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So I'm riding down this trail (JRA...)

772 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  dogonfr 
#1 ·
I know I am supposed to get outta the way for riders coming up a trail and I do that... but there are certain situations where they can either sneak up on your or where the trial dosen't allow for you to *always* see them on every situation. In this case, there's all these damn summer nettles, a curve, a nasty rock to come down, and me trying to get home before my better half does.

I'm coming down a trail I've ridden... well lets just say I've ridden it for over 15 years. The trail has changed (CLEARCUT!@#$!@$#!) but it's generally still the same trail. On one part, there's a sandstone rock garden, these two cool jumps, then a big huge rock with a twisty thing afterward.

I go off the two jumps (yeah!) OK. Just as I'm coming down the rock, I see someone and their girl climbing UP. Like I said, it's one of those hard to know if someone is coming up and 999 times out of 1000 there isn't anyone there.

Panic mode sets in and I subconsciously hit my panic brakes.

Ugh - this is a off camber, sandstone, steep, with people climbing on dirt on my left, with a 100 foot?? drop off the side. Oops. Pucker moment.

All I remember is looking at the guy climbing and in slow motion saying - "sorry bud" while riding down this thing on my fircking front wheel only. I'm a **comfortable** distance away from him and his girl, my 150mm travel fork completely bottomed out, riding on the front wheel, coming down this technical thing, with a stump on the left (cliffside) in very slow motion and all I can think about is my "about heavy riders and the front brake' thread on here. seriously - I'm actually thinking about the thread.

Well, no lycra was lost, there wasn't anyone in danger, they weren't mad at me, I wasn't careless etc - but DogonFR would have been proud because I front wheeled it down this nasty rock, front panic brake on with no rear wheel contact on at all

Just thought I'd share one of those oh chit moments. :)
 
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#3 ·
Don't forget to reverse the situation... you say you're in no position to see them climbing the hill; imagine it from their perspecitve to suddenly see you flying in their general direction!

Trick is to always try to anticipate somebody, even if you're in no position to do much of anything about it (i.e. flying like Superman). I've seen some comical stuff on tame, nearly level fire road, only because the downhill rider wasn't expecting to see me appear around a turn. Not like there wasn't enough room for a tank to blow by, but the gut reaction of some surprised riders is grab a fistfull of brake, with near-disasterous results.
 
#4 ·
gticlay said:
Well, no lycra was lost, there wasn't anyone in danger, they weren't mad at me, I wasn't careless etc - but DogonFR would have been proud because I front wheeled it down this nasty rock, front panic brake on with no rear wheel contact on at all

Just thought I'd share one of those oh chit moments. :)
:cryin: Im just soooo proud of you your my favorite!! :lol:

Awesome job :cornut::rockon:
 
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