How do I get over the fear?

dropping the steeps: how to tell it is steep; when pushing the bike up the hill are the bars above your eyes?
dropping, keep your CG over the bike, pedals level except when turning or dodging big rocks. If it is really really steep and nasty, shift off the rear putting your tummy on the saddle. Only if it is really steep. Normally the shift off the rear is for dropping nasty chutes, you cannot steer off the fall line much when off the rear. Be careful getting back up, you can leave important stuff behind. Dropper posts: not many free riders here, I keep my seat high except for Hummingbird. And that is because its easier to bail with a low seat, but it sure rides crappy. Super steep: put your rear wheel in the rut and drive the front wheel back and forth across the rut, holding the rear brake. Cross the rut at a good angle so the front does not get sucked in. Once again stay up, dont let your CG go too back, the bike is at an angle so CG over the cranks is so important.
Maintain your CG and speed is your best pal.
Happy scary fast trails
 
OK. Here is the report:

Bane Ridge has 3 steep drops mixed in with the fast rolling single track. I was able to somewhat make the first drop both hands on brakes. Back wheel got a little sketchy a little past the middle so I got off, walked it a bit then finished the last 30 feet or so. Reminder that I have week knees that have never recovered post surgery so getting off mid drop was super sketchy and I almost beefed it. I got to the second drop (by far the longest and straightest of the 3 but also the loosest and lots of little ruts. Because of my abort on the first, my confidence was shot so I walked down a little more than half, got on and finished. Theres another quick drop right before you get to the electric towers that I flew down using all the technique and tips from your comments. I felt indestructible. Then I got a phone call for a work emergency right when I got to the towers. Had to take a different way down to get back to the car so I didn't see the third. I will try again Thursday and keep y'all updated. Thanks for the tough love and great tips everyone!
 
da big hills said:
I did not see anything, except SLOW down when near WALKERS. Geeze you are on two wheels with gravity on your side. I saw the trail get a little wider when you passed the first dude. if we show a few seconds of courtesy the trail system will stay open. In a month the trails will be dusty, and nobody wants to eat your dust.
happy widening the trails
Click to expand...

That wasn’t J... just a random video from BoobTube.
 
da big hills said:
I did not see anything, except SLOW down when near WALKERS. Geeze you are on two wheels with gravity on your side. I saw the trail get a little wider when you passed the first dude. if we show a few seconds of courtesy the trail system will stay open. In a month the trails will be dusty, and nobody wants to eat your dust.
happy widening the trails
Click to expand...

Wasn't me.....that guy was on an ebike....he probably doesn't know how to slow down.
 
Frank said:
YES!! Also at :30 and the monster long one at 1:44

It doesn't seem so bad from GoPro point of view but when I'm there, it looks like Everest.
WTF? :)
Click to expand...
Called the GoPro effect. Two dimensional videos make things look much smaller than real life.


Danmtchl said:
This is how you go down a hill....

Click to expand...
Steep, but boring! Waste of a climb! No jumps, rock drops, nothing! :gag:

hill^billy said:
Out of all the advice written here this is the best of it, overcome your fitness barriers and you will find all of whatever skill you have will come easier, not to mention your confidence in what you can tackle, it’s a piece by piece puzzle that you need to have patience for dude, you got this or you don’t? No excuses, sell that E-bike and suffer it out and come out stronger than you thought possible. Sorry I tell like it is. :) Life is not a bowl of cherries. :sneaky:
Click to expand...
After watching a little bit of that video, this came to mind. The eBike getting people into situations they might not being able to physically handle yet. People think that going down hill requires no fitness

da big hills said:
Dropper posts: not many free riders here, I keep my seat high except for Hummingbird.
Click to expand...
I really encourage people to ride with their seats down, only raising them up for sitting on. Think of it as the natural position for the saddle is down, the sacrifice position is up. We are used to riding the opposite way because by time, we use the seat up most. Dropper posts allow us to easily keep the saddle down, where it should be, only raising it up for those times it is needed.

I am a bit more in that "free rider" catergory.

Frank said:
Reminder that I have week knees
Click to expand...
Maybe you need to be working with your doctor on this before doing more technical mountain biking???
 
Faust29 said:
That wasn’t J... just a random video from BoobTube.
Click to expand...
I am glad it was not mtn j. I felt a little bad after my post. But the same for me when I am climbing. Someone screaming at me, slow down. yes you think you can make it but others have hit me before. Please tell me you have control and let me come screaming down on you next. Better hope there is no chance for air cause we will pass with my bars higher than yours. Another tiny thing "uphill has the right of way", or so they say.
One time a dude was flashing down at me on the steep narrow part of space, I bail and hug the high side of the trail with my bike leaning downhill. Mr blazer hits my wheel and gathers some air as he passes, probably not on purpose.
happy trails
 
Sidewalk said:
Called the GoPro effect. Two dimensional videos make things look much smaller than real life.



Steep, but boring! Waste of a climb! No jumps, rock drops, nothing! :gag:


After watching a little bit of that video, this came to mind. The eBike getting people into situations they might not being able to physically handle yet. People think that going down hill requires no fitness


I really encourage people to ride with their seats down, only raising them up for sitting on. Think of it as the natural position for the saddle is down, the sacrifice position is up. We are used to riding the opposite way because by time, we use the seat up most. Dropper posts allow us to easily keep the saddle down, where it should be, only raising it up for those times it is needed.

I am a bit more in that "free rider" catergory.

Maybe you need to be working with your doctor on this before doing more technical mountain biking???
Click to expand...
I did. He said to ride more ;)
 
There is nothing too tough on Bane. I first rode it on a rigid hard tail. No dropper needed.
Any of the descents have long run outs. It’s good fun. A long single track of smiles.
 
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