鈥淩iding a slope that makes your heart pound isn鈥檛 all guts,鈥 says Abby Hippley, frame builder at and former downhill racer. 鈥淎 successful descent is dependent on proper body position and bike setup.鈥 Follow Hippley鈥檚 tips, and you鈥檒l not only be more confident on steep drops, but you鈥檒l ride them with control and ease.
1. 鈥淪et your bike up for success,鈥 says Hippley. Drop your seat as low as it will go. Focus your eyes as far forward as you can. Keep the trail immediately in front of you in your peripheral vision, but never direct your gaze off your front wheel.
2. As you approach the roll, your weight should be balanced between the front and rear of your bike with your shoulders relaxed, your knees pointed outward for stability. Keep your pedals at 90掳 and assume a relaxed cat-like crouch on the bike.
3. As your front wheel reaches the lip of the drop, shift your weight back, extending your butt out over your rear wheel, keeping your knees and arms bent. With one finger on each brake lever, feather the brakes evenly鈥攄o not squeeze them or lock them out.
4. As you reach the bottom of the roll, release the brakes so that you can carry your momentum through the exit. As you hit the exit transition, let your elbows and knees be loose and shock absorbing so that you鈥檒l roll smoothly through the transition.
5. 鈥淲hat you do is as important as what you don鈥檛 do,鈥 says Hippley. 鈥淜eep your legs and arms bent and loose not locked, keep your weight over your back not your front wheel, and feather your brakes, don鈥檛 lock them or you鈥檒l skid.鈥