How to Make a Mountain Bike Faster
You love your mountain bike, but you can’t help but feel like it’s not as fast as it could be. Maybe you’ve tried upgrading the tires or the brakes, but nothing seems to help. Well, we’re here to help.
In this article, we’ll give you tips on how to make your mountain bike faster. With these tips, you’ll be zipping down the trails in no time!
1. Check Your Tire Pressure
One of the simplest ways to make your mountain bike faster is to check your tire pressure. If your tires are underinflated, they will create more rolling resistance, which will slow you down.
Conversely, if your tires are overinflated, they will be more likely to get punctured. We recommend checking your tire pressure before every ride and inflating or deflating as necessary.
2. Upgrade Your Tires
Another way to make your mountain bike faster is to upgrade your tires. There are a lot of different factors to consider when choosing new tires, such as width, tread pattern, and compound.
If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend talking to a professional at your local bike shop. They’ll be able to help you choose the right tires for your riding style and terrain.
3. Get a New Chain
If you’ve been riding with the same chain for a while, it might be time for an upgrade. A new chain will provide you with smoother shifting and less pedaling resistance, which will make your mountain bike feel faster. Plus, it’s an easy upgrade that you can do yourself!
4. Adjust Your Saddle
If your saddle is too low, it will cause you to lose power when pedaling. On the other hand, if your saddle is too high, it will be difficult to control your bike when descending.
We recommend adjusting your saddle until it is level with your hip bone. This may take some trial and error, but it’s worth it in the end!
5. Replace Your Bearings
Worn-out bearings can cause pedal play and decreased efficiency when pedaling. If you think your bearings might need replacing, take them to your local bike shop and have a professional take a look at them. Replacing them is a relatively simple process that can make a big difference in how fast your mountain bike feels.
6. Clean Your Driveline
A dirty driveline creates resistance that makes pedaling harder and therefore slower. To clean your driveline, simply remove the crankset and wipe down all of the parts with a rag soaked in degreaser. Then rinse everything off with water and dry it before reassembling everything.
7. Lubricate Your Drivetrain
After cleaning your drivetrain, it’s important to lubricate all of the moving parts so that they don’t get seized up.
We recommend using a dry lube for the chain and a wet lube for the derailleurs. Be sure to apply lube sparingly so that it doesn’t attract dirt and grime.
8. Upgrade Your Wheels
One of the best ways to make any bike faster is to upgrade the wheels. If you have the budget for it, we recommend investing in a good set of carbon fiber wheels. They’re super light and stiff, which makes them ideal for racing.
However, if carbon fiber wheels are out of your price range, you can still get some speed gains by upgrading to lighter-weight aluminum or titanium wheels.
9. Reduce Rotational Weight
In addition to upgrading your wheels, you can also reduce rotational weight by investing in lighter weight pedals, hubs, and spokes. Every little bit helps when it comes to reducing rotational weight!
10. Ride More Often
The best way to make any mountain bike faster is simply by riding more often! The more you ride, the better you’ll become at pedaling efficiently and handling descents quickly. So, get out there and start logging some miles!
Conclusion
If you follow these tips, you should see a significant increase in the speed of your mountain bike rides! Just remember that practice makes perfect – so don’t forget to hit the trails often!
