Learning and practicing fluid mounts and dismounts without stopping is an advanced skill mountain bikers can learn to improve performance. It's a paramount skill needed in order to flow through a course with several hike-a-bike sections. It is much faster to hop on your bike from a run, than decelerating to a full stop, mounting your bike and then accelerating back up to speed. Use the following lesson to learn a cyclo-cross mount and dismount. In the next race seamlessly flow from running with your bike to riding without a change in speed and momentum.

• Run with your bike. Initially learn and practice this skill wearing running shoes. Hold onto your bike saddle with one hand (the other hand swings by your side) and run. Steer the bike by leaning it slightly to one side or the other using your hand on the saddle. Practice running at various speeds and steering the bike until you feel fluid.

• Mount your bike from a run. Again, learn this skill initially while wearing running shoes. Start with the above run with your bike drill. Transfer both hands to your handlebars, look forward where you want to go, take a few quick steps, leap the foot closer to the bike off the ground and over the bike landing on your saddle with your inner thigh, slide down into the saddle and find your pedals.

• Dismount to a run. Initially learn and practice this skill wearing running shoes. Reduce your speed to a reasonable running speed. With both hands on the handlebars stand up off the saddle and swing one leg over your rear tire, bring it forward between the opposite leg and the frame and continue on to the ground. Just before this foot hits the ground, hop your opposite foot off the pedal and smoothly start running.