I have a hard tail mtb and something that terrifies me is steps.

I'm planning to do a black graded trail this weekend that contains a step section of around 12 or 13, nor sure how steep.

In preperation I was thinking I should try using some steps in town. I've negotiated 5 steps, but more seems to scare me, perhaps it's the angle and the thought of going over the handlebars if the angle turns out to be too steep.

I've done a fair bit of trail riding and will tackle all obstacles as my reasoning is that if it's in the trail you must be able to get around or over or down it.

Any advice welcome. I probably seem a bit wimpy.

Lower your seat, unclip and go slow, but not so slow you have to turn your bars to maintain balance. It'll come with repitition.

I feel exactly the same way when I start down stairs or a long series of small drop offs. I have no good suggestion other than I know that once you start you need to stay committed!

The only time I have had problems descending stairs is when I either

- go too fast and the rear end starts bouncing too much causing a loss of control

- I lose confidence and start trying to steer too much - did that last week and ended up going OTB. Fortunately there was a high bank on the right and I just bounced off it and slid down the bank onto the lower stairs. I was doing fine and for some reason chickened out and slowed too much and then let the front end start moving side to side.

I've found that walking works well at times - does nothing for the ego but it is safe and sound.

dont think. just ride by feel and dont be nervous and tense. dont fear. just ride relaxed and confident.

Don't unclip. Your feet will be subject to slipping off the pedals if you're trying to ride unclipped on clipless. Lower your saddle, be loose on the bike. Let the bike move around under you. Your legs and arms offer more suspension than a 9" travel bike. Lean back only enough so you don't go over the bars. For crap sakes...don't sit down.



False. If you go slow, there is a controllable bounce going on. As you speed up, it's a little less controllable until you hit that point where you're skittering across the edges of the steps. Then it's really smooth. If you haven't hit that smooth "washboard" feel when you're blasting stairs...you haven't gone fast enough yet. IMO...the faster the more controllable.

OK - I can sorta understand speeding up - BUT - how do you then slow as you approach the bottom of the steps? MY OTB occurred when I noticed, part way down a curving set of 1' drops, that there was a 210 degree switchback at the very bottom of the drops. I had to shed most of my speed to try make the turn but when I did slow I let the handlebars start sawing back and forth and eventually went OTB - much to the amusement of the onlookers.

How do you slow while riding steps or a long series of small drops?

Slide off the saddle so that your sternum's over your saddle and ass is burning on the back tire, grab mucho brakes. Don't do this 'til front tire is on the last stair. Weight back will help going from stairs to flat and keep you from going OTB if front tire hooks up on last stair.

Buncha small drops, just grab brake in between the best you can.

this. you can never get back far enough. even if you flip over backwards. at that point you need to find steeper stairs. rinse, descend, repeat.

Should probably also note to start with rear brake mostly then get on front brake when on the flat. All this happens in less than a second so practice helps.

I used to ride steps all the time in college. there is truth to speed helping out. Often times (at speed) I would take flights of 4-6 steps with only my back tire, kind of flying off the top step. the problem can occure when there is variatons in the width of the stairs. this can cause either a hop or a teeter-totter type action depending. just get out behind your seat, and stay loose. you might fall on ocasion but it will be awesome when you get good at it.

Thanks for the ideas

Off to Laguna Mountain (east of San Diego) to try the stuff you suggest

Near perfect weather - sunny mid-80s not a cloud in the sky - at 6000' - that's why I spend winter in San Diego (summer in Seattle waits until mid-July!)

Hands loose on the bars, ass over the rear wheel, use legs as shock absorbers....and steps are NOTHING. Speed and momentum are your friends, pal.

I've only been riding about 4 weeks mtb, but today I got in the groove a bit more. I had a crash on saturday @ my local trail centre in flooded conditions with new ruts. I'd never ridden the bike in the wet before and my friends were riding full suss and having ridden for 1yr I managed to keep within a few mins of them. They too had moments of their own.

My crash was because I got scared. I saw a rut and instead of lifting the handlebars and letting the back wheel roll through it I tensed up, tried to stop and as you can guess the front wheel went into the rut and I went over the bars. I landed heavily on my side and cut up my elbow during my crash. I was with friends and although there was a lot of blood the damage is superficial and I was able to do the rest of the sections.

I'm 6ft 7 and there is a feeling of high gravity. I guess this is why I get scared because I'm so high and even relatively small drops look 100 times bigger then they really are. I've been working today on my own trying to get low and back. I found that playing music helps distract me from the irrational fear that is created in my head. Focus on the music and I'm able to implement my limited skills. I am still in pain from the crash so perhaps it's survival instincts kicking in. Whatever, it's really annoying because trail objects like rocky sections are so much easier and safer when I relax and let the bike flow under me. As soon as I tense up or try and bug out the bike goes out of control. I found that when I made myself relax, even when things did go wrong, such as the bike deciding to slide mid corner (probably due to poor pedal placement) I was able to react and avoid a crash.

I might buy some elbow and knee guards. Perhaps the feeling of safety will knock out the fear elements. I also tried doing same trail sections over and over again and was able to notice improvement on each new run.

I'm certainly hitting a brick wall of trail speed. I am fine tuning other aspects so I hope as I fine tune these extra skills I should slowly pick up confidence to really enjoy the flow of the trails.

Most of the time I know what I'm doing wrong. I've seen how to do it, but it's the fear that gets me. I don't get scared by a lot, but mtb really does terrify me. Perhaps that's why I love it!

I guess I'll have to give it time.

Thanks for the tips though. Once I get a bit more practice staying low and back then stairs might be a bit safer.

if steps are too difficult, take the escalator...

Bootleg booted my booty this weekend. Elbow and knee pads are on the Father's Day wish list.

I presume you ride a bike that is somewhat more advanced than the fifty pounds of plumbing I rode down these steps in 1977.

^^ old skool

The story below the picture is comical. "Oh my gosh...there goes the neighborhood!"