Pedal Faster on a Mountain Bike

This article will show you how to efficiently pedal your mountain bike so that you get more power per pedal.

Steps

Know your gear ratio. When you are mountain biking, you might often feel that you can go faster, but you don't know how to do it efficiently. Let's assume that we're working on a 21-speed bike, with 1-3 on the left handlebar and 1-7 on the right. The three gears on the left are bigger gears, while the ones on the right are sub-gears within the larger ones. Example: Gear 2-5 is actually the 12th gear.
Know how to maximize your efficiency with this gear system. When you are first starting off, be in a relatively low gear. Try using prefer 3-3, but if you are racing, you might like to start in 3-1 then quickly upshift, because it gives a good starting punch. As you go faster and faster, shift up on your right hand. Ideally, keep your pedal speed the same, and as it becomes too easy to pedal, shift up. Likewise, if it is too difficult to pedal, then you need to shift down.
Find a gear that works for you. If you are riding through grass/dirt or are racing an off-road course, a good gear to stay in is 3-3, downshifting to 3-2 or rarely 3-1 when going uphill.

As you brake, downshift accordingly. Nothing is worse than trying to pick up speed again in a high, hard gear.
If racing, start in a low gear (one you could pop a wheelie in), as it will shoot you out quickly ahead of your competition