You could be cheeky and shout

“much slower rider passing on left”

They might have to pull over and grasp that for a second.
That is your moment to strike!

The Elite mens DH rider should hold back. If I was suddenly startled and fell off I’d feed you your wing mirror back in the carpark.

No I wouldn’t but you get the idea.

There was a post earlier in the week where I was criticised for saying how I’d not previously (now they are fast enough) let folk past when I’d my kids in front, and that at the beginning of a section (e.g. Spooky Wood) would say to the next rider “just give us a couple of minutes space, otherwise you WILL be baulked”.

How hard is it to wait two minutes?

But at GT on Sunday a family set off on the downhill blue section (on the last decent from the fire road, before the red splits off), so my elder son and I waited. Two other guys said “aren’t you going?”, “no, that family will get in the way”. “Oh, we’ll go then”. And off they charged.

If though I catch someone who’d I not seen before, I just let them know I’m there (Pro 2’s). They either stop, or I stop.

And then there’s the dreaded sandbagger… The tools who stand around at the top of a trail section waiting for someone to pass so they can chase them down. Used to get this a lot and frankly- screw ’em. It’s easy to leave a gap between groups and you can usually figure out the pace of a rider quite easily. If they’re choosing to be behind you then behind you they can stay IMO.

I’ve probably been unintentionally guilty of this.
Sometimes hang around to chat and stuff, and get reminded of that whole riding lark when people go past – and then misjudge how quick they are and end up catching them up.

Normally do try to put enough distance between to stop the leapfrog-chain, either by stopping extra-long the next time or keeping the pace on.

The easiest thing to do is ride early in the morning. Then you’ll have ZERO issues.

Why go to a popular trail centre at peak time? Bad enough trying to find a car parking space.

I’ve not ridden one for a while but when I do it’ll be a <9am start. That cuts out the families and not-bothered too much about riding types.

And then there’s the dreaded sandbagger… The tools who stand around at the top of a trail section waiting for someone to pass so they can chase them down

I’ve had that in the past, even after asking them if they want to go through 1st as I’m not that fast

I simply slow to a crawl if they do it, it sort of destroys their strategy of catching up fast, dropping back and doing it again etc.

I find having a Pro2 or Bulb hub helps in the ‘approach’…

I find a ‘good morning’ then ‘oh no worries but thank you/just me’ works for everyone including walkers. After all my hotlaps are hardly hotlaps however everyone in their own head thinks they are ‘pinning it’ (its all relative innit)

Riding with the likes of Chris Ball and Tom Braithwaite has shown me that a really good rider will find a way past without too much problem.

It’s better if the slower riders do slow a little to give the faster riders room to pass. The problems come when a fast rider doesn’t want to let an even faster rider past… when that happens the gloves come off and it’s wacky-races time

however everyone in their own head thinks they are ‘pinning it’

Not in my world – I strive for mediocrity 🙂

hang back discreetly until the end of the section

tick. Or hang back so you have a gap to go fast, then repeat w/o putting pressure on anyone to have to stop. Depends if it’s busy tho, if it’s so busy that this slow/fast apporoach causes traffic issues or I’m catching too many riders I’d hope I wasn’t riding there in the first place.

I think slower riders / newbies get put off or make errors under pressure when they hear skidding and braking behind from a faster rider.
If you want to pass, do it with plenty of warning in a sensible place and be polite. If I hear someone hooning up behind I move over, but some riders wobble and panic when you catch them as they’re concentrating on the trail, not thinking about where to stop. Maybe I’m wrong, but I see TC’s as a good place for confidence and skill building, less so for going flat-out unless they’re quiet.

acknowledging that you are sharing the trail and to give appropriate consideration to slower AND faster riders.

and a lot of this, plus some forgiving of wobbly newbies who need encouragement not a ‘trail-buzzing’.

Riding with the likes of Chris Ball and Tom Braithwaite has shown me that a really good rider will find a way past without too much problem.

Walkers have a right to be concerned- most riders coming towards them look barely in control.

I’ve only ever seen/ridden with two riders who I’d considered to be totally in control’ and smooth-looking/effortless. Everyone else who can ride FAST looks like they are on their edge/a ball of fury with no margin of error.

