Mountain bike etiquette

[covie]

Jonkershoek is a popular training area for some of our most respected XC riders. You often see the likes of Stander and Sauser training there. They ride UP the single track' date=' because that is what is required in the European XC and World Champs XC circuits. Please call me when you want to tell these world champs they are riding the wrong way ?I want to take a picture of their faces.[/quote']

 

 

 

Firstly i seriously doubt they do this during peak times, and secondly, they are more than welcome to go up but if i come down at breakneck speed, and just happen to break one of their necks because they were too cool to get out of the way then tough @#$@ they are no more important than you or me, no matter how good or bad an individual is.

[GLuvsMtb]

 

ps not everyone on the single track wears a baggy pant / jean pant. If you want to do well in the XC / marathon races you will need to learn how to ride up ST as well. Jonkershoek has signs at both ends of the ST because it is bi directional.

[messenger]

They ride UP the single track' date=' because that is what is required in the European XC and World Champs XC circuits. Please call me when you want to tell these world champs they are riding the wrong way  I want to take a picture of their faces.[/quote']

So you are admitting that THEY are going in the wrong direction, opposite to what is indicated by the track direction, coz that is what is "required"?

They will be out of racing for a while.........

There will be alot more to take pictures of!

[splat]

So many big egos and aggression.

Why does everyone wanna ride everyone over?

 

What about some common sense?

Perhaps some consideration for other riders?

And perhaps a bit of discretion?

 

I thought mountain bikers were all like, chilled man.

[HomerSimpson]

Jonkershoek is a popular training area for some of our most respected XC riders. You often see the likes of Stander and Sauser training there. They ride UP the single track' date=' because that is what is required in the European XC and World Champs XC circuits. Please call me when you want to tell these world champs they are riding the wrong way  I want to take a picture of their faces.[/quote']

And one of the only times I have been given the right of way by a cyclist coming DOWN a ST in Jonkershoek (and I frequently go up the ST all the way from the lower Canary to the top) was by Sauser.  So there are some Spez riders out there who know the etiquette.....

And BTW, the first bit of ST on the south side at Jonkershoek was built to be ridden uphill (for the XC series a few years ago).  In fact, it is much better ridden uphill than downhill. ( Except where it has been damaged by idiots who can't go down ST without leaving skidmarks before every corner) 

[GLuvsMtb]

Jonkershoek is a popular training area for some of our most respected XC riders. You often see the likes of Stander and Sauser training there. They ride UP the single track' date=' because that is what is required in the European XC and World Champs XC circuits. Please call me when you want to tell these world champs they are riding the wrong way  I want to take a picture of their faces.[/quote']

Firstly i seriously doubt they do this during peak times, and secondly, they are more than welcome to go up but if i come down at breakneck speed, and just happen to break one of their necks because they were too cool to get out of the way then tough @#$@ they are no more important than you or me, no matter how good or bad an individual is.

http://singletrackadvocates.blogspot.com/

http://www.single-serving.com/USA/CA/mountain_biking_CA.php

I can cut and paste 100'ds of similar posts. The common thread? Uphill has ROW. If you do not observe the rules and cause injury to a rider that does, it makes you irresponsible. Ignorance is one thing, but you asked the question and you got the technically correct answer on p1 No matter how much this defies our perseption of logic, the rule is UP HAS ROW. I wish that all trails would start to print this on our permits so that there is no confusion.

[Mojoman]

With the 4x4's, you always yield to drivers going up an incline, its a lot easier for you to get going if you are heading downhill.

[The Worm]

Too me its just safer to either have all single tracks as unidirectional or the guy going up thats slow and generally has a better field of view (and a longer period to react) to stop and get out of the way.  I agree single tracks are to be enjoyed going down as fast as possible. And if its an inconveninace to restart uphill on a single track, I beleive my saftey and yours outwheigh the effort to get started again.

 

I don't exactly agree on the "(and longer period to react)". The rider coming downhill might not have been in view when the rider going up the hill looked up the hill(how many riders don't look more than 2m's ahead of themselves when going uphill?). If they're both looking ahead of them, they'll both have the same time to react. It'll just be easier for the guy going slower to stop and move off the trail. Just my 2c worth.

[Bos]

Funny, but the only people that ever brake my speed when I go down singletrack are slower riders, who might or might not pull over. sometimes I gently tell them that when the opportunity arises I am going to overtake them, more so they dont get a fright then anything. but 99.9% of the time its a friendly affair and both riders greet and enjoy the rest of the day. Going up.. I personally only go up when Its not to busy because Its just natural to me that I want to stay out the way and that its the way of most resistance, so I either do singletracks out of peaktime or take the jeep track. However when I do take the singletrack this is never really an Issue and again, as us humans are mostly relational beings one enjoys the person passing and its no trouble to get out the way. In this case Yes the technical rule might be Up has Right of way but I think most riders know how much fun it is to come down a trail that where I ride riders going up mostly either make way or in fact pull off all the way.

