Not every bad ride is because of the bike, the weather, or the trail. Sometimes it’s you. ADV riding demands technique and mindset, but bad habits creep in quietly.
Before long, what should be an epic ride feels like a grind. The good news: most of these habits can be fixed fast. Here’s what to watch for—and how to turn it around before your next trip.
There’s nothing wrong with sitting. In fact, it’s the best way to save energy on most rides. But if you stay glued to the seat through sand, rocks, or ruts, you’re in for a wrestling match. The bike needs your legs and core as suspension, and sitting just locks you into every hit.
Fix: Practice reading the trail and switching positions. Save your energy by sitting on the easy stretches, then stand early before the rough stuff so you’re already balanced when it counts.
White-knuckling the handlebars is a guaranteed way to wear yourself out and ruin steering input. You’ll end the day with arm pump and frustration.
Fix: Relax your hands, grip the bike with your knees, and let the front end dance a little. Control comes from balance, not brute force.
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Target fixation is one of the worst habits out there. If your eyes lock on the rock or shoulder, you’ll hit it. On top of that staring down at what's directly in front of you makes you late on every reaction.
Fix: Keep your eyes up and scan 20–30 feet ahead. Once you identify threats, make adjustments and use peripherals to track while your focus takes you where you want to go. Your body and bike will follow your vision.
Riding the clutch constantly or dragging the rear brake makes the bike jerky and kills traction. It also wears your breaks out faster.
Fix: Use smoother throttle control and let engine braking work for you. Reserve the clutch and brake for when you really need finesse.
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Leaning your body wrong, chopping throttle mid-turn, or braking too late are habits that slowly build frustration. They add up to sketchy exits and missed lines.
Fix: Smooth in, smooth out. Brake before the corner, push the inside bar to set your lean, and keep your eyes up. Stay loose, shift weight through the pegs, and roll on the throttle as the bike stands back up.
Many riders push through pain, stiff posture, or sloppy technique because “that’s just riding.” Although there is some truth to exercising mind over matter when there are no other options, the majority of the time, you can be real with yourself.
If you have options to avoid bull@#$, take em. Better to end the journey at your destination than to make a mistake trying to push through something and end your trip short.
Fix: Stretch, hydrate, and give yourself quick breaks. Bypass those storms rolling in and keep your eye on the prize.
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Here’s a hidden bad habit: never thinking about what went wrong after a ride. Riders repeat the same mistakes because they don’t pause to analyze.
Fix: Take 10 minutes after each ride to think—what worked, what didn’t? Small adjustments build long-term improvement.
Adventure turns into frustration when bad habits pile up. Sit less, relax more, look ahead, and ride smoother. Most fixes don’t require months of training—they simply require awareness.
Clean up your habits now, and the next ride won’t feel like a fight. It’ll feel like what ADV should be: challenging, rewarding, and fun.
-Hey Team, thanks for reading. At RIDE, we are dedicated to taking riders to the next level, allowing them to discover more of this beautiful world. With that said, we are excited to announce a new Coach & Camp ride to our ADV training program. In this new program, riders will not only build on-bike technical skills but also become adventure-ready, enabling them to accomplish any BDR or related adventure around the world.
Hit the link below to learn more. Hope to see you out there! 👇