depends on the rider in front.. if they are proper mincing then they should pull over – like on the road when there's a big queue of traffic behind a tractor…
I tend to get out of the way – If I can safely. Partly 'cos I hate someone following me, It make it a lot easier and safer to overtake if you co operate. Its the faster riders responsibility to pass safely when they can.
If he's faster he should be more skilful too, so passing shouldn't be a problem.
If he can't pass off the line, he's not really fast.
I had this demonstrated to me nicely at the SSWC when a group of us were passed by Kelli Emmet who wasn't even on the track but bounding from rock to rock completely offline.
(BTW I always move over if I hear a rider coming up behind)
I think you'll find the usual rule is:
the more body armor and the bigger the boingly bike the more you ride like a joey and try to bully families/slower riders out of the way on lesser graded routes and then loudly proclaim any riders that overtake you on climbs as jey xc race monkeys who can't cope with mans terrain like wot you do.
lol, if they're in my way I really appriciate it if they can allow enough room to let me past. I don't see the problem in that, I'd expect to do the same for someone faster than me.
If i'm following a slower rider i'll politely ask/tell them that i'm coming past, if they don't like it i'll just hang back until they're off that particular section. If someone fast is coming up behind me i'll get out of the way, but if someone buzzes my back tyre, then they ain't getting past, it's rude. If you want to get by someone, tell them, quite simple really.
if I catch someone on a section of trail I will slow or pass if I can safely, I try not to pressure people, If I set off to close behind and catch I generally stop and give a gap, have a word with myself for being stupid and setting off to fast.
What really gets me pi55ed off is when I try and leave a nice gap and someone cuts in front of me on a section, I will always explain but they are always too fast/busy/important to wait so I set off and explain to them how they are not fast and should have waited (trying to let the hub click as much as possible to show how little I am pedalling)
I'll pull over & let faster riders past if i hear 'em, or if I'm closing up on a slower rider I'll hang back until there's a safe convenient place to pass. Can't stand these selfish w*****s who try and pressurise slower riders out of the way. If some f****r buzzes my back tyre his bike is gonna get shoved up his arse sideways!
S-stu, I bought a ray gun, can blast anything out the way now…… 😆
on a side note, what do you think for giving way up or down a trail when you meet someone? I've always though give way to the decending rider as they have busted a gut to get to the top to ride down?
S-stu, I bought a ray gun, can blast anything out the way now…..
So you're trying to say you have a special gun that you only get out when there's mincers about. Does this "gun" have a purple end on it? 😯 😉
""on the road when there's a big queue of traffic behind a tractor… "
They removed that rule (3 cars qualifying as a queue) a few years ago"
"what do you think for giving way up or down a trail when you meet someone?"
As much as possible I think both riders should try to get out of each others way, people who climb with their head down wandering from one side of a trail to the other is a pain (as are walkers who do the same)
"rider who is struggling up the tech single track and the rider bombing down"
If its climbable it can't be very difficult in descent to stop/start (or descend it)
Though its usually as much a pain to break up the flow of a descent as not being able to clean a climb. If the person descending is clearly out of control then the climber might want to get out of the way for their own safety
Sound about right what about natural stuff and the rider who is struggling up the tech single track and the rider bombing down ?
You should give way to the uphill rider in my view. If you're lucky enough they might stop to let you hammer past, but it's easier to stop and restart going down than going up.
…people who climb with their head down wandering from one side of a trail to the other…
… desperately trying to clean that climb they've always struggled to do, only to be bullied off the trail by a loon hairing down towards them with gravity on their side
Having ridden Afan once on a mid-summer weekend I vowed never to again, it was a traffic jam of novices. Coed y brenin never seemed as bad, but it's more remote. Have only ever ridden Cwmcarn and Afan on an evening since.
I hasten to add that when I caught them up I stopped and waited for a gap and didnt overtake, but it didn't half take the fun out of it!
"desperately trying to clean that climb they've always struggled to do, only to be bullied off the trail by a loon hairing down towards them with gravity on their side"
I was trying to refer to non-b@stard climbs, though didn't really say so
If it was bad enough to need to wander across the whole width of a trail rideably wide enough for both to pass if both keep to one side then perhaps (I'm sure there'll be instances where this doesn't happen) the descender may be happy enough to watch the climber attempt it (eg steep section near top of Jacobs ladder)
Slower rider should get out of the way WHEN ITS SAFE but it's up to the quicker rider to make the slower one aware that he's there (in a polite way obviously).
on a side note, what do you think for giving way up or down a trail when you meet someone? I've always though give way to the decending rider as they have busted a gut to get to the top to ride down?
OMG – this one degenerated in a right row last time.
downhill gives way to up. You can restart downhill so much easier than you an uphill. Balk someone climbing and they might never get a restart.
A polite climber will move over to let teh dowbhiller past – but thats not a right at all. The climber has the right of way.
if it's been done look away! last thing we need is a riot :oops:. we should love each other and be courtious where ever posible, but what do you all think is the best trail centre grips? surely that can't be controversial and much less boring than what tyre? 😯
Also, why spoil someones fun going downhill when you're on a climb and could probably do with a short rest?
ARE YOU MAD! climbing is ace. If you're not trying to vomit a lung then you're not going hard enough. Jeez the youth of today just want instant gratification without earning it.