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I have lots of technical skills to develop, for sure…but my big challenge right now is ditches!
What’s the proper technique for getting over those steep humps that are taller than you?
I’m talking about going up an almost-90-degree angle on a hill that’s at least six feet tall. These are usually ditches where you go down one hill and then immediately up the next. Or they’re drop offs that you’re going up instead of down.
Riders in Georgia who are familiar with Ft. Yargo will know what I mean. There are quite a few of them there.
I get momentum before I get to the hill, then gear down and pedal as fast as I can. I usually lose momentum and traction and can’t get over. I figure it’s harder for smaller people like me on smaller bikes.
What’s the secret?
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I struggle with these sometimes myself, especially the horseshoe drop at yargo.
For the "drop then up" ones I tend to enter the drop as fast as I can while still keeping it on the ground, then kind of "pump" the whole thing, which will generally get me up the other side. Just try to stay loose on the bike and smooth in your line, which is why I rarely ever pedal through the maneuver until I am at the apex of the exit climb.
On the old farming terraces that you only go up,, I just hit them as hard as I can, position myself low and forward on the bike, and pedal it out. You kind of take a "climbing a ladder" posture.
Hope that made sense!
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+1 for pumping such sections and using momentum if 6 feet or less. Depends on terrain and fitness level different gears could be used. If it’s 6 feet or more with rocks/roots ill use granny or the next to it. Haven’t tried that trail You’ve mentioned, but Slickrock have many wall-like descends and immediate climbs. Dropper post help a lot in such places.
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, then gear down and pedal as fast as I can.
This might be the issue. The trick is to carry enough momentum to get you back up the other side, and if you gear down too much, you won’t be able to carry enough speed.
Also, for things like the horseshoe drop, here’s a mental trick that I learned: think about the entire horseshoe as one trail feature to be conquered. Right now, it sounds like you are thinking about the drop in as one feature, and the climb up the other side as a different feature. Think about the whole ditch as one feature, and figure out how to get from one lip to the other, instead of from the bottom to the top.
Another way to put it is that how you drop in from the upper lip will dictate whether or not you can make it back up the other side. You have to drop in from the top aggressively, carry speed down the first side (no braking!), pedal down, pump the bottom, and pedal a bit up the other side, finally launching your weight forward and up to maximize your momentum over the top of the lip and out of the ditch.
I hope that all makes sense! 😀
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This is a skill that you can work on at a pumptrack. You need to learn to propel yourself throwing your weight using your knees and shoulders. throw your weight over the feature and let the bike follow. dont slam your bike with speed thinking momentum will just carry you over. You need to redirect your momentum with your body weight.
So, to get yourself out of a ditch….
Use your knees! Tuck way down low as you approach the steep up at a moderate pace. The second your front wheel hits, pull your shoulders straight up! Imagine someone lifting you up by your head. If you dont fully extend your legs and arms, then you didnt maximize your effort.You’ll be surpised how slow you can approach the feature and still make it. the higher you throw your weight, the bigger the feature you can clear!
Happy riding!
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So Lucinda, the weathers been great the last few days, did you go out and clear the horseshoe?
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