DOWNHILL Mountain Biking BASICS!
Was just watching some videos of Mammoth Mountain and the Kamikaze downhill race. I raced the Kamikaze twice. Once in 1997, that I don't remember too well, and again in 1998. In 1998, my chain fell off, and I had to cruise down the last straightaway of the race to the end. I ended up coming in 4th. I am 100% positive that if my chain hadn't have fallen off that I would've won that race. :(
Anyway, I kept seeing many mistakes by the bikers in these videos - young guys checking out the course for the first (or second) time. I just kept palm facing over and over again. One of them has old timer, "Insane" Wayne Croasdale in it, the ONLY one who rode like he knew what he was doing (because he did!). Now Wayne was 59 years old in this video and he was in tip top form. The epitomy of a Downhiller. Meanwhile, his "protege" was a geeky cross country rider without much experience. Another one, showed another xc rider whom I don't think was even born when I raced Mammoth, lol. :O ...
Anyway... so watching these videos... cringingly.... I felt like I could really help someone with some pointers... Just basics, really. Not any heavy duty or deep DH advice, but basic... basic... basic... DH anywhere, not just the Kamikaze. I actually started the list at 5, but ended up just going all out (lol) at 10 items.
#1) You cannot have any fear. Fear = crash. You have to have confidence that you can get through it. Don't think you can? Then stand there looking down at the coarse ahead and visualize it until you see yourself doing it. If you still can't visualize it, and ride it anyway you are either going to crash, or ride your brakes all the way down. One or the other, or both, are inevitible when you fear the descent.
#2) Stay off the brakes (as much as possible - brake when necessary, don't brake out of FEAR!)- Fear = brakes = crash. If you MUST use the brakes, use the rear brakes first and foremost, only use the front brakes to sort of slow you down just slightly, NOT to STOP! (This is true in any type of biking). The thing to remember is that if your rear wheel skids out, you're ok. If your front wheels stops suddenly, you will "endo" or crash. An out of control rear wheel, not that bad - unless it is a flat. Out of control front wheel - crash. If your rear wheel skids, just lean to the side, let it skid, keep the front wheel up and pointing forward. It doesn't really matter what your rear wheel does if you have control of your bike (front wheel).
#3) You will go the direction that your front wheel is pointing. Don't let your wheel point anywhere other than forward and expect to go forward. Lose control? Point your wheel forward and you will go forward. You may think that this is harder than it is, but it realy isn't. When people lose control, they are more concerned about their body, and NOT the direction the wheel is pointing. This is where fear comes in again. Fear causes people to try to stay upright first and foremost, when the wheel direction is more important. You may still crash, but you actually won't crash as bad, it will be more of a slide, than an endo and tumble... flying over the handlebars sort of thing.
#4) Get low and get back. The steeper the decline, the lower you get, the further back you get. I've even gotten so far back that my buttocks was touching the back wheel!
#5) WHEN you get low and back, keep the seat between your legs/thighs. Do not get "up" off of the seat and leave it to wobble. Use the seat to keep your bike steady. It's not just your hands/arms and feet. It's your butt and or thighs. Raise slightly when you need to, like when it's a wobbly course. You don't need to be that far off the seat, keep your butt low and squeeze the seat with your thighs.
#6) Do NOT extend your arms out straight. If you cannot hold onto your handlebars with your arms bent between a 45 and 60 degree angle (horizontal plane degree from your body), then adjust your handlebars accordingly. You need to use your arms as shock absorbers (as well as your legs - see below), and you can't do that when your arms are straight. I see this a lot with xc riders and their ridiculous straight handlebars that hover over the front wheel. (hahaha).
#7) Do NOT ride if your brakes are not working, are squeaking, or otherwise not in tip top shape!
