Sandy Downhills

From DirtyTorque

SANDY DOWN HILLS

Okay, you’re going to ask why we’re not talking up-hills here. Well, that’s because the technique for getting up hills is pretty much the same whether you’re riding sand, loam or rock. It’s a momentum thing, getting the speed up before the base of the hill and carrying just the right speed so as to coast over the summit. We could tell you how in more detail, but that will be the subject of another Top Tips, so we’ll save it for then.

So, instead we’re going to cover sandy down hills. Because the technique for descending in sand is quite unique.

In our first sequence you can see that I’m showing you how novices will typically deal with sandy slopes. They’ve stopped at the top of the slope and then rolled gingerly over the crest. Because they are riding so slow they have to put their legs out to stabilise themselves. This of course means they are not covering the rear brake. So when they want to slow down they only have the front brake as an option. And while the front brake is often the right brake to use in descents, in sand, and at speeds like this, it only acts to trip the bike up, folding the front wheel, and so an agonisingly slow tip-over results.

The correct way to deal with sand, given that you can see a clear exit at the bottom, is in fact to accelerate down the slope. As you crest the slope you need to look far ahead, keep your feet on the pegs and resist the urge to overly slow. Then as you start your descent the idea is to accelerate. Keeping the bike moving forward with your weight over the back the front will be far less likely to tuck and will track a direct line to the bottom. If you’re feeling timid even a modest amount of acceleration will do the trick. But with practice you’ll find you really can speed down these slopes.

What was once a major obstacle, now given the correct technique and some confidence will be behind you almost before you’ve thought about it.