 

In cases like the bottom half of the DH course In tokai, Yes I also rattle down there at speed, but it is a DH course, in that case I would say, downhiller has Right of way.

 

all in all.. I only think there will be trouble if a rider is still carrying his ego on his shoulders and or having a bad ride, because even the most proud become calm as a lamb when they have fun and we all scream like girls.

 

I think this issue is far "over discussed and is hardly ever an issue.

Start a poll on it. that way you will get the best result.

[MariusL]

I like the way you think Bos

[PIETERMAN]

GOING UPHILL HAS ROW.

[Stoffel76]

The physics of riding up single track make it logical that those going up have ROW. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The pleasure of riding down single track makes it logical that those going down have ROW.

The result, of course, of two different people each thinking they have the ROW is inevitable?  There are pro?s and con?s to both, so at some point someone has to make a ruling and there doesn?t seem to be any disputing that international standard is up riders have right of way (even if you don?t agree with it)?

 

'Rights' are funny things - just because we have them doesn't mean we must make use of them.  Just because you believe you have ROW doesn?t mean you have to exert your rights on oncoming riders.  In 95% of the times where I?ve met a rider going the other way, we?ve both assessed the situation and the person for whom it was most convenient has yielded (regardless of whether they?re heading up or down).  And in the vast majority of cases a ?Thanks? gets said as we pass.  In practice, it seems most people rely on common sense and a consideration for the other riders.  Like Splat said, we should be, like, chilled dude?

 

 Although, having said that, nothing grates me more that having to stop or slow down on a downhill because there is some chop pushing his bike up the ST because he can?t ride it? 

[JohnnyReggae]

 

 

The physics of riding up single track make it logical that those going up have ROW.

The pleasure of riding down single track makes it logical that those going down have ROW.

The result' date=' of course, of two different people each thinking they have the ROW is inevitable?  There are pro?s and con?s to both, so at some point someone has to make a ruling and there doesn?t seem to be any disputing that international standard is up riders have right of way (even if you don?t agree with it)?

 

'Rights' are funny things - just because we have them doesn't mean we must make use of them.  Just because you believe you have ROW doesn?t mean you have to exert your rights on oncoming riders.  In 95% of the times where I?ve met a rider going the other way, we?ve both assessed the situation and the person for whom it was most convenient has yielded (regardless of whether they?re heading up or down).  And in the vast majority of cases a ?Thanks? gets said as we pass.  In practice, it seems most people rely on common sense and a consideration for the other riders.  Like Splat said, we should be, like, chilled dude?

 

 Although, having said that, nothing grates me more that having to stop or slow down on a downhill because there is some chop pushing his bike up the ST because he can?t ride it? 

[/quote']

 

Well said...

JohnnyReggae2010-06-10 01:47:25

[GLuvsMtb]

The physics of riding up single track make it logical that those going up have ROW. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The pleasure of riding down single track makes it logical that those going down have ROW.

The result' date=' of course, of two different people each thinking they have the ROW is inevitable?  There are pro?s and con?s to both, so at some point someone has to make a ruling and there doesn?t seem to be any disputing that international standard is up riders have right of way (even if you don?t agree with it)?

 

'Rights' are funny things - just because we have them doesn't mean we must make use of them.  Just because you believe you have ROW doesn?t mean you have to exert your rights on oncoming riders.  In 95% of the times where I?ve met a rider going the other way, we?ve both assessed the situation and the person for whom it was most convenient has yielded (regardless of whether they?re heading up or down).  And in the vast majority of cases a ?Thanks? gets said as we pass.  In practice, it seems most people rely on common sense and a consideration for the other riders.  Like Splat said, we should be, like, chilled dude?

 

 Although, having said that, nothing grates me more that having to stop or slow down on a downhill because there is some chop pushing his bike up the ST because he can?t ride it? 

[/quote']

agreed.

Knowing that riders coming up has ROW makes me even more appreciative when riders allow me to continue my downhill run uninterrupted.

[slowpoke]

as madaboutmerida has said - internationally riders going up have ROW. but then again, internationally there is greater respect for fellow people in general.

 

based on the argument presented by covie and company i take it they stop at green lights etc to make sure no busses or taxis etc are coming because according to them larger/faster/more aggressive entitles one to ROW?

 

i know SA is slipping into a state of anarchy, but i always thought mtb'ers claimed to be the "friendly and polite" side of cycling - clearly that is no longer the case.

[Top Fuel]

Wow such fun!! The guy going down has the right of way. It is common knowledge. If I am riding up single track I always get out of the way of riders comming down as soon as I see them. When descending I will not stop and expect the right of way. As is said several times we ride up the hill to go down the single track.