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MTB technique - Trail Selection + Looking ahead (1)
Francoin Visser
November 21, 2024
Inside info for MTB enthusiasts.
Welcome to the Trail Insider Newsletter!
TI is a newsletter for Mountain bike enthusiast who want to improve their riding, share ideas/tips about bike setup, maintenance and inside news in a global community of fellow riders.
My name is Francoin. I’m an Industrial Designer in the cycling industry. My work is mostly the design of bicycles, tools and accessories.
I have a favour to ask:
Thanks a lot readers! This is issue number 7, and TI currently has 170 subscribers and needs your help to reach more riders. Our aim is to get to 250 subscribers by the end of the year, so please share this with your MTB buddies and on the MTB Whatsapp groups that you’re part of. If you have any ideas of how to make the letter better, please send me a mail at [email protected] |
What’s inside this week:
1. Feeling left behind on the trails? Get up to speed with better riding techniques.
2. Gadget of the week, a staple in the newsletter.
3. News.
4. Links I’d send you if we were friends.
5. Bike Review - Hybridizer SANN e-monster
Trail techniques to ride your MTB better.
Riding for me is primarily about having fun, and just like Jazz music, you can have more fun, the better you are at technique. Before you get carried away on a trail that you have not ridden before, it is a good idea to work on your technique.
So, here are the first two of seven basics to keep you progressing:
Trail Selection
Looking Ahead
Body Positioning
Pumping
Braking
Cornering
Using your dropper post
Trail Selection
We’ve all been there, you are a short ways down a trail and you realize you are out of your depth and you start puckering up. Why did I follow this rider down this trail?! This is not mellow, and its not a flowtrail! What a jackass…
When starting out, or when your aim is to progress your riding skills, focusing on trails within your riding abilities are crucial. This gives you a good foundation to build on.
Start by identifying a trail that you are familiar with, something that has challenges, but even on a bad day is within your abilities.
Look for sections or features on the trail that you can ride better, and then practice there. Set small goals and tick them off. Want to hit a corner better - ride it 10 times trying different lines and braking points and at different speeds. Want to improve through a difficult rock section - walk the track, choose a line through the rocks and ride it until you feel like you’ve nailed it. These incremental skill improvements (and the way you start reading the trail features) will build to make you more confident, and help to make quicker decisions when riding new trails.
Personally I love to follow someone down the trails that have imagination and skill. I have a friend that I ride with that always see features, whether its a root, roller or switchback different from me, picking out lines that I would have missed. If I then ride these lines, I feel like seeing a trail with a different perspective.
This is not the type of trail to progress on. This is the type of trail you get hurt on if you don’t work on your skills before heading there. Image: Ben Haggar.
Looking Ahead
If you take a dim flashlight at night and you walk shining right in front of your feet, it is pretty easy to see things coming, if you start to run however, things come too quick for the dim light to illuminate them in time, giving you less reaction time. A way to combat this is to do two things, firstly a brighter light, and secondly shining the light further away from you giving you more reaction time.
Similarly obstacles and features on trails are easy to ride slowly if you look at the trail just in front of your wheel. If you however go slightly faster, whatever obstacle you are looking at in front of your wheel will give you almost no reaction time and chances are that just beyond this obstacle there’s another that will also catch you off guard.
The best way to ride trails are to Look Ahead, Identify a feature or obstacle, make a split second decision on how to handle it, and move along to the next feature and let your body handle it when it gets to your bike. Keep your head up: Focus on where you want to go, and use your peripheral vision to navigate obstacles nearby. Anticipate changes: Look ahead to prepare for turns, descents, or technical sections. Look past obstacles: Instead of staring at a tree or rock you don't want to hit, look past it to where you want to go. Go with the flow: Looking ahead can help you relax and pick up your speed. Use your eyes to slow down: Looking just in front of your front wheel can make you feel like you're going too fast. Looking further down the trail can help you slow down and relax.
Let your peripheral vision and spatial awareness deal with your immediate surroundings. Just remember that the type of terrain and your speed will determine how far ahead you should look. On a quick smooth flow trail your going to want to be looking as far ahead as possible
This takes some time getting used to, but if you consciously practice this for a few rides, it will become second nature.
