I suck, Chapter 1 - Sidehills

If anyone is ever riding with me and wants to lose me fast, just find some nice, slightly damp sidehills to blast over. Because by the time you've ridden a mile ahead, stopped and relaxed for a bit, sucked your Camelback dry, cleaned your glasses, and started back from whence you came wondering where I was, I'll still be extricating myself - probably for the third or fourth time - from the various bushes and trees that I have come to know so well after I inevitably go slipping right off the trail and down into the ditch.

So, WTF is the right technique for keeping myself and my bike upright on sidehills. I have a feeling it's one of those "do the opposite" type things that permeate skiing.

Never stop pedalling or you'll spin and slip every time you try to start again.

Look where you want to go. If you look over the side, or think about it, your bike will gravitate towards it. I made this change of looking and thinking where I wanted the bike to go, and it made a huge improvement in my riding.

And don't aim too high up on the "safe" side of the sidehill - or you're likely to hit something and then you wreck by going head first with the bike on top of you. If you slide off the downhill side, you can get a foot out and the bike drops but you can bail onto the trail, not off the side of a cliff or whatever. Easier said than done.

It depends on the length and grade of the sidehill, but I go with getting my momentum up ahead of time, putting my downhill foot down and keeping it there for better traction until I'm across. If you've gotta pedal, keep it steady.

Side hills are tough. Usually, a good trail is bench cut so the actual trail is pretty flat even when traversing a steep hill. There are some trails around here that have some tough traverses though.

I can give you some pointers when we hook up for a ride together someday. I haven't been on my mtn bike in a while though - what with the newborn and all. However, I'll be getting out soon and would love to ride together. Both Shaeffer Farm and Fountainhead would be good spots to practice.

we ride a lot of dule fall line rock slabs at lynn, that get pretty mossy and slick. i find when traversing these, if i lean my bike down the fall line i get more rubber contact with the ground. the more i tilt the bike uphill the sooner that shit slipps out and i'm on the rasberry ride to poison ivy heaven. and momentum is a good thing.

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Originally posted by snow_slider
Side hills are tough. Usually, a good trail is bench cut so the actual trail is pretty flat even when traversing a steep hill. There are some trails around here that have some tough traverses though.

I can give you some pointers when we hook up for a ride together someday. I haven't been on my mtn bike in a while though - what with the newborn and all. However, I'll be getting out soon and would love to ride together. Both Shaeffer Farm and Fountainhead would be good spots to practice.

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Rode Shaeffer Sunday, kinda soggy but actually not as bad as I expected. Let me know when you're heading out that way (or Fountainhead for that matter, still haven't ridden there).

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Originally posted by basom
we ride a lot of dule fall line rock slabs at lynn, that get pretty mossy and slick. i find when traversing these, if i lean my bike down the fall line i get more rubber contact with the ground. the more i tilt the bike uphill the sooner that shit slipps out and i'm on the rasberry ride to poison ivy heaven. and momentum is a good thing.

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I'd second that. Being on a sidehill makes it as if you're already leaning the bike over; thus making traction sketchy. Leaning it away from the hills just a wee bit seems to make things more secure. That and just keepin' 'er pointed straight; or wherever it is you're aiming.

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Originally posted by Big E
Rode Shaeffer Sunday, kinda soggy but actually not as bad as I expected. Let me know when you're heading out that way (or Fountainhead for that matter, still haven't ridden there).

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let me know if you are going to ride fountainhead between the 29th and sept 8th, I'll show you around.