Technical Down Hill Mountain Biking
The key to down hilling is relaxing your upper body.
The steeper and rockier the hill is, the more tightly
the rider tends to put a death grip on the handle
bars. Most riders tend to slow down as they approach
obstacles such as rocks, then apply both brakes.
If you don't apply your brakes, the rock will stop
your wheel. This isn't good, as the rock can throw
you off balance and completely kill any type of
momentum you have.
Relaxed riders won't slow down as much. The
combination of extra momentum, no front braking at
crucial moments will allow the wheel to bump over
the rock and continue onward with little effort.
If you are going slow, it's essential to release
your brakes as much as possible when you approach
an obstacle. This may entail going a bit faster,
although the result is much less painful. On
steep hills, going really slow will always make
things much more difficult.
One exception to this is a very tight turn. If a
hop is out of the question, you'll need to slow
down to allow the smallest radius of turning circle.
This kind of thing takes practice, although track
standing isa great way to improve on your balance.
Although down hilling is one of the most extreme
methods of mountain biking, it can also be one of
the most dangerous. If you're new to mountain biking
you shouldn't start out with down hilling, as it
takes a lot of practice.
With a bit of practice and knowing the right
techniques, technical down hilling is something you'll
find fun. It can provide quite a rush and a lot
of excitement for those who seek adventure.
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