Riding dusty trails is the absolute pinnacle of the whole mountain biking experience. The slip and slide of winter riding has passed, and warm, dry weather is primed to provide the best conditions to apply those skills that you've already honed in the wet and sludge. But, to elevate the good times, it’s wise to make some changes to your bike to get it performing at its best for the summer months.

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Tyre choice is still just as important in dry conditions

In the winter, you’ll likely have moved to a more aggressive winter-specific tyre. While any tyre choice is relative, sticking with those tyres will likely become a hindrance. The taller knobs of such tyres can deform too much (referred to as rolling) over the typically harder trails that summer brings. That’ll make the tyre feel very skittish, and it won’t provide the best traction.

2024 boardman mtr tyre.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Because the trails are harder, moving to a tyre setup with a closer-packed and shorter tread pattern will provide less rolling resistance, so an easier time on the pedals, but importantly, more consistent grip.

Dry trails also mean less drag, so you’ll be travelling notably faster on the descents, so you might want to consider choosing a burlier and more protective carcass to help fend off punctures. That leads me perfectly onto my next point.

You’ll likely be adding some fresh tubeless sealant to your tyres too. But if not, consider giving that a refresh too.

Check your pressures

Higher speeds take more of a toll on your tyres, and if you’re busy slapping turns with a few PSI less than you should, you’ll run the risk of burping the tyre, or blowing it clean off the rim. 

2022 lezyne pressure over drive pump gauge.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Pumping a little more pressure into your tyres, and we’re only talking two or three PSI here, will bring more stability to your tyres while lessening rolling resistance and reducing the risk of pinch flats.

Consider tyre inserts

As I said before, you’ll be moving faster everywhere on the trail, but as wet weather riding will have eroded some of the trail, more sharp objects like rocks and roots will have been uncovered. While upping your tyre pressures will have done something to avoid pinch flats and rim damage, a tyre insert will boost protection while balancing a lower, grippier tyre pressure, while boosting tyre support and stability on the rim.

2025 vittoria air liner enduro logo.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Tyre inserts aren’t without their drawbacks, however. They can be a pain to install, and if you are unlucky enough to pick up an irreparable puncture, you’ll have a sealant-covered tyre insert to carry around if you were to use an innertube to get yourself home.

Speed up your suspension settings

Again, it’s that speed thing. Through the winter, you won’t be going as fast simply owing to the conditions, and that also applies to your suspension setup.

2025 rockshox lyrik rebound.jpg, by Liam Mercer

If your rebound is too slow as you’re riding dry-weather speeds, your suspension may feel harsher than it did before, as it’s not about to extend fast enough to absorb the next compression. This is known as packing down. Winding your rebound dials back a bit to speed the suspension’s return to extension or recovery will fix that and, in turn, will make your bike more comfortable while boosting vital traction.

2025 yt industries decoy 29 sn fork cap.jpg, by Liam Mercer

You might also want to think about opening up the compression damping too. This will allow your suspension to better absorb faster occurring hits for both more comfort and traction. Make small adjustments here, I mean a click or two, will reap big rewards.

Now’s the best time to check your bearings

The constant covering of mud and washing routine that you should have adopted through winter will take a serious toll on the bearings all over your bike. As the weather won’t be so consistently wet through summer (we hope), now’s the best time to identify any spent bearings and get them replaced.

2025 headset service bearing grease.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Doing so as soon as possible is important, as not only will it extend the life span of your bike, but it’s also the most cost-effective time to get it done. That’s because there’s simply less dirt flying around and water to ingress into your bearings, so they’ll stay rather healthy as the summer passes, rather than having to fend off mud and ingress as soon as they’re pressed into a bike. Plus, you’ll likely be riding much more through the summer, so why not get your bike performing at its peak?

Switch to a dry chain lube

The point of wet lube is to stay put and keep lubricating your chain while splashing about in wet weather. If the weather gods treat us well, the only thing that’ll be flinging off the trail is dust and in that, is the problem with wet lube. Because it’s a more viscous liquid that’s formulated to stick around, it’ll attract dirt and eventually cause increased wear to your whole drivetrain and with those components being rather spendy, switching to the dry alternative is a great idea.

2023 bike clean chain lube.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Dry lubes aren’t mixed to be as thick and sticky, so they won’t hang onto dirt as much as a wet lube will. This will extend the lifespan of your drivetrain while being easier to clean and maintain.

Consider switching brake pads

Your choice of brake pads is certainly a personal one, as all of the compounds come with advantages and disadvantages that’ll appeal to some more than others. 

However, the biggest downside of organic brake pads suffering in wet weather isn’t quite an issue when there’s no wet about. Thus, we can begin taking advantage of the snappier braking, quieter performance and lower operating temperature of organic compounds.

2025 sinter pads 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Again, brake pads are very case-specific, so if you’re riding long descents or an e-MTB, sintered or metallic pads may still be a better choice owing to their consistent performance to higher temperatures. But if your descents aren’t crazy long, or incredibly brake-intensive, moving to organic will grant you a more immediate feel at the lever.

Learn to ride with clipless pedals

Flat pedals make loads of sense while riding traction-scarce winter trails. Being able to quickly take a foot off can save you from a spill, but also help retain balance. As the trails are much grippier in the summer, it might be time to experiment with clipless pedals.

2024 crankbros mallet e ls body.jpg, by Liam Mercer

They pose a range of advantages, with the most significant being security on the pedal. While we love a flat pedal, even with the grip of flat pedal shoes, some hits and vibrations can bounce the foot from the pedal, and hasty mid-corner dabs could have you returning your foot to the pedal in the wrong position.

As clipless pedals mechanically hold your feet in place, they won’t be bouncing around. Once you’ve learned the mechanism, it doesn’t take all that much effort to clip back into the pedal after a dab, and when you do reengage with the mechanism, your foot will be in the perfect position every time. They also present a new level of control as it requires less effort and skill to move the rear of the bike while riding. 

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