Riding down stairs/stone slabs

KaRsKiN

So I rode my first 'proper' MTB trail yesterday at Sherwood Pines. On the Kitchener trail.

I had a right laugh! Loved it, and I think I handled it pretty well considering I've never done anything remotely technical before. I even went down the 'downhill' track a few times.

I've got a question about some of the features on the downhill track though. I don't know what they're called exactly and I didn't get a picture but they're essentially a shallow staircase made up of stone slabs; each slab is about a foot down from the next one and there's several in a row.

I'm not really sure of the best way to ride over them. I just got my speed up, stayed nice and loose and hit them head on. I got down them fine but I'm just wondering if there's a better way of doing it? Especially since I'm riding a hardtail, anything I could do to absorb the impact a bit more would be much appreciated!

balmybaldwin

Sounds about right.

In general treat steps in the same way you would a slope of a similar gradient. Weight a bit back, but not too far so that you still have some room for movement if anything unexpected comes up

KaRsKiN

Yeah that's pretty much what I did.

Does it help to try and lift the front wheel as you come off each step so that you're landing with the wheels flat?

homers_double

From the sounds of it you hit pretty much perfect, stay loose and let your arms and knees take some impact and you'll be fine.

Well done for not bottling it either!

KaRsKiN

homers double wrote:

From the sounds of it you hit pretty much perfect, stay loose and let your arms and knees take some impact and you'll be fine.

Well done for not bottling it either!

It's the only way to learn isn't it?

To be fair the trail at Sherwood is pretty good for beginners. Just technical enough to challenge you and introduce you to some of the advances skills without being too mental.

rockmonkeysc

Firstly its not a downhill trail, just a trail going down a hill.
Technique is good amount of speed, weight back, stay loose and enjoy the ride.

pesky_jones

Did you even read his opening post? Or did you just see technical questions and jump straight to being arrogant?

homers_double

I'd go for the latter.

KaRsKiN

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Firstly its not a downhill trail, just a trail going down a hill.
Technique is good amount of speed, weight back, stay loose and enjoy the ride.

Yeah I'm well aware that it's hardly Fort William, but I've only been riding for a few weeks so it was pretty challenging for me.

Hence why I put 'Downhill' in quotation marks.

homers_double

Don't worry pal, there are more pricks on here than at a puncturefest.

KaRsKiN

Get them in all walks of life I suppose.

cooldad

I think riding downhill is what most of us do anyway, after we've ridden uphill.
Riding Downhill is specific, but not what the Op said.
But Mr Rockmonkey has never let logic nor the correct use of English interfere with his posts.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

I think riding downhill is what most of us do anyway, after we've ridden uphill.
Riding Downhill is specific, but not what the Op said.
But Mr Rockmonkey has never let logic nor the correct use of English interfere with his posts.

There is a difference between riding down hill and riding downhill. Maybe the sport of downhill needs renaming to save confusion.

homers_double

No, you shutting up would save it.

rockmonkeysc

But im not confused. Maybe you are?

KaRsKiN

I think everyone else just understood what I was talking about and didn't feel the need to be arrogant about it, that's the difference mate.

jairaj

back on topic, now we've put our handbags away

KaRsKiN wrote:

Does it help to try and lift the front wheel as you come off each step so that you're landing with the wheels flat?

Can do in some situations. If the steps are long enough to fit a whole bike length and the drop is high enough then landing two wheels at same time can be more controlled, but that should only require un-weighting the front not a full on front end lift like manual or wheelie. If the steps are short in height then you can pump the front end down so it contacts with the ground quickly and regains control quickly.

Also usually helps to lay off the brakes but if you want to control your speed use short bursts of braking, wait till both wheels touch the ground, the compression should weight both wheels so they have lots of grip to brake with. Then release the brakes before going off the step again.

cooldad

RockmonkeySC wrote:

cooldad wrote:

I think riding downhill is what most of us do anyway, after we've ridden uphill.
Riding Downhill is specific, but not what the Op said.
But Mr Rockmonkey has never let logic nor the correct use of English interfere with his posts.

There is a difference between riding down hill and riding downhill. Maybe the sport of downhill needs renaming to save confusion.

No there's a difference between riding downhill, and riding Downhill. Try a ball rolls downhill, water flows downhill, etc.
Starting to get the idea?

cooldad

ps riding down hill actually makes no sense. You would ride down a hill, or down the hill. Unless you also say up mill.

homers_double

Its a northern thing, we just miss words out to confuse you lot down there.

croptonboy

Don't you just love t'internet

homers_double

It pisses me off when people try to be funny and copy Peter Kay by saying "the t'internet".

I say pisses, in reality I just think thy're idiots.

croptonboy

Never known anyone to say "the t'internet" but that would be funny. Clearly they're not from God's Own Country

homers_double

Its generally old people or those who try too hard.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

ps riding down hill actually makes no sense. You would ride down a hill, or down the hill. Unless you also say up mill.

But riding downhill does. Downhill is the name of the sport.
"The" as a word does not exist in the north of England. Thats why 1980s rock band The The had very limited success north of Birmingham.

cooldad

RockmonkeySC wrote:

cooldad wrote:

ps riding down hill actually makes no sense. You would ride down a hill, or down the hill. Unless you also say up mill.

But riding downhill does. Downhill is the name of the sport.
"The" as a word does not exist in the north of England. Thats why 1980s rock band The The had very limited success north of Birmingham.

I'm glad you finally agree with me.

rockmonkeysc

I'm glad you finally agree with me.

No I don't

Briggo

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I'm glad you finally agree with me.

No I don't

But you did.

cooldad

Ssssh don't explain punctuation to him. It's funnier that way.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

Ssssh don't explain punctuation to him. It's funnier that way.

Did you miss a comma there?

97th choice

KaRsKiN wrote:

So I rode my first 'proper' MTB trail yesterday at Sherwood Pines. On the Kitchener trail.

I had a right laugh! Loved it, and I think I handled it pretty well considering I've never done anything remotely technical before. I even went down the 'downhill' track a few times.

I've got a question about some of the features on the downhill track though. I don't know what they're called exactly and I didn't get a picture but they're essentially a shallow staircase made up of stone slabs; each slab is about a foot down from the next one and there's several in a row.

I'm not really sure of the best way to ride over them. I just got my speed up, stayed nice and loose and hit them head on. I got down them fine but I'm just wondering if there's a better way of doing it? Especially since I'm riding a hardtail, anything I could do to absorb the impact a bit more would be much appreciated!

Sounds to me like you nailed it, nicely done