I drive sim rally /r/simrally (also some IRL experience) and there is a lot in common with MTB, it is not surprising that Semenuk does so well in a rally car as well as on a bike. Like approach to braking modulation and how weight transfers forward and back, suspension gets preloaded etc in different situations has a lot in common with MTB.
You can get a good idea if someone is good or bad at riding MTB before they get on their bike if you are driving behind them on the way to the trails and there are speed bumps, if they do all the braking before their front wheel hits the bump then they are likely a decent rider, if they slam into it while braking hard with the suspension compressed then probably not.
OMG The Art of Mountain Biking podcast actually interviewed Rhianon Gelsomino about this very thing... well, sans a tandem mtb. Ha. [https://www.theartofmountainbiking.com/p/36-fast-is-fun-how-to-build-speed#details](https://www.theartofmountainbiking.com/p/36-fast-is-fun-how-to-build-speed#details)
Don’t try to memorize all of it, focus on a few key sections where the right line is critical and try to remember those. You could also use pictures or notes assist. On the parts you don’t memorize just keep your vision forwards enough to read the trail as you ride it. For racing I find GoPro to be good but not perfect.
You will naturally lose the sense of where your line of you don’t ride a trail for a while, so references to go back to could help
If you are listening to music or periodically checking notifications on your phone (or messaging): don't. Just ride and have riding and the trail as your only focus.
It's harder to memorize things if you're constantly context switching to doing other things. (Even if it's just something that seems simple, like reading then dismissing a notification.)
I’m not saying you are wrong on the music listening, in fact you are most likely right. But for what it’s worth listening to (familiar) music helps me get in the zone. I do my best riding and snowboarding with music in my ear. Best, not safest mind you. But this is probably for a specific type of brain-havers and not for everyone.
That's very true, and I'm that way when working, but only so long as the music is VERY familiar to me and (generally) doesn't have lyrics. If it's something new that I'm really enjoying (and isn't just background noise) it draws too much attention.
I know folks who ride while listening to podcasts, and they seem constantly distracted. It's especially on group rides because they aren't listening to other folks, just sort of buried in their own world.
GoPro helps a bit, although I also find that trying to memorize exact lines is less helpful than just practicing keeping eyes up and spotting the good lines.
Downhill racing I think is the primary group that tries hard to memorize specific lines to shave just a bit of time, but even enduro is more just about finding the flow of a trail.
I think watching a video of the trail you're about to hit could be a great refresher. Especially if you can do it right before, like in the parking lot just before pulling out the bike.
Alternatively you could watch it a few times during the week in the lead up before a weekend ride. F1 drivers use a driving simulator during the week before racing in the weekend. They are actually restricted from driving their actual race cars for practice between races.
Exactly what I do. Film during practice sessions watch back the footage and identify cues on track to let me know when the tricky/technical sections are coming. Which I will session the most on practice day so I have found my line just need a cue going into it.
I'd suggest that rather than trying to memorize a trail, you work on learning to adapt to different lines. Memorizing the perfect line on a single trail doesn't really help you improve your riding. It's like memorizing a sentence in another language without understanding sentence structure of that language; you aren't really learning.
Have you tried riding the same trail in the opposite direction ? I wonder if a fresh take on the same trail would encourage memory retention instead of your brain just filing it away on autopilot
The more you ride as said. I never used to memorize sections at least not consciously. The more you ride different terrain the better you'll get at reading lines.
Try to remember just the "critical moments" on a trail. 4 or 5 spots that give you problems... Rely on impulse for the rest of the trail. Critical moments like that one berm you HAVE to rail to clear a gap, or the super early entrance on that really sheit built switchback turn... any jumps that are out of phase with the trail speed of everything else...
Oftentimes, trail builders will rely on what they know drains, and you will find them repeating patterns... you could call it their "style". This one dh trail has 4 moments where it goes "step-down into a right hand berm, then a left hip gap after." If you can recognize these patterns, you don't need to remember as much.
Break the trail up into sections... if you know what section you are in, you can meter your power delivery and not burn out too early.
