Hints and tips provided by Brad Davies, 5th place Elite World 24 Hour MTB 2010

5 tips to keep it upright (and fast) on the mountain bike leg:

1. Look where you want to go - not where you don't want to go: If you focus on that big gap between the rocks that's where you will head...

MTB requires a very different set of skills than road cycling. Photo courtesy of Rapid Ascent.

2. Don't follow too close: the drafting advantage is minimal on singletrack and following too close makes it hard to see down the trail and ends up more inefficient

3. Signal your passing manouvre early and clearly: don't wait until you are on a slower rider before communicating, talk to them calmly as you approach and give them instruction on how you are going to pass (ie coming up on your right here)

Find an Adventure Race near you.

4. Stay on the seat when you are pedalling, off the seat when you aren't: if you aren't pedalling it's usually downhill and getting off the seat allows you to use your body as suspension

5. Pedal through corners: even if you are feathering the brakes through a corner keep pedalling as it will keep the weight evenly distributed over the bike - much more stable than excessive leaning to one side.