Video: Dialing In Body Position & Line Choice - Full Enduro Episode 3

Oct 30, 2019
by Pinkbike Originals  


FULL ENDURO

EPISODE 3


In the third episode of Full Enduro, Zoe pairs up with Micayla Gatto for a day in Squamish to talk about body position, line choice, and how they go hand in hand. The two take a lap down Cakewalk, a Squamish classic that is riddled with line choice. Zoe learns that the main line isn't always the fastest and that weighting both wheels equally is important, even on steeper sections of trail.

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Filmed & Edited by Will Binamé.


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42 Comments
  • 35 1
 No fender on that fork. Haven't gone full enduro yet.
  • 9 0
 Episode 4.
  • 27 3
 I TRIED TO RIDE THIS TRAIL LAST WEEK BUT IT WAS COVERED PINKBIKE VIDEO CREWS STANDING AROUND POINTING AT STUFF
  • 21 21
 SINCE WE ARE ALREADY SHOUTING, I WANTED TO SAY THAT AS A BIOLOGiCAL AND SELF IDENTIFIED MALE I CANNOT HANDLE A VIDEO WITH TO GIRLS WITHOUT MAKING AN AWKWARD COMMENT!!! MUST.NOT.MANSPLAIN!!! Oh God, her elbows are too low, her bars could be wider, her rebound could be faster and such pretty girls could try two pony tails, work better with Poc Tectal... Oh God I just mentioned their physical appearance... I need help! Heeeeeelp!
  • 20 1
 Loving the series. Again I know videos don't tell the full story of the trail or the rider- but her body still appears so locked in that "engaged" position where she is pre-compressed into the bike, as though she is just holding on to it and bracing rather than flowing with what the trail is giving. As a bit of a gangly fellow- I've worked hard and am constantly working on taking full advantage of the vertical, horizontal, and fore-aft planes for the hips while riding and see it as such an important part of control on technical terrain. I know most mtb skills training models I've been exposed to or been trained in seem to start with that- and for good reason. I'm looking forward to seeing if that's going to change and cringing a little as she approaches drops at lower speeds with that in mind. Running out of arms on a slow drop because you were already stretched back in your approach is no beuno. Micayla commented on it a bit when showing the video feedback and it was super evident in the slow mo assessment she did. I really like Zoe's attitude and eagerness to learn in these and the awesome spectrum of supports they are including. Congrats on your courage and progress Zoe!
  • 5 13
flag brentkratz (Oct 30, 2019 at 14:00) (Below Threshold)
 Agreed! I would suggest to her to pretend she is dancing with a guy she likes (the resultant attraction of gravity on her bike after good line choice) and flow along with his lead. I also think trying some shorter bars would help unlock her bracing body position so should could move forward and be centered more naturally.
  • 6 2
 @brentkratz: maybe that works for you but I def not recommend preteens she’s dancing with a guy wtf lol
  • 1 6
flag WAKIdesigns (Oct 31, 2019 at 1:41) (Below Threshold)
 @mkotowski1: are you offended?
  • 10 1
 @WAKIdesigns: never engage with waki, it’s like trying to give a rabid dog a bone
  • 2 0
 @mkotowski1: classic auto correct fail! you know auto corset learns from what you frequent type right?
  • 1 0
 @brentkratz: THAT'S where I've been going wrong! I just haven't envisioned that my bike is a guy I like! Mind. Blown.
  • 27 5
 Someone get this girl on some
Proper width bars??
  • 10 6
 That's been commented on after the previous vids. She's stated she likes the wider bars.
  • 20 1
 @cdbarber: will probably change her mind when her shoulders pop out few times
  • 20 2
 First part of the video should have been 'tips on cutting bars'. Trend is out of control.
  • 20 0
 @cdbarber: just because she likes it, it doesn't mean it always makes sense... I'd say bars are too wide. First you like them, because you hop on that new bike, go and roll that parking lot, do a couple turns. All good! But then in the steep parts, where you need more body movement you are completely blocked in that position. Just imagine she has to turn bars in a tight and steep turn, how would that work from that position?