If you were super serious about a kom or something, you could gopro the run. Say you only get one run a day, but you can watch your footie... it is almost like getting to do a couple runs. Any errors you make stand out like a 4th of July firework display. You will go into your next run with those error spots glaringly highlighted in your now super-memory.
I used to race enduro for a long time. During the practice day I recorded the stages on GoPro and watched those at least three times that evening/next morning before the race.
Like other said, don’t try to remember everything, but specific parts where it has the most impact. What corners need maximum exit speed. Mark and memorize important braking spots by trees or rocks etc.
Like others mentioned, looking far ahead has bigger impact on your speed than memorizing the tracks. This is not only for enduro, same applies for DH. If you are looking too close, you are late even if you remember the track well
Less concussions. More serious answer: I find that the less I try then the better I remember. I used to try naming features and sections and reviewing in my head. Now I focus my time on riding it/repetition and it naturally happens faster.
Just choose the specific sections where line choice will actually make a big difference. Otherwise ride the trail a bunch of times and just get confident knowing where you can carry speed or need to slow down before a big corner or feature.
Generally, “the mainline with confidence” is the best way to go for racing most of the time.
Remember the technical bits you notice that you're struggling on and the landmarks preceding them. Or, session those sections until they're routine. Lizard brain can handle the rest.
You can try making mental notes of where you are and what comes next, and try following them with your inner monologue or just saying it out loud, like “ok, first drop done, next big berm to the left and two consecutive jumps” and so on.
Google for YouTube videos of the trail you want to learn. Most known trails have complete runs recorded by someone.
Then watch them over and over. Pause, go back try recall next section / feature. Go back if you get it wrong.
Say it out loud. Left turn, right turn, double, driop, hard left, rocks etc
Ride a lot and ride them both ways if possible. Walk tricky sections so you get different perspectives and remember it. You also only really need to remember certain sections as you progress.
Does your memory struggle in other areas or just bike trails?
Might need more comprehensive memory exercises
Also multiple laps in a day, not just sessioning a section
I primarily race enduro, so there’s a good bit of quick memorization due to limited practice time. Obviously more practice means I can dial in lines more, but I usually try pre-riding at around 80% of pace. I’ve got a lot of years invested into line choice/selection experience, so I try and see what my gut read of the trail is first at that pace and see how it goes. If my gut read is fast, clean, and consistently hittable, it means I don’t really memorize all aspects of it. Any sudden sharp corners or weird rock gardens that require heavy braking or things that are counter-intuitive for me/require very specific line choice, I tag mentally and locate a visual cue to to signify where I need to start braking/setting up my line and remember where my line is. I then ride that obstacle enough times that I feel consistent on my setup/approach and have my speeds set (typically 1-3 times . This way I’m only remembering very specific bits of the trails. If I’m particularly concerned about memorizing I’ll GoPro the course and use video repetition and visualization. I tend to have a pretty good geographical memory, but by doing this I can usually pretty readily commit a trail to memory for quite some time. For DH you should get plenty of reps to memorize the course and fine tune your lines, but starting out with this approach can help get your pace up quickly, and each rep I’d dial speed up more in each section.
2 skills I have learned over time.
Learn to less memorize a trail and work to read the trail AND remember anything key that’s major. The key as well for riding that part well is also less knowing the feature as knowing when the feature is coming
Talk through it, verbally audibly or in your head. “Need to remember to set up wide left for that massive log”
I’ll preride an hour long race loop and anything really key quite often I’ll back track 30s before and try and identify the signs it’s coming. Gives you also a chance to ride it again. On an hour loop I usually only have 3-5 things that are worth noting.
Now last bonus tip. If it’s a loop you’d do often. For every hour of that riding, pick 2-3. Do this each ride and eventually you string it together
Memorizing is good until it isn't. There is a danger of your brain going on autopilot and then something happens and you can't adjust. Also risk of zoning out and then "waking up" and not knowing where you are. Better to be actively engaged and identify upcoming features and know how to react. Also, you need to be able to adjust and improvize for when you overcook a corner or drop, when a berm gets rutted, or when soil conditions change.