Not a good thing when you share trails/space with other users.

I let an entire village of riders past on my first ride at afan years back, when it took me about 3 weeks to wobble my way to the bottom.
These days most people move over for me and I move over for most people.

I do recall a day out once when we stopped to give a bunch of newbies on a training day a few minutes head start and told the weirdybeardy guy behind why we’d stopped, he just blasted down anyhow nearly taking each of them out in the process. (perhaps he was going into labour)

You need to stop and wait unless the rider really wants to let you though. Its not a race is it ?

But if it is a race tire buzz, rider on your left, a quick elbow etc etc are fair game 🙂

“elite rider on your left”

You joke, but I’ve heard that one. I had someone shout that at me and barge past whilst I was freewheeling back from nervous riders on a descent to give them some room.

Best thing was, he did the same to those riders, and as he barged past he managed to go OTB and 2 people rode over the top of him, que broken glasses, helmet and crease in his Spesh Epic.

“elite rider on your left”

You joke, but I’ve heard that one…

Try not to accidentally do this to strangers, thinking they are actually part of your group, like I did. It was ages ago now and I’ve never heard the end of it 😀

I tend to reassure people and say “no hurry” so the rider in front doesn’t get flustered.

I’m sure it’s meant to be sincere but I think if I heard that I’d think ‘sarcy git.’

I’m more likely to be passed than passing, and try not to hold people up where possible; I’ll make space when I can, stopping if necessary, to let people past, as I don’t really want the distraction of someone being impatient behind me. Similarly, with slower riders I’ll wait at a transition to let them get away, then pass them at the next one.

You do seem to get all sorts, though. I’ve met some lovely courteous people on trails, and some right asshats.

If they are slower they should move out the way, its polite and common sense.

Try not to accidentally do this to strangers, thinking they are actually part of your group, like I did. It was ages ago now and I’ve never heard the end of it

T’husband occasionally shouts “Elite rider passing on your right, sugar tits”. Hopefully only to me…

If they are slower they should move out the way, its polite and common sense.

Have you ever been down a trail and been 100% concentrating? Not everyone is a trail god. I for one aren’t one.

Repeated tut’ing and sigh-ing, followed by the very british look-back-and-then-head-shake when finally passed them.

Have you ever been down a trail and been 100% concentrating?

Yes I have, I’m also not blind or deaf, and quite capable of telling if someone is behind me or not.

Its a trail centre so imagine you’ve been riding for 6months, you are enjoying yourself but you are slightly cautious/still nervous. Would you REALLY be 100% aware?

Not a trail centre but my first time down Blue Pig in Hebden I went down and I 😡 abit- a local rider went up and round and we were banging bars. God knows how we both didn’t come off 😆

My point is I was overwhelmed and was bricking it too much to concentrate on moving out of the way whilst eeking.

MTB should simply copy skiing:

FIS Skiing Rules

You are responsible for your own safety and that of other skiers and snow boarders. Be aware of people around you and take necessary action to avoid skiing dangerously or causing a hazard to yourself or others.

Control your direction and speed of travel, taking account of the terrain, snow, weather and traffic conditions.

Select an appropriate path. If you are skiing behind someone it’s your responsibility to ski ride around them without causing any danger to them.

You can over-take from either left or right but you must leave enough distance between yourself and other skiers to allow them to manoeuvre properly.

Before starting off or pulling out you must look up and down the slope and choose an appropriate moment to execute your manoeuvre, so as not to endanger yourself or other skiers.

Avoid stopping at blind corners or narrow or enclosed places unless you have to i.e. you’re injured. In the case of an injury you must vacate the spot as soon as practicable, to avoid further danger (to yourself or others). You should always stop at the side of the piste.

You must always use the side of the piste to walk up or down, whether with or without skis on.

Pay attention to and follow the signs, markings and notices on the piste.

You are obliged by law to offer help and assistance in the event of any accident.

You are also obliged by law to give your personal details in the event of an accident, whether you caused it, witnessed it or assisted at it.
SAFE SKIING/RIDING!!

Simples! Especially rule 3 – effectively says it all. Uphill rider has responsibility to avoid any accidents.

If they are slower they should move out the way, its polite and common sense.

