Today, I am going to talk about focusing on the trail ahead of you.
Unless you are in a very technical section, the best strategy is to focus on the trail farther ahead of you instead of what is right in front of your tire. When you only focus on the section of trail that you are about to hit, you end up making unnecessary corrections that throw the bike off line. The result is slower, harsher riding.
When you are riding down the trail, try to focus farther ahead. This will smooth out your line and let you prepare for corrections on the bigger obstacles. Often, you will find that most of the objects you corrected for in the past aren’t even felt under the bike. Even the ones you do feel, were better handled by keeping the bike straight.
In the picture above by Bill Freeman, you can see that Troy Lee looks far ahead of him even in extended downhill runs. I have found far off trail focus is essential during really fast runs where you have to plan ahead more than you would for climbing, flats and slower downhills. If you get caught with your eyes following the front tire, fast turns, rocks and roots can catch you by surprise and cause serious mistakes.
Next time you are riding really focus on which section of the trail you are watching. Try to adjust this vision closer and farther away depending on the trail conditions. As you get tired when you ride, the tendancy is going to be to keep your head and eyes down. During this time it is even more important to keep your head and eyes up to plan ahead.
Where do you find your eyes focusing?