steep hill descent



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briguymaine

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Is there a trick to descending steeper hills? I've got this hill project
that I am working on and can't seem to complete. It's not huge but it is
really steep at the top and there is a bump at the top that I have to
get over and then drop right in, it's sandy with some small round rocks.
I started out going down and would eject over the front, so I tried to
compensate and today I wound up on my butt most of the time. I have made
it about halfway down but it wasn't very pretty!

I suspect it's just a matter of riding the slides and maintaining really
great balance. But any tricks that anyone might have would be extremely
helpful.

I have a KH 24 Freeride with a brake if that matters.


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I had a look at you site and the hill looks fairly easy but it's hard to
judge from photographs. I would just go slowly and then when I got to a
certain point (maybe 3/4 the way down) speed up and roll out. If you
leave it for a week or two you may find that you can do it easily.


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briguymaine wrote:
> *Is there a trick to descending steeper hills? I've got this hill
> project that I am working on and can't seem to complete. It's not huge
> but it is really steep at the top and there is a bump at the top that
> I have to get over and then drop right in, it's sandy with some small
> round rocks. I started out going down and would eject over the front,
> so I tried to compensate and today I wound up on my butt most of the
> time. I have made it about halfway down but it wasn't very pretty!
>
> I suspect it's just a matter of riding the slides and maintaining
> really great balance. But any tricks that anyone might have would be
> extremely helpful.
>
> I have a KH 24 Freeride with a brake if that matters. *


Try blasting it; instead of spending a lot of energy controlling your
speed, try to ride it quickly. If you keep the uni under you and keep
the pedals turning, you'll tend to get to the bottom of any hill. It's
mostly a question of getting over your nervousness.


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if its not too long then u could go slow if ur not up for speeding down
it
all u hav to do is lean back and instead of pushing the pedals like
riding u just prevent them from spining quickly (its all in the quads)
or u can go quickly


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unigamer wrote:
> *I had a look at you site and the hill looks fairly easy but it's hard
> to judge from photographs. I would just go slowly and then when I got
> to a certain point (maybe 3/4 the way down) speed up and roll out. If
> you leave it for a week or two you may find that you can do it easily.
> *


Those pictures are a bit decieving, even to me! I look at them and
think, it's not that big darn it, why am I having this much trouble! The
top 5 feet or so is the trouble spot, it's nearly vertical and made up
of loose sandy gravel, my wheel slips and away I go.

Thanks for the replies, I'll try a bit of all of your suggestions!


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Looks safe.

Tips:
Stare at the pictures.
Get to the top and imagine the pics in your mind.
See yourself riding down the "easy" slope.
Then, like tholub said, pedal quickly.

The key is to see the success in your mind first.


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I wouldn't worry about going fast because there's plenty of flat ground
to run out onto (or roll if you fall).
I'd bomb down that first 5 feet of loose stuff, then use your brake to
gradually slow down.
or try the inverse, go slow and slide through the sandy stuff, and if
you're still on your uni, then bomb down the rest of it or use your
brake or a combination of the two

good luck

i just got a brake for my Freeride and i'm lovin it. i got it because I
couldn't do some hills that were really steep (like that or steeper) and
also a 1.5 mile singletrack descent rendered my quads useless for the
next few days


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Ditto on the 'The key is to see the success in your mind first.' Thats
important.

Also, pull on the handle, as if your pulling yourself down on the
pedals. Forget about the hill and speeds and techniques, and just
concentrate on staying on the pedals.


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it may contain logic, poltical incorrectyness, pshycological nudity, and
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The trick to doing steep dirt (as you described) is to limit your speed
without back-pressuring the pedals so hard you punch out of traction.
Keep a slow, even spin going, as opposed to a stop-and-start jerky
motion, which can quickly skid you out, especially on steep shale or
loose dirt. Most of the hard trails in my hometown (in the Sasnta
Monica mountains) are on shale/dirt, and it took me months before i
could ride most of the single tracks without skidding out, often right
onto my ass, a dozen or more times a trip. The looseness makes it hard,
not the steepness.

Steep, loose terrain is much, much easier is a brake. It is amazing how
slowly and smothly you can descend on super steep stuff with a true rim
and a Magura. Sometimes I have the brake nearly locked and sort of bleed
down the trail. One single track in particular is easily twice as hard
and three times as strenuous without a brake.