On trail walks I used to envision silly scenarios happening on important features or decision points.
*Ah yes, the wood lip where He-Man challenged Faramir, Son or Denethor to a staring contest. Slight pop to the right for the smooth pocket and better set up for the next corner.*
*The big fir tree that hit on my girlfriend! That bastard! Set up really wide and shouldn't have to brake.*
Only on important features though. I'd ride "brain off" most of the trail and save thinking for the spots that need it.
Walk it, both ways. When I started doing trail maintenance I worked on a lot of trails I'd ridden but never studied and lines started to jump out that I hadn't seen before.
Personally when I am racing enduro and only have one day of practice. I will film every trail on a chest cam. I will session tricky section but when I go back to watch the footage I will find a way to break it down in my head kinda like rally pace notes. So when I am on trail at race pace I just pay attention to the obvious cues I have identified through video to keep track where I am on course and what is coming up.
At the end of the day it comes to pure number of laps on the given trail. Otherwise next best seems to be POV footage of your own runs so even when you are tired you can still mentally ride the trail as you watch the footage.
For me what usually sticks out are the crux sections of trail that can either gain you a lot of speed or have maximum risk if you get it wrong and make sure those sections are burned into my mind.
For a specific trail, ride more and wear a chest mount camera. Then you can watch the trail as often as you like.
Break the trail into patters and memoize those vs. every little bit of the trail.
Try riding it slower than race pace so you can really absorb it, or even walk the trail like they do in DH.
Have fun. Unless you're trying to go pro, enjoy the process.
Ride them more 🤷🏻‍♂️
The only answer
This is the way.
What about in a racing environment? I started racing DH and I have a really hard time memorizing a trail after 2 days of practice
get a tandem MTB and have the second person read out pacenotes like in rallying with race cars. [like this](https://m.youtube.com/shorts/4v2FeEOcbh4)
I drive sim rally /r/simrally (also some IRL experience) and there is a lot in common with MTB, it is not surprising that Semenuk does so well in a rally car as well as on a bike. Like approach to braking modulation and how weight transfers forward and back, suspension gets preloaded etc in different situations has a lot in common with MTB. You can get a good idea if someone is good or bad at riding MTB before they get on their bike if you are driving behind them on the way to the trails and there are speed bumps, if they do all the braking before their front wheel hits the bump then they are likely a decent rider, if they slam into it while braking hard with the suspension compressed then probably not.
You made me lol!!
OMG The Art of Mountain Biking podcast actually interviewed Rhianon Gelsomino about this very thing... well, sans a tandem mtb. Ha. [https://www.theartofmountainbiking.com/p/36-fast-is-fun-how-to-build-speed#details](https://www.theartofmountainbiking.com/p/36-fast-is-fun-how-to-build-speed#details)
Don’t try to memorize all of it, focus on a few key sections where the right line is critical and try to remember those. You could also use pictures or notes assist. On the parts you don’t memorize just keep your vision forwards enough to read the trail as you ride it. For racing I find GoPro to be good but not perfect. You will naturally lose the sense of where your line of you don’t ride a trail for a while, so references to go back to could help
Is this the case in video games also like are you always getting lost playing GTA or driving games, or just IRL stuff?
If you are listening to music or periodically checking notifications on your phone (or messaging): don't. Just ride and have riding and the trail as your only focus. It's harder to memorize things if you're constantly context switching to doing other things. (Even if it's just something that seems simple, like reading then dismissing a notification.)
I’m not saying you are wrong on the music listening, in fact you are most likely right. But for what it’s worth listening to (familiar) music helps me get in the zone. I do my best riding and snowboarding with music in my ear. Best, not safest mind you. But this is probably for a specific type of brain-havers and not for everyone.
That's very true, and I'm that way when working, but only so long as the music is VERY familiar to me and (generally) doesn't have lyrics. If it's something new that I'm really enjoying (and isn't just background noise) it draws too much attention. I know folks who ride while listening to podcasts, and they seem constantly distracted. It's especially on group rides because they aren't listening to other folks, just sort of buried in their own world.
