Why Stand Up? The Foundation of Off-Road Riding
Coach's Note: "Your feet guide the bike more than your hands, giving you control and confidence in every situation."
If you come from street riding, sitting down feels safe. You feel "inside" the bike, close to the ground, and stable. Standing up feels high, exposed, and tippy.
But on the dirt, the opposite is true. Sitting down transfers every bump, rock, and root directly into your spine. It creates a "dead weight" effect that fights the bike's suspension.
To gain real control, you need to stand up. Here is the physics behind why, and the drill to master it.
The Physics: Your Legs Are Suspension
Your bike has mechanical suspension (forks and shock), but it has limits. Your body is the second suspension system.
When you stand with your knees and elbows slightly bent, you act as a shock absorber. Instead of your body getting thrown off balance by a bump, your legs compress to let the bike move beneath you. You stay level while the bike dances over the terrain.
Technique: The "Neutral Stand"
Many riders stand too stiff or too bent over. The goal is a "Neutral Stand."
- Stand Tall & Relaxed: Don't crouch like a racer unless you are attacking. Stay relatively tall to conserve energy.
- Weight Centered: Keep your hips over the pegs. If you are too far forward, the front feels heavy. Too far back, and your arms get tired.
- Absorb the Impact: Keep knees and elbows fluid. When you hit a bump, let them bend to soak the hit.
Steering with Your Feet ("Peg Pressure")
Once you are standing, you unlock a superpower: Peg Steering.
When you sit, you have to steer with the handlebars. When you stand, you can steer with your weight. By pressing down into the outside peg of a turn, you guide the bike's lean without heavy input from your hands.
This is why pro riders look so smooth—they are driving the bike with their feet, leaving their hands relaxed for throttle and brake control.
The Drill: Slalom & Absorption
Ready to feel the difference? Find a flat area and try this drill from our Fundamentals curriculum:
- Line up 6–8 cones about 15 feet apart.
- Ride the slalom in a Neutral Stand.
- Focus on pressing the outside peg to initiate each turn. Notice how the bike carves.
- Advanced: Place a small 2x4 board in your path. As you hit it, let your knees bend to absorb it, keeping your head level.
"Remember, your feet guide the bike more than your hands, giving you control and confidence in every situation." — Coach Cortney
Summary
Standing feels awkward at first, but it is the key to endurance. If you sit all day, you will be exhausted by lunch. If you stand and let your legs do the work, you can ride until sunset.