Morzine Top Tips

Tips for riding your mountain bike on all terrain

Climbing Hills

Traction is the key to successfully climbing hills on a mountain bike, this can be hard to achieve on loose rocks, roots and mud as is common place in most mountain biking areas. The biggest problem to overcome is the rear wheel spinning and slipping as you climb, or the front wheel lifting and you ending up doing an unforced wheelie. To get the right traction, you just need to learn how to distribute your weight evenly across the bike whilst feeding power to the right areas of the bike; oh yeah whilst picking the best line, pedalling at the right time and in the right gear. Piece of cake eh?! Shift your weight slightly to the back of your seat and lean your upper body forward - Remain seated. Learning how far to slide back and how much to lean is where the finesse of hill climbing becomes a real skill. It takes practice to learn how simple variations in forward and backwards movements of your body can help you get over obstacles and up steep hills. Drop your elbows and keep them close to your side, lowering the centre of gravity - as you become more expert you can start to shift your weight slightly further forward which should additionally help with the front wheel lifting. Keep your head up to pick your line - we all do it, we all look at the next dangerous obstacle and panic about how we're going to negotiate round it. For beginner riders this invariably means that you tend head straight for it. Turning the handlebars to avoid an obstacle can more often than not upset your balance rather than just going over it. Where it's not possible to power on over, you should see the obstacle and focus your attention immediately on the best route around it. Keep your focus on this point of reference and you will usually successfully navigate the tricky obstacle. Get in the right gear - When approaching a hill a common problem is to flick into the lowest gear (aka 'the granny ring') and attack the hill. Instead, select the gear that's just low enough that doesn't mean you have to stand on the pedals. Keep your pedalling motion constant and rhythmic.

Riding Downhill

Downhill mountain bike riding has to be one of the most exhilarating, adrenaline pumping activities you can do on a mountain bike. It's also one of the most dangerous, where wipe outs are all too common. Before heading out to do some serious downhill mountain biking you should make sure you have all the correct safety equipment. Full face helmet, relevant limb protection and suitable back and torso protection. It's pretty obvious, but make sure that your brakes are in full working order too, you don't want to spend several days licking your wounds!! Place your weight over the rear of the bike - Keep your rear end as far back as you can without losing control of the front of the bike. Stay Low, holding the front of your body as close to the bike as possible - On steep sections, place your belly on the saddle. Keep your legs and arms relaxed and flexible - Even though you may be riding a full suspension downhill mountain bike, your arms and legs are the most effective shock absorbers you have, and flexibility in your legs is key when riding over humps and bumps. When riding over the bumps, get your weight back over the rear wheel, and either grip the saddle with your thighs, or place your belly on the saddle keeping your knees bent and relaxed. Your elbows should also be slightly bent. Keep your feet in line with the ground - Unless negotiating sharp tight switchbacks or corners your feet should be in a 'platform' position at roughly 3 and 9 o'clock. If you start to loose control it's easy for you to just jump off the back of the bike. Trying to dismount over the top of the bike is not always the most practical on the steep stuff. Break evenly using both the front and back break - Sure, you'll want to rip down the trail at high speed but control your speed in case of unknown obstacles, there could be another rider or leisurely hiker that's lurking around the corner. Some people prefer to use the back break to stop them being thrown over the front handlebars, but theoretically, if you weight is correctly positioned across the bike then there is no problem using both. Additionally, if you overuse one or other break it could potentially overheat and fail. Pick a line and stick to it - As you descend, look ahead 15 to 20 feet. The route you choose and your brake control contribute to a fluid descent as well.

Switchback Riding

Tight switchback turns are tricky enough for even the most competent of riders. Tight, steep trails taking you up or down the mountain mean that switchbacks are commonplace in the Alps. It is not a good idea to skid round a switchback not only does it rip up the track, but you end up with less control and run the risk of falling off. If you're not an expert at bunny hopping, then you'll need to slow right down. Stay on the uphill side of the trail as you approach the switchback this will allow you to make the widest circle possible and avoid any obstacles lurking in the inside of the corner. Place your weight over the rear wheel and put your outside pedal forward (that's the pedal closest to the corner!). This is important to ensure that you remain flexible to move the bike and rotate your upper body. Pick your line - As you approach the corner, ensure your weight is on your outside pedal and slightly back on the saddle. Put your wheel to the outside of the corner and lean your the opposite direction until you are almost falling to the inside. Ease off the brakes and let the your bike roll under yourself. Remember to look at the exit of where you want to go, try to avoid looking at the drop off! When you have passed the tightest point of the inside corner and are beginning to come out of the corner, let off the brakes and start accelerating away. Some riders will naturally favour one foot over another and therefore find switchbacks to the right (left foot forward) easier than switchbacks to the left (right foot forward).

