my case).
Not to mention REAL flat pedals and shoes if you just ordered your bike and stay on the original pedals...
1 - tyres - decent tyres will give you more confidence on the bike by providing more grip. There isn't a perfect tyre out there as you can still flat on any one of them. Having said that there are some very good tyres out there. I highlight the Schwalbe Magic Mary and Maxxis Assegai as great all arounders. The Schwalbe Dirty Dan and WTB Verdict Wet as great soft terrain tyres.
2 - Suspension - suspension is what gives you control and confidence riding over rough terrain especially the faster you ride. Upgrading your fork's damping to a higher end cartridge can give you a boost in performance if you know how to setup the fork. A simple fork tuning to lower friction or adjust the fork to your weight and riding style can make a bigger difference and is often well worth the money. Getting a new rear shock can have similar benefits. If you have the money I highly recommend the EXT Storia V3
3 - brakes - strong brakes benefit everyone. Less arm pump, slows you down faster and less brake fade. I have been runing Shimano Saint front and a XT 2 pot back for the last 6 years.
Having said that I think geometry is the single most important aspect which will determine how well your bike will ride.
Better to have a bike with great geometry and poor parts than a bike with bad geometry and great parts.
When you have all the aforementionned items but the geo is not that great...
1) Dropper post, ideally 150mm or more.
2) Tyres, 1kg of more for 29er tyres for proper riding
I disagree with a comment above about SRAM brakes, I have the entry level levers on both my bikes (code R), but having the 4pot caliper is where it is at, guides are not great, levels are unacceptable. Go shimano if possible to do cheaply.
Super cheap upgrades:
1) ESI silicone grips: $20, lower weight, best feeling, don't work well in wet conditions
2) Sugru or alternative paste, this sticky playdough type paste hardens into a rubber like finish. I have been suing it for years to make chainstay protectors, now even making the newer "ribbed" version that really silences chainslap: https://www.vitalmtb.com/community/Eoin,34379/setup,41108
3) Pack of foam rings and oil to perform lower leg servicing: $30, takes 10 minutes. My forks came out of the factory almost dry
For handlebars, anyomne go from 35mm diameter back to the good old 31.8mm? My 35mm setup feel harsh.
1) stronger hips and core (shoulders to buttocks and everything in between)
2) coaching (get forward and stay out of the toilet)
3) balance work.
4) take days off.
1) A bike rear suspension design that pedals well. Nothing matters more to me and creates more overall speed.
2) Tire inserts, front and rear. I like Tubolights.
3) Then lots of tire experimentation and finding the best tires possible. E22 front and Agarro rear our my preferences.
4) Proper geo which pretty much requires a newer bike.
5) Shockwiz. Personally I can't really get a bike dialed without this tool but I do notice when my bike is working really well as a result of utilizing this tool.
There are tons of small changes, a pedal that is more comfortable, roller bearing in my rear shock, Megneg canister, Avalanche, sweet new wheels, etc … However these make me more comfortable but I don't know that they make me genuinely faster.
Even without starting a tire company, tires are the best bang for your buck.
They're the biggest contact point for your bike & the one that makes everything else work well.
New brakes are awesome but if your tires can't grip, what's the point?
New bars? Great but if your worn tires can't turn, what's the point?
New Chainring? If you break traction, what's the point?
Seriously, good tires (from Versus or not) are the best upgrade you can make.
Other than that I guess ONYX hubs are a close 2nd.
Do pedals count? Most bikes we buy probably don't come with pedals so it's not really an 'upgrade'. If you are buying a sub $2,000 bike though, it probably comes with terrible pedals that make riding much more difficult. I know there is a subset of people who can shred in jandals, but they are much better riders than most. Speaking of, shoes are a good investment but again are not part of the component list. For my vote, I run DMR Vaults which are A+ as flats(thanks to Vital for the write up to convince me to get a pair!). I prefer the release system on Crank Bros so I go with a pair of Mallet E LS, but it's hard to argue against the seemingly unbreakable Shimano XT pedals.
If pedals don't count, I think I would have to go with tires, especially if they are not tubeless compatible. Even if they come specc'ed with great rubber, it may not be the best choice for your terrain. Tires can also be considered a 'wear' part, so you kind of have to buy new ones every so often. Grips are a similar story; the stock grips I have had do not jive with me, and a pair of Deathgrips seriously improves my enjoyment of the ride.
Being an “experienced” age, I was confident I knew what I was doing.
I’ve been riding off road bikes since I was a kid - pre BMX - jumping my “dragster”.
I still race MX - in the “vet’s” class.
After a few crashes - I relented and payed for some coaching.
The content is great, and has had a hugely beneficial effect.
The “delivery” is basically “mind blowing” - I have never been exposed to training at this level. (And I have received and delivered A LOT of training.)
This is a screen shot from a video, that auto pauses at vital spots, that my coach sent me.
(The “info” is unimportant, and “personal” to me - the fact that they use these tools is impressive!)
My new Giant Reign Advanced Pro 29 0, came with some nice components.
The ratchet seems ”course” (“Slow engaging”?)
Excuse my ignorance - what would I need to replace to improve the situation? “Free hub body”?
Any recommendations?
2. As many have mentioned: a good set of reliable 4 pistons brakes. I've struggled for so long to make my 2 pots XTs 8000 work (not mentioning Guides, XO Trails, numerous Hayes, etc...), but as someone else mentioned, grinding a long climb to find out your brakes fade 15 secs in the DH takes out the magic. I bought some Hope Tech3 V4s. Problem solved. Best upgrade I've done in a while. Real bite point and reach adjustment. No useless free stroke scam screw. Crazy how solid and reliable brakes will do to your confidence. Took all of 25 years mtbing to finally drop the coin and get something good. Stupid I know.
3. Fresh rubber, right pressure. Maxxis of course.
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