Is speed is your friend when mountain biking?

[Flowrider]

I was having a post-ride drink with a few riders in our group the other day, and this subject came up.

There are a few new riders in our group, and we have been going over some rock gardens. One rider's wheel went in a groove between smooth rocks, and he fell off.
It wasn't too dramatic as he was going slowly.

One of a more experienced riders said, "You know, speed can be your friend"

"What do you mean?" asked the rider

"Well, if you go over the rocks and some other terrain, if you go at a higher speed, you lower your chances of slipping."

So... what do you think?

Can speed be your friend in some instances when mountain biking?

[Painkiller]

(12-09-2025, 06:55 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  I was having a post-ride drink with a few riders in our group the other day, and this subject came up.

There are a few new riders in our group, and we have been going over some rock gardens. One rider's wheel went in a groove between smooth rocks, and he fell off.
It wasn't too dramatic as he was going slowly.

One of a more experienced riders said, "You know, speed can be your friend"

"What do you mean?" asked the rider

"Well, if you go over the rocks and some other terrain, if you go at a higher speed, you lower your chances of slipping."

So... what do you think?

Can speed be your friend in some instances when mountain biking?

Yes, speed is your friend more so than not, even riding a rigid rig

[Sidewinder]

On tricky trail sections with "trials riding" over rocks & whatnot where balance is critical, a little momentum can be a good thing... but I dunno about outright speed. In the world of MX, where I often stand on the pegs, I like to keep moving even as my balance is working overtime... same goes for riding my pedal bike on tricky trail sections. If a rider holds one place or stance for too long, the balancing act becomes more difficult, or so I've found in a lifetime of riding. OTOH, hauling @$$ toward a tricky or rocky trail section sounds like a recipe for disaster. Drawing a good line is more important, I think... and having sufficient momentum to make forward progress without losing control, wiping out and getting hurt. Just my $.02 on the subject.

BTW, did y'all know that the "hover" is the most difficult maneuver in helicopter flight? I think there's a correlation in there somewhere, lol...

[lalan45]

(12-09-2025, 06:55 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  I was having a post-ride drink with a few riders in our group the other day, and this subject came up.

There are a few new riders in our group, and we have been going over some rock gardens. One rider's wheel went in a groove between smooth rocks, and he fell off.
It wasn't too dramatic as he was going slowly.

One of a more experienced riders said, "You know, speed can be your friend"

"What do you mean?" asked the rider

"Well, if you go over the rocks and some other terrain, if you go at a higher speed, you lower your chances of slipping."

So... what do you think?

Can speed be your friend in some instances when mountain biking?

Yeah, in some cases speed really can help. A bit more momentum lets your bike roll over rocks and gaps instead of getting stuck in them. The key is controlled speed — not going fast, just keeping enough flow so the bike stays stable and doesn’t drop into every groove.

[Flowrider]

@Sidewinder agree and balance, body weight, position and speed. A combination of key skills to develop. The issue was that riders were stacking cos they were going too slow. They believed they were just being cautious, but it actually undermined their confidence when the wipe out.

[JJMarsh]

(12-09-2025, 06:55 PM)Flowrider Wrote:  I was having a post-ride drink with a few riders in our group the other day, and this subject came up.

There are a few new riders in our group, and we have been going over some rock gardens. One rider's wheel went in a groove between smooth rocks, and he fell off.
It wasn't too dramatic as he was going slowly.

One of a more experienced riders said, "You know, speed can be your friend"

"What do you mean?" asked the rider

"Well, if you go over the rocks and some other terrain, if you go at a higher speed, you lower your chances of slipping."

So... what do you think?

Can speed be your friend in some instances when mountain biking?

Yes, speed helps on rough terrain - it maintains momentum and stability over rocks and roots. But balance it with control.

[Flowrider]

...and I guess the control is based on your ability and confidence.

And with some riders, their confidence doesn't match their ability.

That can be taken both ways.

[Backmuirman]

Speed can be your friend when things get more technical.....'un-weighting' the bike at the right times can carry you safely over some sections that are ropey; the more speed you're carrying the more distance you'll cover whilst the bike is in reduced contact, and so you'll be more likely to clear a section that could cause you problems. But yes, you need to build confidence to be able to do this, otherwise you might just make things worse!

[GirishH]

I definitely agree with this.

I’ve seen how gradually gaining confidence has helped me navigate sections I used to avoid or walk in the past.

Now, I gingerly shift my weight, ready to jump off if needed, but still manage to get through the sketchy sections—and it feels so good on the other side.

And yes, speed definitely helped in some instances. Going too slow would almost certainly have put me horizontal.

(12-29-2025, 03:08 AM)Flowrider Wrote:  ...and I guess the control is based on your ability and confidence.

And with some riders, their confidence doesn't match their ability.

That can be taken both ways.

[meamoantonio]

Tricky but it really depends on he feature involved, if its a rock garden sure speed will carry you but really its the pumping or additional suspension your arms make that will make it or break it thru the terrain, of were talking about a a berm, yes the faster you go in the turn the more grip you get, if were talking about a drop, yeah definitelym but if were talking about skinnies ill probably take it slow here

Hope this helps

[Flowrider]

Great point @meamoantonio . The feature, ie the technical terrain you're about to go on, is significant. You wouldn't hit a tree root section at the same speed as a berm