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong. Wait a minute, that was something else.
I would love to hear if you try some of these tips, and what it does to your riding - please drop me a line!
Gadget of the week: Parktool CC-3.2 Chain wear tool.
OK, so this is one of those gadgets that I think everyone should have. Its relatively cheap and extremely easy to use and could save you money in both the short and long term.
You hook the one side into your chain and then see if the 0.5 appendage will drop in-between the chain links. If it does not go in, that is great! If it drops in easily, without friction, flip it upside down and see if the 0.75 go in. If it does, that means you are nearing the end of your chain’s life. This roughly relates to how much of your chain life you’ve used already - so 0.5 would be 50%, 0.75 - 75% at which point you need to replace your chain, before it wears down your chainring and cassette (if it gets to 1.0 / 100% - its too late). If you replace your chain at adequate wear levels, you prolong the lifespan of your drivetrain considerably.
A worn chain shifts poorly and wears sprockets at an accelerated rate. The CC-3.2 is a go/no-go gauge designed to accurately indicate when a chain reaches .5% and .75% “stretch,” the points at which most chain manufacturers suggest replacement. .
 Parktool CC-3.2 The name just rolls off your tongue. |  At 0.75 this chain is ready for the recycling run. |
Local (not-so-local) news:
Alan Hatherly Leaves Cannondale to Join Team Jayco AlUla on the Road in 2025
After a breakout 2024 where he won the XCO World Championships, XCO World Cup overall and finished third at the Olympics, Alan Hatherly has signed a two-year contract with Australian WorldTour team Jayco AlUla for 2025. After three years with Cannondale Factory Racing, the 28-year-old is looking to turn his attention to the road and combine both mountain bike racing and road racing in 2025. Jayco AlUla is sponsored by Giant Bicycles and so he will have sponsor-appropriate mountain bikes available to him.
Alan Hatherly won the 2024 World Championships in Andorra. Photo: Pinkbike.
Cannondale Factory Racing posted this on their socials:
“We’ll always have Worlds and so much more. @alanhatherly, thanks for the memories these last four years.
When Alan joined CFR back in 2021 we always knew he was destined for big things… and he proved us right!
‘Al Boi’ has grown from podium challenger into a full-blown UCI World Champion and Olympic Medalist. He’s made no secret of the fact he dreamed of one day competing in the Tour de France. And we made no secret of the fact we’d release him from his contract to fulfill that dream should the opportunity ever arise.
Well, that day has finally come. Alan’s sensational season and World Championship stripes have earned him a shot at the WorldTour.
We’re proud of everything Alan’s achieved for both himself and everyone at Cannondale. We’ll all be cheering him on from the roadside (and sofa) as he embarks on the next challenge of his career at the biggest races in the world.”
Allez, Alan!
Links I would send you if we were friends:
Sometimes you feel like a second coffee - I’ve got you covered.
Bike Review: Hybridizer Sann eMTB
I recently had the opportunity to take the Hybridizer SANN eBike out for a test.
The Hybridizer SANN on the trails
Overview:
Hybridizer is a Asian brand founded by two Korean designers, but based in China, with a small, innovative product portfolio. I saw their bikes at the Taipei Cycle Show last year, so was surprised to see that Outsider Bikes are bringing them in to the country.
The SANN is an aluminium enduro full power eMTB with 164mm travel at the rear wheel. The build features a Bafang drive system, Lyne wheels, Pirelli tyres, Fox suspension and XO1 drivetrain. High Pivot design to help isolate the suspension forces from the pedals. Hope brakes on BCA rotors. Complete weight is 25.5kg as tested. The frame is 29”or Mullet compatible and comes with replaceable dropouts to accommodate either.
My test loop is 25km with 750m elevation of which 40% is urban riding (to- and from the trails) and the rest is mostly singletrack, except for the odd farm road. The singletrack is technical both up and down and includes a mix of red and black downhills.
Design:
The bike is chunky, it’s imposing and impressive. Generally good, balanced visual proportions - but I don’t like the seat tube gusset. Hybridizer could have hidden this with a clever use of paint or shape.
Fit and finish - I could not detect any play on linkages and the bike is well finished. Paint looks good and the electronics are neatly integrated.