had that exact same situation in a recent photo shoot I did with a girl who knows how to ride a bike. Well, pictures looked like shit, because of here completely going off the back end. Not so in the more open turns or easier trails.
  • 7 1
 Agreed! Handlebars that are too wide induces the shoulders to rotate backwards to a weak position.
To have the feel of it: standing on a soft carpet or grass, imagine your feet are tied together and someone pushes you from the back. The position your arms reach the floor with the intention of saving your teeth and nose is your best strengh arm width and the bars should not be much wider than this.
  • 4 0
 It's like doing push ups, you don't do them with your hands way out wide, no power.
  • 10 3
 Hey Mikalya
Oh, whatsss up, how's it going???
Didn't expect to see you here pedaling up this road in your TLD outfit.
OMG, me neither
Pretty good
Cruisin on up.
I was thinking ummm, talk about line choice and body position
and just ehh see how it goes
Sounds good, great yea
  • 1 0
 haha, but ok a bit of poetic license is allowed here and there, i'm really liking the production on this series.
  • 3 0
 Even pinkbike is losing that simple and almost naive communication that describes the average mountain biker.
  • 7 0
 Like many MTB how to videos, this one is done out on the trail. I think Zoe would do well to go with Micayla to a location such as a carpark or school ground. Body position. Braking. Cornering. Bunnyhopping (in flats). Bump jumps. Range of motion. A short wheelie. A short manual. Where to look. How to weight and unweight the bike, and how to apply that weight turning and braking. A set of four stairs to both go up and down and clear and drop at high and low speed. Get all these skills down and then take it to the trail. Drills, baby, drills.
  • 2 0
 a gravel or dirt carpark. messing around on gravel roads and learning to cuttie did wonders to my technique and cornering
  • 3 0
 Naaah, just talk moar bout line chocie. No matter the body possition and stretched arms, you just need a good line choice.
  • 7 1
 Did you watch the video? She's actually already pretty good at riding a bike
  • 3 0
 @VtVolk: Even if you are very good at riding it's easier to focus on basics like body position when you're not having to think about controlling the bike on technical terrain. I've been at a few coaching sessions and they always started off on wide forest roads or similar to develop the techniques before venturing onto the trails to apply them.
  • 2 0
 @VtVolk: I did watch the video.
  • 5 0
 She should still explore the narrower bar option. Just sticking with something because it’s comfortable isn’t a good way of improving.
Narrower bar filming doing the same runs to see if the body position is improved.
She needs to try things she is not used to with the bike setup.
  • 4 1
 Great video, great perspectives. Couldn't ask for better trails and conditions to work on handling and line options. Hip hinge if full effect, this is all the stuff I need to work on and figure out
  • 3 2
 Mmhh, for whatever reason, like with most girls, i see way too much hollow cross.
I don‘t know why that is, but it does not look too healthy. Could cause longterm lower back problems (any experts here?), which would be very bad. Micayla has a perfect body position, straight spline.
  • 2 0
 I'd have a guess that as an XC rider, she's been taught the idea of 'chest up' in order to help breathing. Rather than extending through her upper spine, she's arching through her lower back. As long as she addresses this with complementary gym work she should suffer no real long term issues (although longer-term movement patterns could be a problem).

But if she is arching by focusing on her spinal extensor muscles, it will likely make movement and control of her pelvis (for weight shifting) less fluid.

Her locked in position COULD be down to less attention to upper body strength (I think a DH rider would have a much bigger focus on this than a XC rider).

I'm sure a decent coach / trainer would identify these issues though.

@fit4racing - thoughts?
  • 1 0
 She could do with someone telling her how to adjust her helmet chinstrap as its far too loose to serve any purpose if she has a big bail in .. would love to do that trail though
  • 5 4
 Babes on bikes!! I hope my little ladies will want to try trail like this when they are ready! We are just a season off the training wheels... It’s great to see women in a dude dominated sport.
  • 3 0
 KitsBow is full Enduro.....?
  • 2 0
 Came for the wide bars comments????
  • 3 0
 I think everyone has realised they are flogging a dead horse. However I think there needs to be a sweep stake to see which 'Pro' rider actually mentions it in the series!
  • 3 0
 Needs more high fives!
  • 1 0
 Why are emojis ????
  • 1 1
 Is Micayla Gatto's Pinkbike Hot Lap next???
  • 1 1
 Maybe she should start riding straight on the uphill







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