RaginRt

Member
Aug 15, 2001
1
0
I have only had my bike a couple weeks so I am not very experienced, but I had bikes when I was a kid so it is not my first time having one. Anyways, my friends like to go on serious trails with steep hill climbs and steep downhills. In dry conditions, I am fine climbing, but downhills scare the hell out of me. I hit ruts and rocks and dump it like its my job. I just need some technique help. Thank you for your advice.:scream:
 

Farmer John

T.C.F.<br>(tire changin' fool)
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 8, 2000
1,993
7
First things first......RELAX.

Momentum is your friend. Alot of times it is easier to go faster than it is to go slow.
I tend to treat down hills like flat land w/only 50% of my braking power.
Stand up & go - look as far ahead as possible - start your braking a little earlier.
I have also found it to be to my advantage to use the "higher" parts of trail on a steep downhill. I try to stay out of the groove as much as possible. I would rather hit on med-large solid rock than a dozen small loose ones.

Mostly it is just seat time & confidence.
Ride more
Ride better
 

Ol'89r

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 27, 2000
6,961
45
A straight-a-way on an angle.

RaginRt.

Most downhills are just a straight-a-way on an angle. It's the angle that freaks everybody out. If there is run-out room at the bottom of the hill, then, speed and momentum is your friend, just like Farmer John said.

On hills that are particularly nasty and don't have any run-out room, your front brake is your best friend. Practice using the front brake. The front brake gives you about 90+ % of your stopping power. Try not to lock up the rear brake, but, only feather it to keep the bike stable.

When using the front brake, use only one or two fingers on the lever. This gives you the rest of your fingers to hold on to the grip. If you start to go down, you can release the lever and still be hanging on to the grip.

Just my $.02
 

bud

Member
Jun 29, 1999
433
0
The most important thing for me is to stand up. Sitting while going down long steep hills can be tiring since you are using your arms pushing on the handlebars to keep your seat, and it's hard not to tense up. But the main reason is control. You will have a much better chance of keeping the line you want if you stand. Only sit down if you are completely out of control, ie need to dab. Another 2c :).
 

ktmboy

~SPONSOR~
Apr 1, 2001
2,474
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Yeh, everything these guys said, plus: Only look where you want to go; don't look at the ruts-you will go where you look! Also, do all your heavy braking on the smoothe sections, and roll over the rough stuff.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I rode with a friend who is a Debbie Matthews MX / Offroad instructor as well as a downhill mountain bike racer. I learned a LOT.

New Concept #1: Keep your weight back. Now most people already know this but not how far back. I thought I was okay but she made me stick my butt so far back it felt like I was about to fall off the bike backwards. BIG improvement. Really exaggerate your riding position—if you sit down, you should land on the rear fender.

New Concept #2: Front Brake techniques. Look at your line down the hill and choose where to brake. Keep your fingers on the lever and wait until there is a good place to apply the brake—someplace with good traction. Apply the brake at these places, and when you’re on roots, loose rocks, or any other traction-less place, just ride it out.

Also, stay really loose on the bike. If you’re fighting the handlebars you’re going to fall.
 

AnneBrooks

Member
Jan 17, 2001
313
0
good posts.......I, too, have been struggling recently on downhills. I will print this out and put it in my backpack to review when I ride next weekend. Thanks!;)
 

Wild Hare

Member
Aug 9, 2001
175
0
I had the good fortune to ride with a guy that rides the West Coast Off-Road Series in the Pro class...his tips were pretty much what everyone else said:

Front Brake to slow
Rear Brake "rudder" but don't leave it locked!

Wheels that are sliding can't be steered..

Wait back and STAND on the down hills... NEVER lock you elbows...leave some flex to absorb impacts.

RELAX!:confused: easier said than done, I KNOW!;)

Look where you want to go.

For climbing the only real thing that changed was "sit as far forward as you can" I was sitting on the gas cap at the end off the morning and it really helped on the steep stuff:eek:
 

Fe_princess

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 7, 2001
519
0
Someone told me that I could sieze my engine going downhill since I'm obviously not brave enough to be on the gas. I periodically give it a little gas, but when I do sometimes when I brake again my glove sticks on the throttle and I end up lunging forward with my heart in my throat. Does this happen to anyone else and 'am I making any sense, duh...
 

Wild Hare

Member
Aug 9, 2001
175
0
Someone told me that I could seize my engine going downhill since I'm obviously not brave enough to be on the gas

"Someone" doesn't know what they are talking about. ;)

Downhilling isn't an harder on an engine than anything else....as long as you are not rrrrevvvvvvvvvvving it's guts out I don't think you're in any more danger of seizing downhilling than any other type of ridding.
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
Originally posted by Wild Hare
"Someone" doesn't know what they are talking about. ;)
You're right, it's just which someone that's not clear. :confused:

You can be more likely to sieze your engine going downhill if you are on a 2 stroke and you are trying to use engine braking to slow you down and you are not giving it any gas. If you are moving with the engine turning at an RPM substantially above idle but you are not giving it any gas, you are also not giving it any oil to lubricate the bottom end bearings.

