I’ve seen lots of confident riders with their own little Achilles heels; don’t like drops, hate steeps, terrified of roots etc. Sometimes these skills gaps can just slow you down and have you serving up the excuses to your friends when you finally catch up at the foot of the trail. Sometimes they can mean the difference between being able to ride a trail and having to get off and push.

One option is to become adept at choosing rides or runs that omit your ‘pet hates’. You can kid yourself that you’re becoming a better rider. You never fall off right? Trouble is, you’re always left with that secret sense of disappointment at not conquering your demons. A much better option is to identify your weaknesses and get some help. For less than the cost of a set of carbon handlebars you could have a full day of coaching. Have someone show you where you’re going wrong and move you past those pesky sticking points. The joy of a new bike component soon wears off. The satisfaction of confidently blasting through trails that used to scare you, will last for the rest of your riding career.