I’ve just read an opinion on a mtb group’s website that those coming down a hill should yield to those climbing up it.

I believe it’s the opposite surely i.e. much easier to just move/ stop when climbing than it is to when flying down at speed (and at times airborne).

I always yield to those coming down, its easy and safe to do and only delays me by a few seconds. If one day I meet someone when I’m coming down who has the opposite opinion to me we may have time to discuss the merits of either argument whilst lying down tangled up in bikes (joke of course, I would be able to avoid such a mishap through my general use of safe cycling practices).

What is the collective view on yielding?

I yield to those descending, definitely…

Yield to those climbing, if its technical i get really hacked off if im trying to clean a climb and get obstructed

Yield to the climber.

I yield to those coming the other way.

I tend to yield whether i am going up or down. Seems the sensible and polite thing to do.

Funny, on all of the trail maps I got in BC they all said that all trails are 2 way and that the descender must yield to the climber.

Depends on the situation – I use my judgement 🙂 but If I am not fussed and I am climbing I let others enjoy the descent unless they are mincing around 😉

Climbers have right of way always. If you’re descending on public trails at a speed that you can’t stop safely in case of someone coming the other way then you’re riding too fast. I assume that you’ll buzz past walkers, small children and horse riders shouting rude words at them.

Surely this has been done to death? The general opinion being that you yield to the climber. I think thats generaaly crap and totally outdated personally, but take each situation on it’s own merits.

If it’s a fire road or public path where there will be walkers, one should excercise caution, but if it’s a known descent then have at it.

Ask yourself, you’re drving your missan micra up a hill. There is a broken down car in the opposite lane. Even though you have right of way, a lorry pulls out into your lane to pass it. Do you, continue on, hold your ground? You have right of way after all.

Or do you stop the car and yield to the vehicle which has much more mass to to stop avoiding a crash in which you will surely come off pretty badly.

I recently came across two (admittedly elite) xc riders climing up one of my local dh trails. A trail cleared, maintained and used almost exclusively by dh bikes. Suffice to say, I did not give them an inch. I gave them an earfull mind you.

Suffice to say, I did not give them an inch.

Tw@

What foxyrider says ^

Judgement every time.

(Although I’d normally yield for descenders because, well, it’ll mean an excuse to stop climbing and that can only be a good thing.)

pragmatic: s’probably easier for the climber to get out of the way. – the descender may not be able to stop.

idealistic: the descender SHOULD be able to stop, 2 way trails aren’t race tracks, ride with some respect for others you moron, etc.

right, descenders should yeild – if only to encourage people to slow down on shared / 2-way trails.

i have spoken on the matter, it is now decided.

The climber has right of way always no question.

However if convenient I would yield when climbing but only if convenient. To restart might be impossible.

Those descending should always be able to stop in the distance they can see.

should give way to the climber but like Omar Little I will give way really, same with walkers, horses, people with kids etc life is just to short.

I move for no man!

The Black Knight

CaptainFlashheart
Tw@

It’s a busy dh trail. Always has been. About 60% of it is unriddeable up the way. They were doing something very stupid imo and I treated them accordingly.

It’s a busy dh trail.

Fixed that for you. Unless of course it was a marked/dedicated one way trail, or perhaps a trail that you owned personally….No? Thought not.

Err. I may have missed something here, and I’m sure there’ll be at least one person one here to point this out, if so…..

But, shouldn’t people descending at speed be on a different trail to those climbing ?.

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, having two way traffic on one ST.

It can be bad enough on relatively level XC trails when people are pushing on and then round a blind bend to find someone on the trail heading straight at them.

???

solo – “natural” trails

If neither particularly want to stop then it’s give way to climber, it’s more difficult for climbers to get started again and it’ll be a slower (and safer) passing. IME quite often a climber will stop anyway thankful for the rest and sometimes I do too but if I’m going up a very tech bit of trail I want to clean I’ll be keeping going thanks.

Isn’t all mountain sports give way to those further down the mountain? as per skiing? (ie don’t buzz slower skiers)

EDIT are you trolling solo or are there really riders here who never ever venture out of trail centres?

There are no rules, apart from ones randomly made up by people who like rules.
Common courtesy would suggest that the person who would be least inconvenienced yields though

Yield to climber same as driving.

Yield to the person having the most fun?

So that will be the descender then?

Mild troll content acknowledged.

Donk.

No, I’m not trolling. I mostly ride TF, on the none trail side, yet it seems that 95% of the time riders all use the natural trails heading in the same direction.

As I posted, I knew someone would be along to correct/enlighten me, and consistent with this forum, its been done in usual style.
🙄

EDIT: Common courtesy would suggest that the person who would be least inconvenienced yields though
I like this one.

