hey seth, idk if youre reading comments but if so I just wanted to let you know that I finished my hardtail build last week. i havent been riding for over a year due to my cassette and chain being worn also my derailleur wasnt doing its job anymore... never had the will and courage to repair it... however when summer started in germany youtube started recommending your videos to me again... as if it wanted to say its time... well after binge watching your videos for days and you building up my confidence through your videos I decided to give it a try and now its like a new bike ! I customized the heck out of it over the last 2-3 years watching your videos and every time it took some of my soul seeing my bike only standing in the garage... but now Im back on the trails lol ! just wanted to share this...much respect from germany !

I am not a beginner but I'm stoked for this series! Always good to get a refresher and there is something about Seth's content where I could just watch it all day.

Having spent my younger years whitewater kayaking and having moved into MTB as I've got older and had less free time, it surprises me how much of line reading is the same across both sports. That said I always felt better paddling in wet conditions than I do riding my bike in the wet 🤣

Reading is a good analogy for riding a trail, but I think reading music is even better. In music you might do something called "sight reading" where you try to play a piece of music just by reading it off the page without looking through it first. That's just like riding a trail "blind". You might also practice a piece of music at a much slower tempo before trying it at full speed, sort of like the "pre-ride, re-ride, free-ride" strategy. Finally there could be a really tricky section with lots of notes or a weird rhythm that you have to just practice over and over, just like we stop to session features.

Many years of MX and oddly enough, offroad RC car racing have taught me line reading to be almost 2nd nature. Maybe this is why I love rough technical trails so much. One thing for new riders to remember also. Don't focus on one object for too long. Especially something you want to avoid, like a tree or a rock. Your body tends to get drawn into that object whether you want to or not if you concentrate on avoiding that object too much.

Its always nice watching videos like this way before riding a bike, because first of all there is no bad habits to break because you haven't ridden before, and secondly, if you already know these tips before hand, your riding experience will much safer because you already know what to do, a thus making the activity more fun.

I've been paying attention to line choice a lot lately as my wife has recently started riding MTB with me. She rides well but at 60 years old(I'm 56) she has no interest in most features and can't jump(yet), although she's starting to enjoy some features. On most trails I follow her and do some coaching from behind but on the intermediate trails she wants me to lead so she can watch what I do. The nice thing about her following is that it forces her to keep her head up and look forward.

Great stuff Seth! This applies to pretty much every form of transport, not just MTB. Your videos are becoming required watching for teaching my kids everything MTB related.

I'm not even that into MTB but I just love this channel

as someone who adamantly hates riding a bike literally anywhere, I am stoked for this to become a series

I’m lucky that after 50+ years riding off-road, I’m able to read trails. This video will help me with older noobs who are just exploring off- oad riding as you articulate why things work better than I can. Keep making these instructional videos 👍

Excellent video Seth. Reminds me of Kyle and April's channel. He's very good at instructing as well! Great for us newbies... especially us newbies who already have titanium parts, here and there, in our bodies... not bikes. 😊

Love these types of videos, for beginners they are super helpful and for non beginners super entertaining!

Love the return of the how you ride educational video!

This is excellent. Seth always puts out amazing content. Line choice and where to look are lessons I teach nearly daily as a full-time instructor.

Hi Seth, was surprised to run into you while you were filming this, it was a pleasure to chat for 30 seconds! Could have used these tips before riding the trail 😮

I think it comes with experience. The more you ride, the more you are able to "see" a line quickly that fits your riding style. In my case, I ride a rigid mtb, so I've pretty much conditioned myself to pick a line that is most likely to be the smoothest.

You're explaining it really well, thanks! Hope to see more of those on your channel!

Thank you so much seth! I just got my first mountain bike a month ago and I joined a local mountain bike team here in Arizona, so there is tons of rocks and loose dirt that I kept messing up on during practice. This helped me a lot as I always am looking at my tire to put it in the right position but I'm working on breaking that habit. Keep making these videos please, they are super helpful!

