After my OTB last week and sore leg this week, I was a bit hesitant on some steepr stuff today*. But the problem with having a mince moment, is how to hell to get back on (and re-clipped in) without walking too much. Just can’t get over the saddle, even with dropper down and feel too far forward from the off, or not as the case may be.

* run off Gibbet Hill. Starts by the cross in trails just down (N) of the Gibbet. Easy start then a narrow rooty drop into a deep rut (with tree on the lip). Sharp bend after the tree, so you have to be very committed. Bailed out but then impossible to remount for the steep chicken lines

There must be knack apart from not mincing!!!

Put the bike sideways. If you look there’ll be a spot usually near a tree where you can fit two wheels on at an angle not as steep where you can get on.

Thx. Happened twice today and each time frustrating to have to walk down more that I wanted to. But just couldn’t get back on in a controlled manner.

Flats are the answer 🙂

If it’s steep you’d not be able to stop. 😉

Have been toying with trying flats occasionally

Start sideways, as Mol says.
Works on ups or downs.
🙂

I put the bike at a diagonal downward position and clip the nearest foot to the bike in while stood to the side and slightly behind the saddle with the same side hand holding the grip and brake lever. Then, as I throw my other leg over the saddle, let go of the brake so the bikes starts to move (or push it slightly forward if it’s hung up against a rut, root or rock. Throw your leg over and Get on to the saddle and the other foot ‘on” the other pedal. The slight momentum of the bike and movement keeps the bike upright. All done in a quick movement of a second or two. I then immediately apply pressure through the clipped in foot with the brake reapplied slightly if needed so I can track stand while quickly clipping the other foot in. Then a lift or turn of the bar and release of the brake so the bike begins to roll down hill.
It reads as being complicated but in practice, it’s very quick and if done smoothly, works well.
Come up to the Peak and I’ll show you. It’s easy….until it goes wrong. At which point, it’s quite painful but hilarious for anybody watching.

Thx for the advice. Seems obvious when you think about it, But each time I was trying to remount with the bike pointing straight down.

Appreciate the comments and the invite!

Fortunately no one saw last weeks OTB. That would have looked hilarious even though it hurt A LOT 😉

Was walking dog up at Gibbet today and comforted to chat to two good riders on big bikes who admitted to bailing on the drop into the rut too – not just me then. Phew…

Not so keen on the motorbikes riding up and down the trails though 🙁

There’s a bloke who does this on the v hidden bit of fun over on Hankley too

A big new-ish gap jump down on the main DH section of the Gibbet that looks awkward. Interesting that the middle area between that bit and the actual Gibbet have little evidence of much riding these days?

If you have clipless pedals with a platform then no need to clip in right away. Also learn how to track stand, I usually get on pointing down, get on the brakes, take a moment or two to set myself up while track standing then let the brakes off. You only need to be able to track stand for 5 seconds or so. Sometimes the trail is not wide enough to get on sideways. If you miss the clips initially then you can locate yourself onto them on your way down.

Chest on the saddle, start rolling, get your feet on the peddles. If you need to clip in wait till your moving then clip in when possible

Not so keen on the motorbikes riding up and down the trails though

This is becoming more and more common around here too (Kent north downs). As a result there has been an increase in people laying stuff across the trails to discourage them.

Flats. clips are for pros.

If you have clipless pedals with a platform then no need to clip in right away. Also learn how to track stand, I usually get on pointing down, get on the brakes, take a moment or two to set myself up while track standing then let the brakes off. You only need to be able to track stand for 5 seconds or so. Sometimes the trail is not wide enough to get on sideways. If you miss the clips initially then you can locate yourself onto them on your way down.

I do try to do that !!!

Its just that the reason I have stopped is usually “fear” or out of my depth basically, which makes confident moves to escape a bit more challenging 😀

The kind of stuff where I get this problem is normally cheeky, narrow singletrack in tyre wide soft stuff or deeper but narrow stony corners with lots of rocks. I hate approaching the next steep corner with the feeling of not being properly clipped in and a little out of control. Hence end up walking down a couple of corners which is a waste of time!! 😳

I do wonder of riding the v narrow soft stuff whether it would be better to be on flats so that a cheeky dab could provide a bit of a security cushion and allow me to start faster?

I feel a little purchase and experiment coming on!!

I know exactly what you mean THM. I’ve always ridden clipped in on MTB, so feel very vulnerable when not clipped in. However if you have a decent platform pedal and MTB specific shoes with grips on so you’re not stood on a smooth hard plastic sole that can slip off, then you get used to setting off and not being clipped in initially. I run Time pedals and if I miss the clip I can just twist-wiggle my feet from side to side a bit and they usually slide a bit and clip in, so no need to lift the foot and take pressure off the pedal. I find you can’t do this so easily with Shimano style SPD clips as they seem to protrude a bit more from the pedal surface and if you miss them you have to lift your foot off the pedal, or at least unweight your foot, and have another go. This makes the process alot more tricky if you’re having to negotiate tricky terrain at the same time. I’ve never got on with Shimano SPDs for that reason, but it’s all down to personal preferences.

Push the bike back up to a place you can remount without any problem, that way you get another crack at the bit where you stopped.

Flat pedals would be great help. I always struggled to get clipped back in until the bike was stable enough. I had to do a restart on “next to Eric” yesterday. Just after the drop into the rutted corner. I held the bike on the brakes diagonally down the trail. Front wheel turned slightly to help hold the thing in place. Then get both feet on and hold the bike briefly in a track stand before letting the brakes go.
Interesting to hear you mention Hankley. I’ve found some stuff by the trig point at Pitch Place, but last time I was up there the gorse was too heavy to make for comfortable descending. Didn’t think there was much over there apart from sand and James Bond.

I have gorse scars from those trails yesterday – at least the RH one!! But they’re not the ones I meant. I ride them on the way to The Punchbowl. The final drop off on then LH trail is a bogey for me!!

The other run(s) are different part of Hankley altogether, albeit only a short ride away.. If they were a little longer they would be great. Shame they are so short as its a steep push up back to the start 😉