Boring ski stories around the dinner table Ski stories are best if they include collisions with snowcanons or celebrities, or at least 3 metres of unintentional air

Don’t carry your skis horizontally on your shoulders . Carry skis tips down, bindings behind your shoulder, with one arm over the tips counter-balancing the weight

People who smoke in the bubbles

Premature Liftage People who lift up the bar when getting off chairlifts far too early (and scare those with vertigo), or who refuse to lift it up until the last second (thereby stressing out beginners)

The Basics

Skiing is a very simple sport based upon the interaction of the skier, their equipment and the mountain. The skiers we admire and aspire to achieve harmony with these components, they are effortless, skilful, playful and in control. The skiers that do not achieve this harmony look wooden, forced and they struggle. Skilled skiers flow whilst others fight their way down the slope.

As we plan our trips to the snow and look forward to our skiing think how you can achieve this interaction and go onto the slopes considering these 3 components of your performance:

The skier: The human body has evolved through thousands of years of hunting and gathering to be athletic and active. Regardless of whether you spend more time sitting behind a desk rather than fighting off wild animals your body still retains its natural ability to move and balance subconsciously – give it the freedom to work.

Skiing is a sport not an armchair activity and does require a level of physical effort. You don’t need to be a fitness fanatic to enjoy skiing but do make sure you have a base level of fitness and agility to be active at altitude. Get fit to ski – usual disclaimers apply – see your doctor, join a gym and get moving!

The equipment: Whether you own or rent and no matter what level you ski to, the boot / binding / ski combination is designed specifically to help you control your descent down a slippery, snow covered slope. Using the design features will make life easy; whilst fighting against them the ski / slope will always win!

Taking the ski as the tool to control our descent (leaving the boot & binding as the connection between the skier and their skis) the important features to be aware of are:

Mounting Point: the technicians take care over mounting your bindings correctly so your boots and feet are in the right place on the skis. Balance through your feet naturally and you will be in the sweet spot of the ski – fall away from this point and the ski will take you for a ride!

Side Cut: the ski is designed to steer curves – use it! Either skid the ski by scraping its edges lightly over the snow or carve by following the natural design of the ski.

The Edge: you can control how much you tilt the ski to make it grip – be aware that it will respond exactly to your input so be sure on what you are asking it to do. (see future articles)

Running Surface: the base is waxed and slippery on the snow and is designed to help us slide down the mountain - allow the skis to do what they are designed to do and let them slide! This may be stating the obvious but many skiers try to stop their skis from sliding. This occurs when they are on too steep / difficult a slope.

The Mountain: When you go skiing there are countless routes down. The gradient, snow texture, terrain (bumps etc) all contribute to make one slope easier or harder than another. These prepared slopes are bracketed into different coloured ‘pistes’ (green, blue, red and black) but you will still find some runs of the same colour easier or harder than others (ie Pleney B compared to Pleney D). You will also find that the same slope changes as evolving snow, terrain conspire to make it harder.

So, choose which slopes you want to ski on depending on your confidence level and your ability. Don’t be led by more experience skiers saying “you’ll be fine, it’s easy down here”. Remember ski instructors are trained to make decisions on which are the most suitable slopes to consolidate, reinforce or challenge ability without over stretching – your friends are not. Only when you are comfortable and confident on the slope in front of you and when you have a positive frame of mind, will you be able to unlock the potential of your skis and body.

When skiing as a group, appreciate the ability of the weakest, it is not possible to short-circuit their learning. A skier may be able to ‘survive’ getting down but it will be at the expense of their technical development, their confidence and often at the expense of their enjoyment.