#8), Keep one or two fingers on the brakes. Not pulling the brakes, but just resting on them. If you can't do this and still have control on the handelbars, then practice it until you can. If you can bike without having to change your hand positions or reach (altering balance on your handlebars), you can have much more control and quickness on the brakes when needed. You will also find that if you are veering off course and use your brakes to try to get control... you will have much better control if you are used to holding your brakes AND controlling the handlebar at the same time! This will not be new to you, having COMPLETE control of your handlebars whilst braking is a skill! Learn it! PS - The only time I'm not touching the brakes (again, only touching), is when I am off the seat pedaling hard to gain momentum.
#9) Your seat should be adjusted such that your leg is at least slightly bent with the pedal on the bottom of the crank rotation. When you are cruising, your pedals should be equal, both legs bent. When you are doing turns or switchbacks, of course, your inner pedal should be up.
#10) Have a bike set up for downhill, or borrow a bike that is (make sure you make the necessary seat and handlebar adjustments first). This means having a zero or very short stem (the bar that extends from the neck and actually holds the handlebars. A lot of xc bikes are set up with long stems reaching over the front wheel. This is falling out of favor though, even with xc-ers due to the poor control, awful riding position, and inability for these bikes to go DH well). Riser handlebars (not the flat ones, like xc uses. Again, another option that is falling out of favor due to the same issues as the long stems have). Really you want a full suspension ride for a decent experience. You don't want clip in pedals. When I first started racing DH, most people used clip ins. I thought (and still think) they were crazy. You need quick and easy foot movement. Period. A decent seat. Doesn't have to be your grandma's seat, but larger and cushier than a road racer. I have an enlongated seat on my DH-er that enables me to keep hold of the seat even when I am low and back (a little over the rear wheel). Decently wide tires/wheels - AT LEAST 1.75.
#11) Yes, there's one more... cus these guys in these videos... I mean... c'mon. All bare knuckled, bare legged, and bare armed... really? (eye roll). Wear elbow pads, knee pads, and gloves. At the VERY least, wear a long shirt and long pants. Ideally, for serious DH, motocross pants, pads and gloves. I like to use the partial finger gloves (as opposed to full finger or no fingers). This gives me protection (you WILL hit brush if you DH at least a few times on a few decent courses), and good feel for the brakes. Seriously fast Dhillers will have motocross pads and gear. And you really want a full face helmet. Especially on rides like Mammoth. You're going 50...60 miles an hour (30 and below, you're riding your brakes, 40 and below your not pedaling on the straightaways :D )
Anyway, I kept seeing many mistakes by the bikers in these videos - young guys checking out the course for the first (or second) time. I just kept palm facing over and over again. One of them has old timer, "Insane" Wayne Croasdale in it, the ONLY one who rode like he knew what he was doing (because he did!). Now Wayne was 59 years old in this video and he was in tip top form. The epitomy of a Downhiller. Meanwhile, his "protege" was a geeky cross country rider without much experience. Another one, showed another xc rider whom I don't think was even born when I raced Mammoth, lol. :O ...
Anyway... so watching these videos... cringingly.... I felt like I could really help someone with some pointers... Just basics, really. Not any heavy duty or deep DH advice, but basic... basic... basic... DH anywhere, not just the Kamikaze. I actually started the list at 5, but ended up just going all out (lol) at 10 items.
#1) You cannot have any fear. Fear = crash. You have to have confidence that you can get through it. Don't think you can? Then stand there looking down at the coarse ahead and visualize it until you see yourself doing it. If you still can't visualize it, and ride it anyway you are either going to crash, or ride your brakes all the way down. One or the other, or both, are inevitible when you fear the descent.
#2) Stay off the brakes (as much as possible - brake when necessary, don't brake out of FEAR!)- Fear = brakes = crash. If you MUST use the brakes, use the rear brakes first and foremost, only use the front brakes to sort of slow you down just slightly, NOT to STOP! (This is true in any type of biking). The thing to remember is that if your rear wheel skids out, you're ok. If your front wheels stops suddenly, you will "endo" or crash. An out of control rear wheel, not that bad - unless it is a flat. Out of control front wheel - crash. If your rear wheel skids, just lean to the side, let it skid, keep the front wheel up and pointing forward. It doesn't really matter what your rear wheel does if you have control of your bike (front wheel).