That holds true whether you are coasting down a hill or wound out in a flat field and merely let off the gas to slow down. On a 2 stroke, use the brakes to slow down, not the engine.

BTW, the joke was about the muffler bearings and powerband, your friend did give you correct advice.
 
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High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
Ohh, you're talking about gentle slopes, I thought you meant really steep hills, like This!

Hmm, maybe that doesn't prove I know what I'm talking about. :scream:

Yamama, I was referring to Wild Bunny not knowing what he was talking about. :confused:
 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 16, 2001
6,452
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Charlestown, IN
Nac-nac to nothing slope grab! Now That's FREEstyle!:cool:


Hey, waskawy wabbit....hows that butt hat fit? :p
 

Fe_princess

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 7, 2001
519
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Thank you High Lord, I should have specified that I was on a two-stroke which I have not found useful as a brake. May you suggest how one, me, could find it in her heart to use a little gas. I get there and I'm so paranoid about endo-ing that I'm basically two-wheel sliding down the whole thing and 'am lucky if I don't stall. I seem to be hitting a wall here with the downhills, thanks
 

Yamamoto

Uhhh...
Apr 3, 2001
349
0
Part 2

Sorry I got Busy yesterday and could not come back.

Photo ID=96 shows a down Hill, the proper way to get down the hill on 2 wheels is to allow the bike to flow (you gota go with it). Try and keep your weight back but your elbows up so that if you hit a bump or a rut you will not fall out of form and wreck.

Dragging the rear brake helps keep the rear end steady, On this down hill it is very sandy so I try to controll the front brake with only one finger (trust me thats plenty).

Along with any other riding form you want to keep standing, but get your butt back so that you do not go over the bars.

Most important ...where do you want to go? That where you need to be looking, if you look at the root, rocks, or rut you will end up there.

Start small, learn as you go that way you can keep learning.

If at all you find yourself falling do not let bike get behind you!

Next we will do upHills 101
 

Yamamoto

Uhhh...
Apr 3, 2001
349
0
I know !

Originally posted by High Lord Gomer
Ohh, you're talking about gentle slopes, I thought you meant really steep hills, like This!

Hmm, maybe that doesn't prove I know what I'm talking about. :scream:

Yamama, I was referring to Wild Bunny not knowing what he was talking about. :confused:

P.S. Gomer .....You kicked a pretty awsome Hill, did you make it up?
Do you have more photos like these because I would really like to see them

A photo is worth a thousand words seeing that you have done 'STEEP" up hills makes
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
Nope, I didn't make it.

That was at the SpodeFest in Dallas, 1998. The guy who is closest to the KX500 (Freddie Smith) sort of made it. He was actually the first to try. He came off the bike just as he got to the top of the hill and landed on his feet right at the top. The bike got launched 8 ft straight up into a tree.

I didn't want to try it on my bike (KTM620 at the time) but Freddie had two bikes with him, the KX500 and a 93 CR250. He said I could try it on the 500...big mistake. When I got to the top I realized I wasn't going to make it so I pushed the bike over so it wouldn't land on me going back down the hill. The bike made it, even roosted me in the face as I fell back down.

Another guy, Uwe, had a much more spectacular attempt, Here.

MXTooner made it look easy, as did MXPhlipper. :(

I'll try to dig up the photos of Freddie and Tuna when I get home. I don't have many pictures of me, except for the occasional SpodeFest photo. Here's one of my favorite, Here.
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
Originally posted by Fe_princess
I should have specified that I was on a two-stroke
Iron Princess, you didn't need to, I saw the KTM200 in your signature. :)

I'm really not that good of a rider, I just help moderate this forum to make sure Suzuki riders don't give advice. :scream: (That one's for you, YT_Guy!)

But, you might try going most of the way down the hill stopping 10 ft from the bottom. Then charge the last 10 ft. Once you get comfortable with that, try charging the last 15 ft, and so on.

Please let me know if that helps. If it doesn't, we'll claim that YT_Guy broke into my account and posted all of this. :confused:
 

Yamamoto

Uhhh...
Apr 3, 2001
349
0
Yea What she says

Originally posted by firecracker22
I rode with a friend who is a Debbie Matthews MX / Offroad instructor as well as a downhill mountain bike racer. I learned a LOT.

New Concept #1: Keep your weight back. Now most people already know this but not how far back. I thought I was okay but she made me stick my butt so far back it felt like I was about to fall off the bike backwards. BIG improvement. Really exaggerate your riding position—if you sit down, you should land on the rear fender.

New Concept #2: Front Brake techniques. Look at your line down the hill and choose where to brake. Keep your fingers on the lever and wait until there is a good place to apply the brake—someplace with good traction. Apply the brake at these places, and when you’re on roots, loose rocks, or any other traction-less place, just ride it out.

Also, stay really loose on the bike. If you’re fighting the handlebars you’re going to fall.


VERY VERY WELL PUT

By far the best
 

smb_racing

Master of None
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 31, 2000
2,085
0
Originally posted by High Lord Gomer
Another guy, Uwe, had a much more spectacular attempt, Here.
url]
Now that's awesome :D
 
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