I’ll get out of the way myself. Let the boys enjoy the descent.

It can be bad enough on relatively level XC trails when people are pushing on and then round a blind bend to find someone on the trail heading straight at them.

Can’t see that this should be a problem as you’re always going slowly enough to stop if you can’t see that loose dog or child on the trail, aren’t you? 😉

Climber always has the right of way, same as driving. Only exception would be a dedicated downhill course or one-way trail in a trail centre.

Never tend to see other riders but would always give way to climbers. As said above it’s really annoying to have to stop in the middle of a climb you’re trying to clean, and may not be able to get going again. On anything that’s remotely capable of being ridden up, it would be easy for the descender to stop and restart

i always yeild to whoever the better rider is…. this means wether i’m going down or up i’ll always pull over and let the other person past.

its a bit like holding the door open for strangers, nobody ever says thank you but i always do it 🙂

if i’m trying to beat my top speed down something and there’s someone coming up towards me (bikes, families etc) then i always hit the brakes and use the bushes/trees/ditches as the ultimate brake if i’m not stopping in time.

Theres no right of way on natural trails solo.Play parks might be different.
Anyway climber comes first, if its steep and techy and you stop them chances are they’ll never get going again. Whilst the descender can just roll away.
riders before freewheelers.

There are no rules, apart from ones randomly made up by people who like rules.
Common courtesy would suggest that the person who would be least inconvenienced yields though

This. But generally speaking, most people prefer descending (apart from people on here who like to try and be different for the sake of it) – therefore less fun is spoiled by the climber giving way in most cases.

Most people also are happy to have a rest when climbing (again – apart from weirdos on here).

crashasaurus – Member

Ask yourself, you’re drving your missan micra up a hill. There is a broken down car in the opposite lane. Even though you have right of way, a lorry pulls out into your lane to pass it. Do you, continue on, hold your ground? You have right of way after all.

Or do you stop the car and yield to the vehicle which has much more mass to to stop avoiding a crash in which you will surely come off pretty badly.

Although this dose happen and you always have to be prepared to stop arguing a bigger, faster, stronger object shows very questionable moral standing.

I always figure that it is easier to restart if you’re descending than climbing and also if you can not stop within a safe distance then you’re out of control. It might not be a bike coming the other way, it might be a 300kg cow blocking the path.
I guess it might come from the road where on country lanes (single) I have always understood that it is safer to reverse up a hill than down. Also there must be an area for negotiation.

Ask yourself, you’re drving your missan micra up a hill. There is a broken down car in the opposite lane. Even though you have right of way, a lorry pulls out into your lane to pass it. Do you, continue on, hold your ground? You have right of way after all.

Hold your ground, clearly, I asked a similar question the other day and the replies seemed to be that the person who has the right will always win regardless of common sense. 🙄

There are no rules regarding two-way cycle traffic, just good manners.

I will always yield to the descender because it’s easy and safe for me to stop and get out of their way – it’s only wasted effort. Whereas the descender’s control relies on their speed, not just their brakes – it is more dangerous if they have to stop or avoid me.

Beside, we are all here for fun: why should I spoil their fun when I expect to have fun on my own descent?

Interesting…. I will continue to yield to those going down as when I’m going down I hate being impaired more than when I’m going up. But always stay safe and yield if I have to. And I’m not talking about walkers, dogs, kids, prams etc. on the trail. They always come first.

Oldgit.

Should have gone to spec savers mate.

When you get back from there, read the thread properly and you’ll see that I’m not referring to trail centres or play parks in your ever so manly speak.

And I definately didn’t claim that there is, was or should be an official right of way.

I can only assume that you’re over excited about the increase in your pension, whenever it arrives. This in combination with your inability to read the posts on this thread have resulted in you submitting a silly post.

Do I need to post silly names, or do you get the idea.
😉

Beside, we are all here for fun: why should I spoil their fun when I expect to have fun on my own descent?

But they can spoil my fun.

Climbing is ace. 😆

crashasaurus – on a marked or obviously directional DH trail of course folk shouldn’t be climbing up it, but to endanger their safety when passing is unnacceptable.

Otherwise descender yields – it’s just polite.

10pmix – Member

Interesting…. I will continue to yield to those going down as when I’m going down I hate being impaired 😯

There is no right of way, written or unwritten.

Always give way to those climbing? What about over a jump, he’s not exactly in a position to stop?

Always give way to those climbing? What if they’re pushing, in which case they’re pedestrians and you should give way to them by law?

Anyone who proclaims that there is one will probably find themselves pissing people off 50% of the time by beligerently not giving way.