If you’ve got a race coming up, you’ve probably heard this before:
“Make sure you taper.”
But here’s the problem…
Most mountain bikers either:
- Don’t taper at allor
- Completely shut things down and feel flat on race day
Don’t taper at all
Completely shut things down and feel flat on race day
Neither works.
Because mountain biking isn’t a marathon.
What Tapering Actually Means for Mountain Bikers
Tapering isn’t about doing less for the sake of it.
It’s about:
- Reducing fatigue
- Keeping your strength
- Staying sharp on the bike
Reducing fatigue
Keeping your strength
Staying sharp on the bike
Done properly, you should show up to race day feeling:
- Fresh
- Reactive
- Confident
Reactive
Confident
Not sluggish. Not rusty.
The Reality Most Riders Miss
Right now, a lot of the riders I coach are preparing for races like the Squamish Enduro and the Loam Hustler in May.
And by the time they’re 4 weeks out, most of them already know:
They can complete the distance.
That’s a big shift.
Because at that point, your job isn’t to “get fitter” anymore.
It’s to:
- Refine your race approach
- Build confidence on the bike
- Stay healthy and consistent
Refine your race approach
Build confidence on the bike
Stay healthy and consistent
You’ve essentially bought yourself 4 weeks to sharpen, not survive.
And that changes how you taper completely.
"In 2017 I rode my first race here in Squamish. Trained great for the first 8 weeks, then with four weeks to go I decided to drop all strength training and add more riding. This ruined my race day performance and I had a terrible time!"
The 4 Biggest Taper Mistakes
❌ 1. Stopping Strength Training Completely
Riders think:
“I don’t want to be sore, so I’ll just stop lifting.”
What actually happens:
- You lose tension and stability
- You feel weaker on the bike
- You lose that “snap” in your riding
You lose tension and stability
You feel weaker on the bike
You lose that “snap” in your riding
❌ 2. Riding Too Much Because Conditions Are Good
Classic spring problem.
Weather improves → riding volume spikes → fatigue builds
Now you’re carrying fatigue straight into race week.
❌ 3. Letting That “Antsy” Feeling Take Over
This is the one I see all the time—especially in the final 10 days.
You start to feel:
- Restless
- Undertrained
- Like you should be doing more
Restless
Undertrained
Like you should be doing more
So you:
- Add extra rides
- Push harder than planned
- Turn an easy session into a hard one
Add extra rides
Push harder than planned
Turn an easy session into a hard one
👉 This is a big mistake.
That feeling isn’t a sign you need more work.
It’s a sign the taper is working.
You’re finally absorbing the training.
❌ 4. Doing Nothing and Feeling Flat
On the flip side…
If you remove all intensity:
- Your nervous system downshifts
- You lose timing and coordination
- Race pace feels like a shock
Your nervous system downshifts
You lose timing and coordination
Race pace feels like a shock
A 2-Week MTB Taper That Actually Works
Forget the idea of flipping a switch and suddenly doing nothing the week before your race.
A better approach for mountain biking is a 2-week taper:
- Week 1 → Partial taper (reduce, but still train)
- Week 2 → Full taper (freshen up and sharpen)
Week 1 → Partial taper (reduce, but still train)
Week 2 → Full taper (freshen up and sharpen)
You’re not shutting things down.
👉 You’re gradually shifting from training → performing
Week 1 of Taper (7–14 Days Out) — Partial Taper
This is where most riders get it wrong.
They either:
- Keep pushing like they’re still buildingor
- Back off way too early
Keep pushing like they’re still building
Back off way too early
Instead:
- Reduce overall volume by ~20–30%
- Keep structure and routine the same
- Maintain strength training (just less volume)
- Keep race intensity in small, controlled doses
Reduce overall volume by ~20–30%
Keep structure and routine the same
Maintain strength training (just less volume)
Keep race intensity in small, controlled doses
You’re still working.
You’re still training.
Just… a little less.