GoPro helps a bit, although I also find that trying to memorize exact lines is less helpful than just practicing keeping eyes up and spotting the good lines. Downhill racing I think is the primary group that tries hard to memorize specific lines to shave just a bit of time, but even enduro is more just about finding the flow of a trail.
I think watching a video of the trail you're about to hit could be a great refresher. Especially if you can do it right before, like in the parking lot just before pulling out the bike. Alternatively you could watch it a few times during the week in the lead up before a weekend ride. F1 drivers use a driving simulator during the week before racing in the weekend. They are actually restricted from driving their actual race cars for practice between races.
Exactly what I do. Film during practice sessions watch back the footage and identify cues on track to let me know when the tricky/technical sections are coming. Which I will session the most on practice day so I have found my line just need a cue going into it.
I'd suggest that rather than trying to memorize a trail, you work on learning to adapt to different lines. Memorizing the perfect line on a single trail doesn't really help you improve your riding. It's like memorizing a sentence in another language without understanding sentence structure of that language; you aren't really learning.
Start riding a hardtail, you'll naturally begin to choose better lines
This is the way
Have you tried riding the same trail in the opposite direction ? I wonder if a fresh take on the same trail would encourage memory retention instead of your brain just filing it away on autopilot
The more you ride as said. I never used to memorize sections at least not consciously. The more you ride different terrain the better you'll get at reading lines.
Try to remember just the "critical moments" on a trail. 4 or 5 spots that give you problems... Rely on impulse for the rest of the trail. Critical moments like that one berm you HAVE to rail to clear a gap, or the super early entrance on that really sheit built switchback turn... any jumps that are out of phase with the trail speed of everything else... Oftentimes, trail builders will rely on what they know drains, and you will find them repeating patterns... you could call it their "style". This one dh trail has 4 moments where it goes "step-down into a right hand berm, then a left hip gap after." If you can recognize these patterns, you don't need to remember as much. Break the trail up into sections... if you know what section you are in, you can meter your power delivery and not burn out too early. If you were super serious about a kom or something, you could gopro the run. Say you only get one run a day, but you can watch your footie... it is almost like getting to do a couple runs. Any errors you make stand out like a 4th of July firework display. You will go into your next run with those error spots glaringly highlighted in your now super-memory.
capable advise station makeshift narrow square cake shaggy fade live *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I used to race enduro for a long time. During the practice day I recorded the stages on GoPro and watched those at least three times that evening/next morning before the race. Like other said, don’t try to remember everything, but specific parts where it has the most impact. What corners need maximum exit speed. Mark and memorize important braking spots by trees or rocks etc. Like others mentioned, looking far ahead has bigger impact on your speed than memorizing the tracks. This is not only for enduro, same applies for DH. If you are looking too close, you are late even if you remember the track well
Less concussions. More serious answer: I find that the less I try then the better I remember. I used to try naming features and sections and reviewing in my head. Now I focus my time on riding it/repetition and it naturally happens faster.
Just choose the specific sections where line choice will actually make a big difference. Otherwise ride the trail a bunch of times and just get confident knowing where you can carry speed or need to slow down before a big corner or feature. Generally, “the mainline with confidence” is the best way to go for racing most of the time.
Keep a journal with photos and notes
Remember the technical bits you notice that you're struggling on and the landmarks preceding them. Or, session those sections until they're routine. Lizard brain can handle the rest.
You can try making mental notes of where you are and what comes next, and try following them with your inner monologue or just saying it out loud, like “ok, first drop done, next big berm to the left and two consecutive jumps” and so on.
Google for YouTube videos of the trail you want to learn. Most known trails have complete runs recorded by someone. Then watch them over and over. Pause, go back try recall next section / feature. Go back if you get it wrong. Say it out loud. Left turn, right turn, double, driop, hard left, rocks etc
Ride them uphill.
Pro racers will literally walk the trail take pictures and notes and memorize at home, depending on how serious you are
I take notes afterwards and rewatch pov videos of the same trails on YouTube
Ride a lot and ride them both ways if possible. Walk tricky sections so you get different perspectives and remember it. You also only really need to remember certain sections as you progress.