I really like that you keep posting these guide videos. They're a great help. I just realised that there is a need for an intro/tip video of this kind for newbies: How to test ride a bike. There are plenty of videos of how to set up your bike and bike sizing etc. But I can't find a single video that would go through the things to test and look at when you're test riding and checking out a bike that you might buy. This thought came to me since a couple friends are getting bikes and have no idea if a bike is good for them and if something sold used is worth buying. I'd love for there to be like a quick overview of what to look for in a hardtail and in a fullsquish and what kind of things to look out for when riding both for the condition of the bike and the fit of the bike together. Since you've done the flipbike series I think you'd have some perfect material and expertice for such a guide video.

Great episode Seth. Enjoying the actual biking content.

I just started riding trails, this is exactly the kind of info I need right now thank you Seth

Great job explaining Seth , certainly learned something new today

I'm not a beginner - and yet - you showed me something that I didn't know. In other words, I'm always learning.

Another awesome and informative vid! I really enjoy the way you explain and demonstrate. I am an old slow rider but your vid have been helping build up my skillset. Thank you very much and please keep them coming.

Congratulations on 1M subscribers on this channel 🎉🎉

Seth great stuff mate as always,great watching you ride and give good riding tips and advice.

This video had a lot of great Trail Features.

Always awesome. Thanks.

Seth, you keep getting better and better at this internet short film game. Fantastic video.

Thanks for the ride section at the end, great demo. Hope you upload a longer video on trail riding in wet weather, (it also looks great, vivid colors).

Duuude! Currently working on this and perfect timing, the first mins talking about look further has been something getting used to even though been practicing that for months now , definitely see the difference in avg speed and max speed. This channel has awesome content man keep them coming very very welcomed… someone give this channel an option for two like per videos lol

You're analogy of reading lines is on the point

Hey Seth, this is a great video. I already new all of these things but its all great information for beginners, thanks :D

Really useful video for sure. Thank you. I really enjoy your content.

That is such a beautiful area to ride in. I'm jelly.

New to MTB scene, I appreciate your helpful videos

Hi Seth love the vids and love what you teach us

Great vid, as usual. Thanks.

Amazing video Seth I’m always looking forward to the next video and I mountain bike but that’s not the only reason I watch your videos. your videos are also entertaining and enjoyable.❤

Seth I love your videos and they just get better and better the things you have thought me are crazy

Loved the video ! Thanks Seth !

I'm still a beginner MTBer and I really enjoy these lesson videos that you do. You explain them very well and you illustrate what you mean just as well. I wish you were out here on the West Coast teaching lol. I will have to settle with your videos I guess. Thanks!

Would love to see you expand in the ending commentary in the video, or maybe you’re planting that seed. Want to learn advanced stuff like cornering and more

Good explanations of line choice! This would be a good video to share with friends who are new riders.

love the lefty on your sinc'r!

Awesome video. I know I can use tips for sure.

Great reading analogy

Dale Stone also does a great job at teaching about line choice.

that trail looks super fun!

This is really hard to explain, somehow you explained it perfectly Seth! Awesome video

very useful! would love to see more..

Keep up the good work Seth

congrats on 1M!! i used to watch you as a kid all the time having dreams to meet you

Perfect bro.. currently building out the Ozark Trail I got my son on your recommendation and now he can watch this. I'm a bit horse from yelling this stuff from behind him on the trail this weekend lol

Really cool video, I'd watch more like this for sure.

Love to see that you are still using this bike considering you have a really neat hard tail as well!

So close to one Million! Let's go!

The bike goes where you are looking is the best advice I ever got!

Awesome videos as always Seth. If i had any friends i would highly recommend them!

love your videos seth keep it up

thank you seth for the info

Sooo close to that million Seth!! 🤘🏼

I LOVE YOU SETH!!

Great video, very informative. I hope you do more riding tutorials.

I really wanna start mountain biking when i get some disposable income, so this is a massive help. Thank you Seth, I needed this.

Well said my friend.

Great video! Its amazing what your brain can process if you've seen an obstacle and are no longer looking at it - this blew my mind as a beginner! This video is inspiring me to work with my kids on this - any advice out there? I'm planning to have us walk roots while looking up - doing it slowly first - that's how I learnt to trust my instincts on my motorbike. Thanks for all the great content, Hex.

Thank you for this Seth! I’m testing the sport out, still a little nervous when I get on dirt road!