Strength (Week 1)
- 1–2 sessions
- Moderate load, reduced volume
- No grinding, no soreness
1–2 sessions
Moderate load, reduced volume
No grinding, no soreness
You should feel:
Switched on, not smashed
Riding (Week 1)
- Slightly shorter rides
- Include short race-intensity efforts
- Focus on rhythm, flow, and execution
Slightly shorter rides
Include short race-intensity efforts
Focus on rhythm, flow, and execution
If you’re local (e.g. prepping for races like the Squamish Enduro or Loam Hustler):
- Userelaxed pre-rides
- Focus on line choice, braking points, and confidence
Use relaxed pre-rides
Focus on line choice, braking points, and confidence
If you’re not local:
- Work onskills and drills
- Cornering, body position, timing, and control
Work on skills and drills
Cornering, body position, timing, and control
Week 2 of Taper (Race Week) — Full Taper
Now we turn the dial down further.
- Reduce volume by ~40–60% from normal
- Keep a few short, sharp efforts
- Prioritize feeling fresh every day
Reduce volume by ~40–60% from normal
Keep a few short, sharp efforts
Prioritize feeling fresh every day
👉 Week 2 is more tapered than Week 1
Strength (Week 2)
- 1 short session early in the week (or none if needed)
- Light to moderate load
- Low volume
- Focus on movement quality
1 short session early in the week (or none if needed)
Light to moderate load
Low volume
Focus on movement quality
Riding (Week 2)
- Short sessions only
- A few “openers” (10–60 seconds at race intensity)
- Plenty of easy spinning
Short sessions only
A few “openers” (10–60 seconds at race intensity)
Plenty of easy spinning
If you’re pre-riding:
- Break the course into manageable sections
- Stay relaxed
- Avoid turning practice into full race efforts
Break the course into manageable sections
Stay relaxed
Avoid turning practice into full race efforts
Key Principle: You’re Still Working
A taper doesn’t mean:
- Sitting around
- Doing nothing
- Hoping you feel good
Sitting around
Doing nothing
Hoping you feel good
It means:
- Youkeep moving
- Youkeep intensity (in small doses)
- Youremove fatigue without losing sharpness
You keep moving
You keep intensity (in small doses)
You remove fatigue without losing sharpness
How You Should Feel During a Taper
This is where most riders second-guess everything.
Because if you taper properly… you’re going to feel:
- A littleantsy
- Like you’renot doing enough
- Like youshouldbe squeezing in one more hard ride or workout
A little antsy
Like you’re not doing enough
Like you should be squeezing in one more hard ride or workout
That feeling?
👉 That’s exactly what we want.
If you’ve already done the work…
If you’ve followed the plan…
Then the final stretch isn’t about building anything new.
It’s about letting everything you’ve built come back online at full capacity.
Think of it like this:
The last 7–10 days is a deep charging cycle for your batteries.
You’re not draining them anymore.
You’re topping them up.
- Fatigue drops
- Strength stays
- Your nervous system sharpens
Fatigue drops
Strength stays
Your nervous system sharpens
By race day, you should feel:
- Fresh
- Reactive
- Ready to go
- Slightly “caged” in a good way
Reactive
Ready to go
Slightly “caged” in a good way
Not tired. Not flat. Not guessing.
The Mistake to Avoid Right Here
That “I’m not doing enough” feeling?
That’s where most riders mess it up.
- Add extra rides
- Push harder than planned
- Sneak in “just one more” effort
Add extra rides
Push harder than planned
Sneak in “just one more” effort
And they show up to race day carrying fatigue they didn’t need.
Trust This Instead
If you’ve done the work:
You don’t need to find fitness anymore.
You just need to reveal it.
Let the taper do its job.
Final Thought
Most riders don’t need more training before a race.
They need more recovery.
If you get this right—especially heading into races like the Squamish Enduro or Loam Hustler—
You don’t just feel better on race day…
You ride better.
Not Sure If You’ve Done Enough — or What to Focus on Next?
Every rider is different.
Different race formats.
Different strengths.
Different weak points.
Different schedules
If you want a clearer picture of what you should be focusing on right now:
👉 Book a Strategy Call with me and lets take stock
And if not,
I'll see you at the Races!
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- Minimum Effective Dose for Mountain Bikers: How to Stay Strong During the Riding Season
- 5 Qualities Mountain Bikers Lose When They Stop Lifting
- The Best Core Exercises for Mountain Bikers (And Why Most Core Training Misses the Mark)
Minimum Effective Dose for Mountain Bikers: How to Stay Strong During the Riding Season
5 Qualities Mountain Bikers Lose When They Stop Lifting
The Best Core Exercises for Mountain Bikers (And Why Most Core Training Misses the Mark)