Mountain Biking’s 5 Biggest Mental Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Downtime — The Mountain Bike Podcast

Mountain Biking’s 5 Biggest Mental Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Today I’m joined by Dr Chris Hartley, who is a lecturer in sports psychology at the University of Stirling and also a passionate mountain biker with a love for enduro and downhill. We sat down to discuss mountain biking's 5 biggest mental challenges that we find out on the trails. Encountering our weak points, dealing with negative mindset, fear of the unknown, pushing our comfort zones and dealing with crashes and injury. Chris ran this as an open discussion with me on my experiences here, offering advice and techniques along the way. It has definitely given me lots to think about and apply out on the trail and I hope it helps you too. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Dr Chris Hartley.

You can find Chris on Twitter at twitter.com/DrChrisHartley and at his website sportpsychologyscotland.co.uk.

The books that Chris mentions in the episode are The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris which you can find here and The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters which you'll find here.

Supporting Partners

Magura

I’ve been using the Magura MT7 Pro brakes since late last year, and I recently posted that they were the best brakes I’ve ever used. A couple of people got in touch to as if that was really the case and my honest answer is yes they are. The power is insane, but it’s totally controllable, and they are the only brakes that I’ve been able to keep working just as well as when I first fitted them.

What’s more, Magura have their #customizeyourbrake programme which allows you to get the brake set up perfectly for you, as you can change the brake lever, the pads, the discs and make some aesthetic changes too.

You can check out the entire range of Magura brakes, and the #customizeyourbrake programme over at magura.com.

Leatt

I’ve been using some of Leatt’s most recent collection of clothing and I’ve been really impressed. For me there have been a few stand out items. The Trail 1.0 Jacket is super small and lightweight and is the perfect jacket to get you out of trouble. Stick it in your pack and forget about it. The Trail 1.0 Jersey is ultra-lightweight and has panels of Ice Yarn which is made of recycled coffee and has a cooling touch effect. The Trail 3.0 Shorts are cut slim, stretchy and super comfortable to wear. They also come with a top quality Italian made chamois liner.

If you want to check out what Leatt have to offer, then you can see the entire range at leatt.com and get hold of them at your local bike shop or online.

Podcast Stuff

Downtime EP

Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep. EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast. It expands on them, and takes them into a stunning print-only format. EP is the perfect companion for some quiet time away from the distractions of modern life. Beautiful to have and hold, and a timeless piece of mountain bike history.

Just head over to downtimepodcast.com/ep to save yourself £5 off of the cover price with an annual subscription for just £20 plus postage or you can purchase EP1, or EP2 on their own too.

Merch

If you want to support the podcast, and represent, then my webstore is the place to head. All products are 100% organic, shipped without plastics, and made with a supply chain that's using renewable energy. So check it out now over at downtimepodcast.com/shop.

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On the Downtime Podcast, we speak to athletes, trainers, mechanics, brands and many others, to take us behind the scenes of the world of downhill and enduro mountain biking, inspire you and give you some hints and tips to help you improve your own MTB riding. Give it a listen and we're confident you'll find something to help you go faster and have more fun on your mountain bike! Don't forget to subscribe, give us a review, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter to keep up to date with new episodes.