Passing

robst3

Apologies if this has been asked before, it just crossed my mind as I was contemplating starting XC racing.

How the frick do you pass someone on a singletrack? Only proper XC track i've ridden was the RAT track near Reading, I can imagine in a race you would get stuck behind any slower riders a great deal of the time (and have faster rides up your arse trying to get through)...

Whats the deal?

Thanks

Rob

ddraver

Yep - exactly. Make sure you re first into the Singletrack! It's their responsibility top get past you - you don't have to move out of the way!

(However if you re just starting out and you ve got the race leader behind you , you might make more friends letting him go - be realistic basically, if you hold people up they re more likely to push past calling you a dirty name)

ollie51

There's no obligation to let anyone pass you however when overtaking back-markers, the vast majority just get out the way (which is awfully nice of them) and the others just like a nice clear call, tell them to hold their line and take any gaps presented, when in the singletrack sections but ensure there's a nice loud call. If you want to make an overtake before you enter the singletrack just call 'before we go in please' this usually has the desired effect although it's not an 'official' call.

ddraver

When I get good enough I ll try some of those!

robst3

thanks for the advice guys - I've no idea how my fitness/technique would stack up against others so my plan was to make sure I entered the singletrack near the back of the pack and work my way up from there, so as to make sure I held up as few people as possible! But now it seems like passing may be an issue if i do that - or perhaps i'm just otherthinking it!

Maybe i'll reinstall the snazzy bell that evans supplied with my bike :twisted:

miss notax

I really struggled with everyone barging past me on the one and only xc race that I did.... I'm not actually a particularly slow rider (i'm no whippet either, but I can hold my own!) but I was constantly being yelled at to get out of peoples way, or having people barge past me One chap barged past when I was negotiating a tricky technical climb - at a good speed I migth ad - literally pushing me into a bush. Helpful :?

I have no problem with pulling over for faster riders, but I do object to being actually barged out the way or people overtaking me and then riding more slowly....

I fully intend to be a bit more assertive on the next one I do :twisted:

njee20

"On your left/right" is the accepted protocol, you'll know if they're a much faster rider, use your discretion as to whether you move over or just wait for them to come past you.

Northwind

Sometimes, it looks a bit like this... Getting held up behind riders is one thing, getting held up behind pedestrians is just crap. But you need to be reasonably handy, keen and aggressive to do anything about it. TBH I totally lack the aggression.

http://vimeo.com/12061407

Bit of fun really but there's 2 good examples in that video, 1 at 3:51 showing how not to do it- that guy pushed across a big corner and tried to shove in front of me on foot, got told to **** off, if he'd not taken a telling he'd probably have got pushed off

4:25 shows how it's done- that guy passed me in a drainage ditch!