Storage - SANN features a storage tray under the top tube, and a small storage case in the front of the seat tube, and has space for a large water bottle in the front triangle!
I’m very glad that I don’t have to figure out the cable routing on this bike, but it does look neat all tucked away.
The frame has a lot of bearings so potentially expensive maintenance to replace these, and the intricacy of the design means that normal home-mechanics may not have the courage to try service the suspension.
Geometry / Kinematics:
Geometry on the SANN is modern and adds to the capable nature of a big travel - full power bike.
Anti-Squat - The SANN has close to 100% Anti-squat at sag - this means the suspension stays quite neutral and resists squatting down when putting down the power.
Leverage Ratio - I could not find info on the leverage ratio for the SANN.
Axle path - A rearwards axle path (result of the high pivot design) means that the rear wheel does not get hung up on square edge rocks and roots.
Adjustable geometry - the BB of the SANN can be adjusted by a total of 10mm in 3 increments with the help of a flip-chip.
Climbing:
It’s like having Alan Hatherley’s legs attached to your upper body. There are no free miles, but they are heavily discounted.
The bike is well balanced with the front wheel staying planted on even steep sections, and goes through switchbacks with ease. With the assist level at 2 or 3, you can get up any hill that you could ride on your enduro bike at a considerably faster pace. I did climb sections unassisted to see how it goes, and it is very do-able, but not fun.
I tried a few extremely steep technical climbs over roots for a hoot, and was blown away when I actually made it.
When all else fails- Walk mode works, but is pretty slow and and feels under powered for the bike’s weight, but still beats pushing it uphill unsupported.
Steeper than it looks. Age old camera-makes-it-look-lame scenario.
Trails:
Traversing and getting to trails and back is part of the journey and an eBike makes easy work of this. You feel stronger and more energetic en-route and have energy to spare on the trails, and that pays dividends on the climbs and the descends. Keeping decent average speed on the road takes effort, but is enjoyable - much more so than on a normal mountain bike.
The bike manuals well (even though getting it on the back wheel takes some effort), and handling is predictable. You forget that you are on an eBike when just cruising on trails, but makes you feel 10 years younger - what a deal.
Descending:
As I mentioned before, riding for me is primarily about having fun, and the SANN is good at that. Once you’ve crested the mountain, taken the obligatory insta snaps of the view, and turn the front wheel down, that is when the real fun starts.
Handling - It is not without drama, with the SANN I felt that any drama was due the weight of the bike, and not the result of geometry, kinematics or bad component choices. I had one or two times when I came into corners way too hot and also times when momentum surpassed common sense on flow trails. In both cases the big brakes were appreciated. The handling is very good though and the short rear end helps to keep it lively.
Flex - nothing. I could not detect any frame flex while riding the test bike. Impressive.
Jumps - The SANN is comfortable on jumps and the heft keeps it extremely stable while the 164/170mm of suspension travel takes care of rough landings. It takes time to get used to throwing the bike around, but it is doable.
Stable in the air with uneventful landings - sweet!
Motor / Battery / Display / Power management:
The SANN is built around a Bafang 350W 510 motor with a max torque of 95Nm, which is a lot. This is at the top 30% of assisted eBike power outputs. The top-tube integrated screen is well out of the way of trail-dangers, and shows ample system information. Power delivery is managed from the left hand thumb button. Assistance is in 5 stages with 1 being very little assistance, and 5 the turbo mode. Power delivery, even in stage 4 and 5 is smooth. The Bafang 510 seems to like higher cadence for peak power delivery, 75 - 100 rpm if I had to guess.
The motor sound was reasonable, slightly whiny - but not annoying.
The battery on the test bike was 740Wh and the bikes for sale are 860Wh. These are full power bikes, with the battery reserves to enjoy that power.
Specs / Pricing:
The SANN is sold as a frame only option (but I’m sure if you ask nicely Outsider will build you a complete bike).
R 52 000 / frame (excluding rear shock) but including the Bafang M510 (95Nm) motor, 860Wh battery and control system as well as charger. If you already have a modern trail or enduro bike, this is an easy part swap to a complete bike. If you don’t you can hop on the classifieds or get some Black Friday specials and build the bike to your budget.