When skiing with a party of mixed ability arrange different routes to the same point. For example from the top of the Pleney gondola, skiers can choose from the easier (Pleney B) or harder (Pleney D) blue runs, the red (piste H) or the black (piste J). It is important for individuals to choose their challenge allowing them to achieve the flowing, effortless descent that comes from body, equipment and the mountain working together in harmony.

Enjoy your skiing.

Article courtesy of James (Jaz) Lamb, Director, British Alpine Ski & Snowboard School Morzine

Jaz Lamb is Director of British Alpine Ski School Morzine (BASS Morzine), a school based in Morzine with a reputation for running small groups, intensive and involved teaching - and the maximum level of enjoyment! The school caters for all levels from aspiring Instructors to never having skied, young and old. Jaz learnt to ski in the Yorkshire Dales and Scotland before starting a career teaching skiing in 1984 that has taken him to schools in Scotland, Andorra, Italy and France before becoming Director of BASS Morzine in 2000. He has worked with skiers of all levels, coaching British Champions with the Scottish Freestlye Squad and training and assessing all levels of instructors through his role on the training staff of the British Association of Snowsport Instructors. He remains passionate about skiing, balancing time in the mountains with a life by and on the water - when not skiing he can be found racing yachts and sailing dinghies on the south coast of England. BASS Morzine is one of three schools in the Alps licensed by BASI to run Trainee Instructor and Ski Instructor Training courses on behalf of the governing body. They also run a comprehensive training programme supporting instructors through their qualifications as well as a full range of courses and private lessons for all levels and ages. If you would like to find out how we can help you achieve your skiing goals visit the BASS Morzine website

How often should you have your skis and/or snowboard serviced? Although most people will only have used their skis for 6 days during your holiday, it is surprising how quickly the base of the skis can deteriorate. A good service can be the difference between a good and bad day’s skiing, and a good edge can make a world of difference where icy conditions are the day’s offering.

Any damage should be immediately repaired before it gets worse. Regular servicing will look after your skis or snowboard and will keep them like new for longer. New equipment benefits from regular waxing to build up a good strong base. Additionally, regular waxing will help prevent water from getting into the core. You will notice a marked improvement in your turns, speed and control if your edges are sharp, and your base structured and waxed.

After each ski holiday it is recommended that skis and boards are serviced with a thick coat of storage wax to prevent your skis or boards drying out. This needs to be removed before using the equipment on the next ski holiday. If you forget, don’t worry, your skis may feel a little sticky for the first few runs, but it will eventually come off during the day.

If your skis or snowboard are stolen here's a list of things you should do:

•	Double-check the area where you left them, just in case. It is possible they have fallen over, and / or have been put back in a different location.
•	Report the theft to the police as soon as possible. Don’t be fobbed off by the lack of interest by the local police force. They see this type of incident all the time, and are therefore not always the most helpful. Be persistent, this is necessary and required by all insurance companies.
•	If applicable, tell your resort representative. If they were rental skis, you'll probably have to deal with the shop, and they may be able to provide some assistance. When hiring the skis, some rental shops will offer additional insurance to protect you against theft. If you choose not to take this option, or the rental shop doesn’t provide this service, you will probably have to pay for the skis (to the replacement cost value) and then claim on your insurance.
•	Theft tends to happen when you least expect it. Speaking from personal experience, even placing your skis directly behind you as you sit in a café or bar can be a mistake…- BE AWARE!!

Cheer-up a 'liftie' Smile and say ‘bonjour’ to the chair lift attendant - they're more likely to catch the chairlift and prevent it bashing the back of your legs

Don't get high for lunch The quality of a mountain restaurant tends to be in inverse relation to its altitude. For all mountain dining, see mountain restaurants. Some restaurants can be busy at lunch so it is advisable to book ahead during the busy periods.

Write your contact details on the back of your lift-pass This way if you, or your children, have a problem those assisting can have the important information. You also increase the chances of your lift-pass being returned should you loose it

Warm up before your start skiing. Cold muscles and tendons are more likely to cause injuries. (see our Health FAQs for further information. Walking with all your gear for some of the way is good for warming up the muscles! (Avoid the classic exercise of swinging the leg back and forth - the weight of the ski boot can over-stretch leg muscles).