I remember cutting all the dirt and roots off of that off camber rock (and cutting back the trees) when I was 16 years old to create a better line. Glad that line is still looking good so many years later. Better than all my other unsanctioned lines that I stupidly created in Dupont and Pisgah in my teenage years. Don’t build unsanctioned lines kids, they usually suck. 3:00

your pretty great with your explanation, not to mention very entertaining. you had my attention the entire time! Great job. Charlie M.

This the 1st in the fundamentals of mtb I stressed to my son, as he has jumped full in on riding. Picking good lines will translate into a better experience ie: efficiency, less abuse on your bike and your body. The last one is for me, since I’m older and that’s where I feel it these days. Lol

Hi Seth… thanks for the vid. I learned new things today.

I freaking love that trial!

good stuff man! you make instructional videos fun and cool again, looking forward to more. After many years of trail riding bad habits manage to pop-up now and then... we're always learning and sometimes re-learning. I think these types of videos are more interesting than bike porn and adrenaline filled POVs, variety is the spice of life

Love your vids Seth

I needed this video when I still did mountain biking😂

You have a back for explaining things. I tried to explain this to my so. When I started taking him on the trails. I should’ve hired you lol

congrats on 1 million subs

Very nicely explained and you are a speed reader Seth. Just got back from a 11 mile in Ringwood after a rain. Extra care and perfect focus is required not to get hurt. I read slower after being on same single tracks for 40+years. Wet rr crossings and wet moss on North side of boulders catches you out fast. Start out slow maybe air down tires a pnd or two. I run 18 and am mindful of it. Technical riding is fun and picking line takes your mind off everything else for a 😢while. ENJOY !Hey what about when a mosquito is biting your face when riding line in rock garden ? Do you stop, try a one hander or get distracted and crash or just keep going like nothing is new ?

Love the idea of doing skills videos, would love to see more!

Hello Seth, not sure if anyone else commented on this but I find I try to keep in mind when a choosing a preferred line, I may be causing, “trail creep”: contributing to widening the trail, potentially impacting more flora/fauna. Thanks for these vids.

Really cool video concept! Hoping to see a full fledged series on this, could probably go up on the main channel?

It's counter intuitive but I have found the hardest looking line, is often the easiest and more fun. It just takes more committment. This is especially true on a 300 2 stroke:) but MTB as well.

It was nice to have a biking video there havent been a lot of those lately

this has so much potential for other areas of sports :P even in the situation of riding snowmobile in the backcountry :P love the videos

Racing dirtbikes in the woods will teach you the importance of line choice lol. Lot of similarities in the sports, been loving mtb now that I picked a decent one up.

I'd love to see one on climbing, tricks and tips

Good intro to the concepts. As a vintage 26” mtb rider, I can see that the choice of line matters much less to even beginner riders on their fancy 29” trial bikes: they just fly through stuff that I have to carefully anticipate and navigate. In the end I think I develop and maintain my skills better.

Rocks are actually pretty grippy when wet. When being *only* wet though. Add some mud or moss, and you're going to have some fun going down the offcamber direction. Also, the less you brake, the more grip your tire can generate to not slip away. You only have one "resource" for grip, and you can either spend it for braking or for keeping your line. Spend it for one thing, and you'll have less for the other.

This was my first mountain biking lesson - look ahead! I even wrote a little song about it and sing it to myself as I’m going down trails. 😂

That’s a very nice trail.

I’ve been watching Seth for years. I’m finally thinking of actually getting a mountain bike

Thank you!!!!!

congrats on getting 1 million subs

I always look for the chunkiest lines, because I think those are the most fun to ride.

Looking down the trail is also crucial if you ride single speed. Knowing when an obstacle or hill is coming up, you stomp on the pedals to keep your momentum.

Seth is just flexing for 8 minutes about the nice, well thought out trails he gets to ride 😄

Excellent advice for beginners and intermediate riders alike. I concur that you should look 15-20 or more feet ahead depending on your speed. I find myself looking down when I want to make sure to navigate an obstacle correctly, but that should really be a quick glance.

Seth, that advice is not only good for MTB riding but also for BMX. Look up, keep your center of gravity low over obstructions, jumps, berms, roots... you'll be a better rider for it.