Shock length 210 × 55.
Local Support:
Yes, Jason is the official distributor in South Africa, and is well supported by the brand directly for Warranties. Bafang is one of the biggest eBike power train manufacturers, and their drivetrains are durable and easy/affordable to work on.
How does it compare: (with bikes around R100k complete)
Hybridizer SANN Bafang 510, 95Nm, 860Wh battery, 164/170mm
Trek Rail - Bosch Performance CX 85Nm, 625Wh battery, 150/160mm
Specialized Turbo Levo alloy - 90Nm and 500Wh battery, 150mm travel.
BH - I mean the BH is by far the ugliest bike I’ve seen, so I’m not even going to pretend that I see it as a competitor.
Orbea Rise ‘22 - Bosch Performance 85Nm and 625Wh battery.
Husqvarna Mountain Cross - Shimano EP801 motor 85Nm, 720Wh battery, 150mm travel.
Positives:
Power: plenty of it. With 95Nm and 5 modes, I never ran out of steam and the power delivery was smooth and could be easily managed.
Range: The colossal 860Wh battery will have you riding trails to your heart’s content. I estimate a range of 50km and 1500m of climbing with gratuitous assistance.
Handling: Despite the weight, the bike handles incredibly well. It is nimble up and down and stable at high speeds.
Suspension: The suspension platform is stable and comfortable, with plenty of support and traction when climbing with the shock open, and has a bottomless feeling on downhills.
Negatives:
Weight: It is heavy - and you feel it when bleeding off speed for corners, or trying to lift it on a bike rack post ride. Forget about getting it on roofracks on your car, unless you are seriously articulate and determined.
Seatpost insertion depth/seat mast length: Insertion depth on the size L is 205mm, which could limit shorter riders to shorter dropper posts. To be fair, at my 1.8m height, I could run a 200mm On-One dropper, or a 190mm KS dropper - which is more than enough.
Shock position: The rear shock is very exposed to dirt and mud flung from the rear tyre.
This could mean shorter service intervals and possible shock damage from debris.
Shock options: The Sann can’t run a Vivid or an X2.
Long chain - eBikes put extra torque through chains (so more wear), and you use two chains to make one for a high pivot idler-pulley equipped bike. That adds up quickly!
Bottom line:
The R52k barrier to entry is relatively low compared to other eMTB options (for a new bike), and one of the very few frame-only options available in the SA market. There are plenty of slightly older (2019 - 2022) secondhand complete options available around the R50 - R70k mark, but you will not find anything new, close to the SANN.
The bike is bang up-to-date, looks great and rides well, it is a solid option for riders keen to get onto an eBike. The massive power and super range provided by the high-capacity battery will have you tackling bigger mountains than you’ve enjoyed before, and then head back for seconds. Hybridizer is a outlier brand for now and the SANN is unique, and that’s a good thing. Huge smile - check!
Contact: Jason / Rob
Outsider Bikes. 083 724 8683
www.outsiderbikes.co.za
[email protected]
Early morning views! Made easier with the help of pedal assistance.
 High pivot suspension design with idler pulley. Expensive new chains.  The heart of the SANN - Bafang M510  Intricate suspension linkages and a Fox Float X rear shock.  And how nice are these rotors?!  Jason 3D printed this mudguard to keep the shock clean - and it works really well.  This build is premium.  Too much power captain. That’s a lot of chain to route. |  Neat bash guard to protect the motor.  I love the integrated screen and the simple mode controls.  Hope brakes doing a great job slowing this bike down.  Cable routing is neat considering the amount of cables on ebikes.  Slack Head Angle, Fox 38, Lyne hoops and big rotors, this bike is ready for any trail.  Great silhouette.  The down tube conceals a large capacity battery. |
About the author:
Hello, I’m Francoin, an Industrial Designer in the cycling industry based in Somerset West, South Africa.
Tools, lights, accessories and bicycle design is my daily graft.
This newsletter is to share some of the experience & industry insight that I pick up along the way, with fellow cyclists. If you are new to the sport, or been riding for many years, I plan to give you something of interest in every edition.
Thanks for subscribing and Happy trails!
FV
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