As someone else said, it’s not a race
Easy enough to pass at the end of the section, they’re not normally too long

The polite and common sense thing to do [as again] someone else said is to wait at the start of the section for a couple of minutes in order not to have to compromise one’s awesomeness

If they are slower they should move out the way, its polite and common sense.

Absolutely, but it’s the rear riders responsibility to let the rider in front know s/he’s there. We don’t have mirrors.

Yes I have, I’m also not blind or deaf, and quite capable of telling if someone is behind me or not.

Well you’re the only person I’ve ever met that can.

MTB should simply copy skiing:

It does everywhere else. http://www.imba.com/about/rules-trail

Why mention ski’ing? Seriously? Why?

Do you normally ski off piste through woodland keeping within a 1-2metre (max) wide ski path?

Totally different things.

Unless of course you ride mountain bikes down meadows.

Before starting off or pulling out you must look up and down the slope and choose an appropriate moment to execute your manoeuvre, so as not to endanger yourself or other skiers (riders).

THIS

The only bad experience I’ve had at a trail centre involved an absolute tool riding up behind me when I was relatively new and still very cautious and yelling at me “stop f-ing braking”

People should ride within their limits and it is irresponsible of faster/more able riders to push people beyond them and endanger safety.

Hora – for the very simple reason that the rules are simple and common sense and obviously applicable. This issue really shouldn’t even need to be debated. The first principle should be that the uphill rider must always give way.

Of course, it is possible to ignore such simple advice and focus instead of irrelevant differences. But that would be silly, wouldn’t it!!

I tend to reassure people and say “no hurry” so the rider in front doesn’t get flustered.

I’m sure it’s meant to be sincere but I think if I heard that I’d think ‘sarcy git.’

😆

Not meant that way, but I can see your point. Tis meant more of a “I’ll pass at the next safe point but chill as I’m not hassling you”.

Just apply common sense. The person infront might not have heard you- wind, noise, chainslap, concentration.

Plus if you are THAT quick why would you ride at a busy time anyway?

In Whistler Bike Park the rules are:

On blue trails the slower rider has priority. On black the faster does.
Obviously both have to have a suitable passing place.
Maybe we could have the same for red vs black?

Thing is Canadian blue trails, would be UK uber black ones. So I should imagine the faster has priority rule over there has a lot to do with gravity.

Quite happy to be passed when I’m mincing my way down the techy bits of a trail centre and will happily fling myself into the inside side of the trail at an opportune moment if I hear anybody else’s clicky-hub/bell/breath hoving into earshot behind. I don’t want them crashing into me any more than they want to crash into me. Commonsense, innit?

Passing someone else? I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. 😀

Thing is Canadian blue trails, would be UK uber black ones.

Nah IMO they’re more like harder red to lower black ish UK grading wise

if the slower rider is tail end charlie of a mixed group, mow em down regardless as you can guarantee that come the start of the next singletrack section his faster mates will set off as soon as tail end charlie appears..
Single riders doin their own thing ill wait, groups of mixed ability ive no time for..

I’m always patient with a slower rider upfront and hang back unless there’s an obvious place to pass coming up. Always wary of holding others up as well, usually lycra clad XC skinny boys chasing each other(who usually don’t want to bother with a simple ‘thankyou’ on the way past)

What really grips my poo though- large groups standing about blocking the trail start/ends, pick your bike up and GTF out of the way!

This is commonly asked question and I think the answer is so simple. Yield to the faster rider. I always yield if a faster rider comes up behind me. I don’t want to spoil their run. I expect others to yield for me and they usually do. It’s just manners. Lots of “thank yous” are shouted and often at the bottom friendly banter exchanged. Just don’t pass when its not safe even if they do yield as causing a crash is not on.

Hanging back don’t often work as you soon catch them up again or you wait so long that others come flying past you and you sit there all day ‘waiting for a clear run’.

The ultimate solution of course is to ride when its quiet of course.

No queues or worries here…

…. so please keep visiting your trail centre’s and leave the real trails silent 8)

play it by ear, sometimes best to stop and wait for a while to give em room (beginners, families, big groups).
it’s a bike ride, you’re at a trail centre, what’s the rush?