#3) You will go the direction that your front wheel is pointing. Don't let your wheel point anywhere other than forward and expect to go forward. Lose control? Point your wheel forward and you will go forward. You may think that this is harder than it is, but it realy isn't. When people lose control, they are more concerned about their body, and NOT the direction the wheel is pointing. This is where fear comes in again. Fear causes people to try to stay upright first and foremost, when the wheel direction is more important. You may still crash, but you actually won't crash as bad, it will be more of a slide, than an endo and tumble... flying over the handlebars sort of thing.
#4) Get low and get back. The steeper the decline, the lower you get, the further back you get. I've even gotten so far back that my buttocks was touching the back wheel!
#5) WHEN you get low and back, keep the seat between your legs/thighs. Do not get "up" off of the seat and leave it to wobble. Use the seat to keep your bike steady. It's not just your hands/arms and feet. It's your butt and or thighs. Raise slightly when you need to, like when it's a wobbly course. You don't need to be that far off the seat, keep your butt low and squeeze the seat with your thighs.
#6) Do NOT extend your arms out straight. If you cannot hold onto your handlebars with your arms bent between a 45 and 60 degree angle (horizontal plane degree from your body), then adjust your handlebars accordingly. You need to use your arms as shock absorbers (as well as your legs - see below), and you can't do that when your arms are straight. I see this a lot with xc riders and their ridiculous straight handlebars that hover over the front wheel. (hahaha).
#7) Do NOT ride if your brakes are not working, are squeaking, or otherwise not in tip top shape!
#8), Keep one or two fingers on the brakes. Not pulling the brakes, but just resting on them. If you can't do this and still have control on the handelbars, then practice it until you can. If you can bike without having to change your hand positions or reach (altering balance on your handlebars), you can have much more control and quickness on the brakes when needed. You will also find that if you are veering off course and use your brakes to try to get control... you will have much better control if you are used to holding your brakes AND controlling the handlebar at the same time! This will not be new to you, having COMPLETE control of your handlebars whilst braking is a skill! Learn it! PS - The only time I'm not touching the brakes (again, only touching), is when I am off the seat pedaling hard to gain momentum.
#9) Your seat should be adjusted such that your leg is at least slightly bent with the pedal on the bottom of the crank rotation. When you are cruising, your pedals should be equal, both legs bent. When you are doing turns or switchbacks, of course, your inner pedal should be up.
#10) Have a bike set up for downhill, or borrow a bike that is (make sure you make the necessary seat and handlebar adjustments first). This means having a zero or very short stem (the bar that extends from the neck and actually holds the handlebars. A lot of xc bikes are set up with long stems reaching over the front wheel. This is falling out of favor though, even with xc-ers due to the poor control, awful riding position, and inability for these bikes to go DH well). Riser handlebars (not the flat ones, like xc uses. Again, another option that is falling out of favor due to the same issues as the long stems have). Really you want a full suspension ride for a decent experience. You don't want clip in pedals. When I first started racing DH, most people used clip ins. I thought (and still think) they were crazy. You need quick and easy foot movement. Period. A decent seat. Doesn't have to be your grandma's seat, but larger and cushier than a road racer. I have an enlongated seat on my DH-er that enables me to keep hold of the seat even when I am low and back (a little over the rear wheel). Decently wide tires/wheels - AT LEAST 1.75.
#11) Yes, there's one more... cus these guys in these videos... I mean... c'mon. All bare knuckled, bare legged, and bare armed... really? (eye roll). Wear elbow pads, knee pads, and gloves. At the VERY least, wear a long shirt and long pants. Ideally, for serious DH, motocross pants, pads and gloves. I like to use the partial finger gloves (as opposed to full finger or no fingers). This gives me protection (you WILL hit brush if you DH at least a few times on a few decent courses), and good feel for the brakes. Seriously fast Dhillers will have motocross pads and gear. And you really want a full face helmet. Especially on rides like Mammoth. You're going 50...60 miles an hour (30 and below, you're riding your brakes, 40 and below your not pedaling on the straightaways :D )
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