Unfortunately, not everyone does. While many of your “experienced” cycling buddies swear by some old-school advice, that doesn’t make it less dangerous. Here’s a look at seven of the worst, most reasonable-sounding cycling tips that you should never follow.
Don’t use the front brake
We’ve all heard that terrible, terrible advice before. “Don’t use the front brake, it’ll send you over the handlebars!” Sounds about right if it’s your first time on the trails. And sure, in some cases, the front brake will wipe you out or even flip you, and no one wants to kiss the dusty old trail, right? Still, let’s be clear. Your front brake is there for a reason. It’s the most efficient way to slow down if used correctly.
The truth is, refusing to use your front brake is like deciding you’ll only steer with your left hand – it’s unnecessarily limiting and downright dangerous. Sure, grabbing the front brakes by the handful without finesse might send you over the bars, but the real solution is learning how to use them properly.
Following this advice means relying solely on your rear brake, which is fantastic if your goal is to skid everywhere like a 90s BMX kid. But if you actually want to stop, you’ll find yourself rolling into intersections or down steep hills with nothing but regret and momentum.
You don’t have to wear a helmet while climbing
This one really makes my blood boil. If you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to see a friend needing a metal plate to be inserted into his skull, the helmet stays on even if you’re going on a leisurely ride in the park.
Sure, you’re riding slow, ready to step down, yada, yada. But even when climbing, you can fall. It can be an unexpected slip. It can be a rock under the leaves. Things happen, you know. You can’t plan for everything.
The silliest situation can turn out to be a horrific accident. My helmet has saved me from one of the stupidest mishaps imaginable. I was riding in the park and my shoelace got tangled into the pedal. I was going like 5 kph. Yet, when I tried getting off my bike, I fell and hit my head on the curb. If it weren’t for the helmet, I’d have probably ended my riding career then and there.
So, be smart. Helmets are not there to protect you from what you expect. They are for when the unexpected happens and you can’t react. They are your last line of defence. Well, except for the skull, of course, but let’s not make neurosurgeons giddy right now.

Just ride, and you’ll get better
This sounds more like a motivational poster rather than advice. Still, I’ve heard it more than once. Riding more will definitely improve your fitness and confidence, but this blanket statement glosses over a crucial point: if you’re riding wrong, you’re just practising bad habits on repeat.
The more you do it wrong, the harder it will be to correct it. You could spend hours on the bike, pedalling away, and still be stuck wondering why your knees hurt, your descending feels wobbly, and why everyone keeps dropping you on climbs. Yep, you guessed it. “Just riding” doesn’t work. It never did. You need to focus on technique, pacing, and sometimes (insert heavy sigh) a proper training plan.
Following this advice blindly is much like trying to learn a new language by shouting random words, hoping someone will understand you. Indeed, your pronunciation will improve drastically. But not much more. Learning the proper technique first will help you improve much faster and more efficiently, not to mention less painfully.
Lower tyre pressure is always better
Wait, wait, wait. Stop shouting. I know that lowering your tyre pressure can help you. But it’s not always better. Lowering tyre pressure has its benefits: more grip, a smoother ride, and better traction on rough surfaces. But saying it’s always better is a bit of a stretch that can turn out dangerous.
Take this advice too literally and you’ll be rolling down the trail on tyres so squishy they feel more like marshmallows than rubber. Sure, you’ll grip the trail like a gecko, but you’ll also risk rim damage, pinch flats, and the distinct possibility of looking like a clown on a deflated unicycle.
The key here is balance. Lower tyre pressure works wonders in some conditions but there’s a limit. Ride on rock gardens or hard-packed roads with your pressure too low and you’ll learn firsthand what a rim strike feels like. Spoiler: it’s expensive and embarrassing.
Shifting your centre of gravity back will make any descent easier
“Get that butt over the rear wheel and you’ll be fine.” This was the first piece of advice I heard while trying to descend my first tricky downhill section with some roots and loose rocks along the way. Except the rider didn’t say butt, but that’s not the point.
The point is that it didn’t end well. I lost control over the front tyre and it decided that going into a tree was much more interesting than going down the path. Who can argue?
Sure, shifting your weight way back has its moments. Rare, rare moments. In most cases, it’s just a recipe for disaster.
What you really want is a balanced position that keeps your centre of gravity stable and your wheels firmly planted. Because unless your goal is to turn every descent into a chaotic rollercoaster ride, leaning way back is more of a problem than a solution.
Just look how these kids are doing it
Never look at how kids are doing something. Especially if you’re over 30. This is how you get hospitalised. Kids are crazy. They don’t care about safety, and they seem to have been made out of rubber. They fall, stand up, limp for a minute or so, and they’re right back, trying to do the same stupid thing again and again. No regard for technique, no analysis of mistakes. Just plain old A/B testing with a lot of crashing.
Laying your safety in the hands of kids who’ve been raised on a steady diet of YouTube tutorials and unshakable teenage invincibility, as you can imagine, is not the best way to lead your life. These kids aren’t just riding bikes – they’re defying physics, common sense, and their parents’ life insurance policies.
Trying to replicate their moves will only end in two ways: you crash spectacularly while they laugh from the sidelines or you hesitate, botch the landing, and crash even more spectacularly. Either way, the lesson here is clear: kids bounce. Adults don’t. Ride within your own limits, not theirs.
Just follow the front rider
The perfect advice for those looking to end their riding career with a bang. Sure, at first glance, this sounds like reasonable advice. The person in front knows the route, the terrain, and the best lines. Well, that’s the thing about lines. The perfect line may differ for different people. Blindly following the front rider is like following a lion dresser into the cage. Indeed, he knows what he’s doing. You, on the other hand, don’t.
Riding outside your comfort zone just to keep up with someone who clearly rides faster and more recklessly than you is fine only if you’re looking for the fastest way to get to the ER.
A much better idea would be to take the first descent slower. Learn the features along the way and decide which ones to skip and which ones to hit. Then, do another practice run before going full speed. Or, you know, just keep your head down, follow the wheel, and pray to your God of choice to keep you safe. It’s up to you.
A piece of advice you can actually follow
Cycling is full of advice – some of it brilliant, and some of it the verbal equivalent of a pothole. The next time someone throws out a reasonable-sounding tip, give it a moment of critical thought before following it.
Because while some advice will make you faster, safer, and more confident, other advice is just there to test your ability to, you know, survive the consequences of your bad choices. But hey, if you do end up flipping over the handlebars or trying to ride like a fearless teenager, at least you’ll have a good story to tell. Still, better be smart.