Small bee. If you're lucky enough to be able to "see" images in your mind, imagine a comically small bee riding down your favourite trail. It's a mnemonic for a process of analysing a section/feature of trail which can help break it down into easier to process chunks, allowing riders to build their confidence and work through how best to ride a section/feature they find challenging.
The 5 elements are not entirely separate and may well influence/dictate each other, as you'll soon see.
Say there's a particular drop off, rock section, tricky corner or rooty bit that you're unsure of. Using the SMLBE analysis you can break down that one bit of trail, get your head around it and then be in a much better place to successfully ride it.
Start The analysis of the feature begins further up the trail. Think what comes before the section you're looking at. What features are on it, how does it influence your momentum, line choice and body position into the section you're analysing? There might be a rock section further up the trail that puts you in a certain line choice that isn't ideal for the feature you're analysing - do you either accept that and adjust your riding of the feature in question or adapt how you ride the up-trail section to set up better for further down the trail? Momentum What pace do you need? I like to think of walking, jogging, running or sprinting speed. Your pace in will be influenced by the start and exit and how you intend to ride the feature. Where can you do some effective braking or where can you get some pedal strokes in to get the momentum just right?
Line Choice Riders could debate forever over which is the fastest line choice but it's possibly irrelevant as the line choice has to play to your strengths. The features further up the trail might have dictated your line choice, but consider which line choice (if there are options) plays best to your abilities and how you can set up for that. Body Position Where do you need to be on the bike? Do you need to lift wheels over an obstacle that will require certain body movements? I'll save the lengthy discussion on body position for another time! Exit What comes next? Perhaps there's another feature further down the trail that you need to set up for. This might make you rethink the whole SMLBE process for the original section of trail!
Comments