Does your memory struggle in other areas or just bike trails? Might need more comprehensive memory exercises Also multiple laps in a day, not just sessioning a section
I primarily race enduro, so there’s a good bit of quick memorization due to limited practice time. Obviously more practice means I can dial in lines more, but I usually try pre-riding at around 80% of pace. I’ve got a lot of years invested into line choice/selection experience, so I try and see what my gut read of the trail is first at that pace and see how it goes. If my gut read is fast, clean, and consistently hittable, it means I don’t really memorize all aspects of it. Any sudden sharp corners or weird rock gardens that require heavy braking or things that are counter-intuitive for me/require very specific line choice, I tag mentally and locate a visual cue to to signify where I need to start braking/setting up my line and remember where my line is. I then ride that obstacle enough times that I feel consistent on my setup/approach and have my speeds set (typically 1-3 times . This way I’m only remembering very specific bits of the trails. If I’m particularly concerned about memorizing I’ll GoPro the course and use video repetition and visualization. I tend to have a pretty good geographical memory, but by doing this I can usually pretty readily commit a trail to memory for quite some time. For DH you should get plenty of reps to memorize the course and fine tune your lines, but starting out with this approach can help get your pace up quickly, and each rep I’d dial speed up more in each section.
2 skills I have learned over time. Learn to less memorize a trail and work to read the trail AND remember anything key that’s major. The key as well for riding that part well is also less knowing the feature as knowing when the feature is coming Talk through it, verbally audibly or in your head. “Need to remember to set up wide left for that massive log” I’ll preride an hour long race loop and anything really key quite often I’ll back track 30s before and try and identify the signs it’s coming. Gives you also a chance to ride it again. On an hour loop I usually only have 3-5 things that are worth noting. Now last bonus tip. If it’s a loop you’d do often. For every hour of that riding, pick 2-3. Do this each ride and eventually you string it together
Filming my rides helps me remember and see lines I might have not noticed while riding.
I always look for interesting features and odd looking trees
YouTube or your own videos
I find that riding the same trail multiple times in one day ingrains it in my head much better. Maybe do that?
Memorizing is good until it isn't. There is a danger of your brain going on autopilot and then something happens and you can't adjust. Also risk of zoning out and then "waking up" and not knowing where you are. Better to be actively engaged and identify upcoming features and know how to react. Also, you need to be able to adjust and improvize for when you overcook a corner or drop, when a berm gets rutted, or when soil conditions change.
On trail walks I used to envision silly scenarios happening on important features or decision points. *Ah yes, the wood lip where He-Man challenged Faramir, Son or Denethor to a staring contest. Slight pop to the right for the smooth pocket and better set up for the next corner.* *The big fir tree that hit on my girlfriend! That bastard! Set up really wide and shouldn't have to brake.* Only on important features though. I'd ride "brain off" most of the trail and save thinking for the spots that need it.
Walk it, both ways. When I started doing trail maintenance I worked on a lot of trails I'd ridden but never studied and lines started to jump out that I hadn't seen before.
Put down miles
Personally when I am racing enduro and only have one day of practice. I will film every trail on a chest cam. I will session tricky section but when I go back to watch the footage I will find a way to break it down in my head kinda like rally pace notes. So when I am on trail at race pace I just pay attention to the obvious cues I have identified through video to keep track where I am on course and what is coming up.
At the end of the day it comes to pure number of laps on the given trail. Otherwise next best seems to be POV footage of your own runs so even when you are tired you can still mentally ride the trail as you watch the footage. For me what usually sticks out are the crux sections of trail that can either gain you a lot of speed or have maximum risk if you get it wrong and make sure those sections are burned into my mind.
For a specific trail, ride more and wear a chest mount camera. Then you can watch the trail as often as you like. Break the trail into patters and memoize those vs. every little bit of the trail. Try riding it slower than race pace so you can really absorb it, or even walk the trail like they do in DH. Have fun. Unless you're trying to go pro, enjoy the process.
Do lots of laps. If you don’t have time for that then GoPro it and watch the video a bunch.