In the second half of our conversation with pro MTB skills coach Gene Hamilton, we ask which skills separate pros from advanced riders, which tires are best for cornering, and more.
Gene Hamilton is a former pro downhill racer who created one of the first mountain bike skills courses in the late 1990s. Today Better Ride holds clinics around the US, teaching regular riders and pros alike how to ride faster.
Jeremiah Stone is a mountain bike skill instructor who has taught hundreds of riders across the western USA with Ninja Mountain Bike Performance and the Sedona Mountain Bike Academy. He’s also a freelance trail builder and machine operator in addition to being a skilled rider.
Rab Wardell is a mountain bike athlete and coach living in Glasgow, Scotland. He recently set the fastest known time on the West Highland Way, a 96 mile off-road route connecting Milngavie and Fort William.
Loose terrain is soft, amorphous, and a bear to ride. Climbing up will leave your legs and lungs burning, and descending is a sketchy proposition at best.