Zero confidence- downhill with roots ahead - advice ?

R

RangerFanatic94

New Member
I've been out now a few times and I've a lot to learn and many things I'm good with but I FREEZE downhill with roots lying ahead.

I'll go downhill , I'll go over roots but the combo has me breaking - leading to near falls.

Is it a mental barrier for anyone else ?
 
Is it a mental barrier for anyone else ?
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Maybe not this exact thing, but many people have mental barriers of the sort. (I know I do) For me the key is to break down the activity (like you did) and practice. Take baby steps. Maybe find a section in the woods thats downhill with roots, but not to downhill and not too many other things in the way.

Pratice staying loose on the bike over roots. (heavy feet / light hands) Trust your bike. Also, going downhill on roots, stay off your front brake, use the rear brake.

Keep riding and have fun.
 
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RangerFanatic94 said:
I've been out now a few times and I've a lot to learn and many things I'm good with but I FREEZE downhill with roots lying ahead.

I'll go downhill , I'll go over roots but the combo has me breaking - leading to near falls.

Is it a mental barrier for anyone else ?
Click to expand...
Stand up on the pedals and put your butt down and back. Don't sit. Let the bike move freely under your body.

What area do you live or where do you ride? We can try to hook up some day and work on some stuff together. I have some issues myself with drops, when the front wheel has to leave the ground for any amount of time.
 
1sh0t1b33r said:
Stand up on the pedals and put your butt down and back. Don't sit. Let the bike move freely under your body.

What area do you live or where do you ride? We can try to hook up some day and work on some stuff together. I have some issues myself with drops, when the front wheel has to leave the ground for any amount of time.
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Central NJ area - I need all the advice I can get , maybe I'll meet up if you're down here .
 
First off, if it hasn't been said already somewhere else.....welcome.

So, it looks like you're on the right track and the advice given here is sound. I'd like to add one more suggestion. While you're still in the trepidation stage, perhaps walking down the decent first to at least familiarize yourself with its quirks might help. Visualizing a clear line on the way back up.

Keep it up!

Dan-
 
get behind the seat a little bit and unweight the front of the bike. let the bike do the work. Also, if there isnt a whole lot of weight on your tires, they're not going grab a root and buck you. i imagine pointing the bike downhill and skipping off the obstacles.
 
It was a mental barrier for me as well after a significant crash years ago, mostly descending with rocks and roots was where I'd freeze up.

The key is to learn and practice the correct form and skills needed to descend with confidence.

Also consider bike size and setup. Certain geo, cockpit configuration and seat height play a huge role in feeling comfortable and confident while descending.

Lastly, for me a dropper post coupled with a few basic body position tips changed my perspective and allowed me to feel comfortable and confident while descneding. That plus lots of seat time and practice helped eliminate the mental issue.

Good luck!
 
Mountain Bike Mike said:
It was a mental barrier for me as well after a significant crash years ago, mostly descending with rocks and roots was where I'd freeze up.

The key is to learn and practice the correct form and skills needed to descend with confidence.

Also consider bike size and setup. Certain geo, cockpit configuration and seat height play a huge role in feeling comfortable and confident while descending.

Lastly, for me a dropper post coupled with a few basic body position tips changed my perspective and allowed me to feel comfortable and confident while descneding. That plus lots of seat time and practice helped eliminate the mental issue.

Good luck!
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I have a dropper , gotta get to know how to use it.
So you'll go downhill seated ?
 
Gnick said:
get behind the seat a little bit and unweight the front of the bike. let the bike do the work. Also, if there isnt a whole lot of weight on your tires, they're not going grab a root and buck you. i imagine pointing the bike downhill and skipping off the obstacles.
Click to expand...
Yep , I have to build muscle memory to remember to get back. Thx
 
Juggernaut said:
First off, if it hasn't been said already somewhere else.....welcome.

So, it looks like you're on the right track and the advice given here is sound. I'd like to add one more suggestion. While you're still in the trepidation stage, perhaps walking down the decent first to at least familiarize yourself with its quirks might help. Visualizing a clear line on the way back up.

Keep it up!

Dan-
Click to expand...
Thanks !
 
One other thing to keep in mind is that momentum is your friend. It might be a little scary to go faster, however a little speed/momentum can change your riding for the better. It'll make it seem as though things get smoothened out.

Start small and work your way up. And don't try it seated. That's a bad practice. You want your weight as low as possible aka on the pedals.
 
Here's what you do - go to the sourland mountain preserve. Climb to the top, take these segments down: first then continue on trail to second. Repeat as necessary - those fearsome roots will seem like little twigs now.

JUST KIDDING - DO NOT DO THIS - YOU WILL DIE!!

Seriously, my white whale was/still is elevated skinnies. I can ride a 4 in wide imaginary skinny on the road for a quarter mile no issue, but get on a 12 in raised skinny in the woods and it's choke city. Others gave great advice - just keep at it, it'll get easier. Good luck!
 
What kind of a bike do you have?
On a downhill, trail bike>XC bike and will help with confidence.
N+1 will cure all! :)
 
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