I think one of the sketchiest kinds of terrain is steep shale-loose dirt
that also has steps or drops. You can sometimes bomb this kind of
terrain but I´ve taken some aweful falls trying this. The slightest
bounce on the steep loose stuff and you´re off. One time I couldn´t run
out a UPD (too steep and too fast), summersalted down and got all tore
up. There´s a pretty notorious single track, called Suicide, in the San
Fernando Valley that Teacherdad put us onto, with one section of
insanely steep shale strewn over twisty, rocky ledges. If it were hard
pack it would certainly go. I don´t know if anyone could maintain
enough traction to ride it over shale. It was the only part Eyal and I
could not ride--we did not even try.

This would be a really good subject for a comprehensive video
tutorial.

JL


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Am I the only one who follows the philosopy of "If you can't ride
something steep by pedalling, then don't pedal."?

All the *super* steep thigs I've ridden have been on loose gravel or
dust and pebbles (sharp ones). Rather than spinning my a$$ off trying to
keep up with gravity, I just stop the wheel and skid when things feel
right. The ability to control one's skid is an important muni skil, IMO.
Then again, maybe I just suck at muni and what I consider steep is
nothing. Also, a controlled skid is useless in a place like slickrock,
since it's damn near impossible to lose traction on that stuff.


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skid skid skid, if you wash out when you try to pedal, hold your break
and lean just back of balanced. if you feel the wheel catch, let up on
the break just tiny bit. like forest said, keep your feet on the
pedals... if you get frustrated, just try to gap the steep part
might not work... but thats okay... crashing is great
good luck


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gerblefranklin wrote:
> *Am I the only one who follows the philosopy of "If you can't ride
> something steep by pedalling, then don't pedal."?
>
> All the *super* steep thigs I've ridden have been on loose gravel or
> dust and pebbles (sharp ones). Rather than spinning my a$$ off trying
> to keep up with gravity, I just stop the wheel and skid when things
> feel right. The ability to control one's skid is an important muni
> skil, IMO. Then again, maybe I just suck at muni and what I consider
> steep is nothing. Also, a controlled skid is useless in a place like
> slickrock, since it's damn near impossible to lose traction on that
> stuff. *


I do that, and was thinking of a good way to say tyhat. Steepest hill
I've done was in deep gravel.

also Like the dave said. Little controlled hops down the steepest part
can help.


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forrestunifreak - The buck stops here.

warning: the above statement is usually not intended to offend anyone.

it has been known to the state of california to cause warts, toe jam,
ring-around-the-collar, compulsive twitching, and in some severe cases,
diaper rash.
it may contain logic, poltical incorrectyness, pshycological nudity, and
traces of peanuts.

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forrestunifreak wrote:
> *Ditto on the 'The key is to see the success in your mind first.'
> Thats important.
>
> Also, pull on the handle, as if your pulling yourself down on the
> pedals. Forget about the hill and speeds and techniques, and just
> concentrate on staying on the pedals. *


It's funny you say that because many many times, I'll drop into the
first few feet and feel pretty good and then the thought, "hey, I'm
gonna make it" flashes through my head and then it seems to fall apart!
The other day I walked out to the hill to show my wife what this hill is
that I am always talking about (she was impressed!). I stood at the top
looked down and instantly thought what is so hard about this.

I'm pretty sure I am pedalling slow and consistent but I'm not positive.
I've only been riding muni since May so things still seem to happen
quickly. It's frustrating but I'll get this thing done and I'm having a
blast trying.


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I made it! Finally, after months of trying. Thanks to all for your
helpful suggestions, I think I wound up incorporating almost all of them
into my technique.

About a week ago I felt like I was finally one with my uni, a feeling I
have had with my bike since childhood. This morning I just focused on
staying centered over the wheel. It all just clicked, everything slowed
down to the point where I could feel everything and recognise what was
happening and adjust accordingly.

What a relief! I am so psyched!!!!!!


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Well Done!

It almost makes it worth it that you couldn't do it in the first place
just for the satisfaction of beating it now. The only problem is that
the euphoria will disappear as soon as you find another harder hill. :D


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Well Done!

It almost makes it worth it that you couldn't do it in the first place
just for the satisfaction of beating it now. The only problem is that
the euphoria will disappear as soon as you find another harder hill. :D


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