What special mountain biking skills are required?

Answer by  Adam107 (7)

You need strong arms to withstand impact, enough stamina for prolonged uphill rides, and you need to know how to raise the front end of your bike if the terrain requires it. Anything else is good to know, but not necessary. Also, it would be good if you knew just basic jumping, to avoid potential hazard to the front wheel.

Answer by  SarikOstheim (211)

Get used to your pedals, keeping your body loose and relaxed(never lock joints), learn when to shift gears, shifting body weight, pedal while standing, and hopping over small obstacles.

Answer by  hartford (506)

Mountain biking requires you to fine tune existing skills and pay attention to your posture. You should master pedaling and coasting while standing and get comfortable with shifting gears on the move. Practice absorbing the shock of drops while maintaining balance and Learn to make short jumps by lifting your front wheel in anticipation of dealing with uneven terrain.

Answer by  Califax (12)

Extra focus should be paid to the direction of travel and the consistency to terrain. Also once you get into the woods it is more important to pay attention to which gear your in, as to not get stuck in too high of a gear up a hill