DOWNHILL JOURNEY GUIDE
A DOWNHILL JOURNEY GUIDE IS A SAFETY GUIDE FOR DOWNHHILL BEGINNERS AND A REMINDER FOR EXPERT RIDERS. HERE YOU CAN FIND THE ESSENTIAL RULES TO FOLLOW DURING A DOWNHILL SESSION AND EXTRA TIPS TO REDUCE DANGER AND HAVE MORE FUN!
HELMET ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET! THERE IS NO GOOD REASON NOT TO WEAR ONE! HALF SHELLS HELMETS ARE PERFECT FOR DAY TO DAY RIDING, SLIDING, CARVING. FULL FACES HELMETS ARE RECOMMENDED WHEN YOUR RIDING IS GETTING MORE GNARLY.
PADS SLIDE GLOVES ALLOWS QUICK BRAKING THROUGH TIDY SLIDES AND COMMUNICATION BY HAND CLAPS. AFTER THOSE, KNEE PADS ARE THE NEXT MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF SAFETY KIT YOU CAN GET. ONCE YOU LEARN TO GET ONTO YOUR PADS AND GLOVES IN A CRASH, YOU CAN PREVENT ALMOST ALL ON ROAD INJURIES
PADS BACK PROTECTOR IS BECOMING A MUST HAVE ITEM FOR FASTER RIDING, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW YOU ARE GOING TO FALL DURING A DOWNHILL SESSION. YOU CAN GET A LIGHTWEIGHT ONE AND PUT IT UNDER YOUR T-SHIRT!
REFLECTORS IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE RIDING ON ROADS THAT POTENTIALLY HAVE TRAFFIC, YOU CAN HELP THEM SEE YOU WEARING REFLECTIVE GEARS. GOOD MINIMAL IDEAS ARE: HELMET STICKERS, ARM/WRIST BANDS, JACKETS, HEADTORCHES.
SETUP BEFORE YOU RIDE CHECK THAT EVERYTHING IS PROPERLY TIGHTENED DOWN: LIKE WHEELS, TRUCKS BOLTS ETC. IT'S ALSO SUGGESTED TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SETUP ACCORDING TO WHERE AND WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO RIDE.
SPOTTERS WHEN THE VISIBILITY IS LOW AND YOU CAN'T SEE CARS COMING OR YOU SIMPLY DON'T KNOW THE ROAD GET SPOTTERS! TAKE TURNS WITH YOUR MATES STANDING ON THE CORNER TO LET OTHER RIDERS KNOW IF IT'S SAFE TO KEEP GOING.
MOBILE WITH MOBILE PHONES OR WALKIE TALKIES YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR MATES AND CHECK IF IT'S SAFE TO RIDE OR LET THEM KNOW IF YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY DOWN SO THEY CAN STOP TRAFFIC. MOREOVER IT'S BETTER TO HAVE A DEVICE TO CALL SOMEBODY IN CASE YOU NEED HELP.
1 4 7 *
2 5 8 0
3 6 9 #
MAPS BEFORE GOING DOWNHILL IS BETTER TO CHECK ON MAPS THE RIGHT SPOTS WHERE TO RIDE. IN CASE YOU ARE ON A DOWNHILL TRIP IT’S BETTER TO BRING A MAP WITH YOU, DOWNLOAD IT ON A DEVICE OR USE A GPS.
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SIGNALS GETTING A BIT MORE ADVANCED BUT PERFECT IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE SPOTTING A CORNER. WHILE A HANDS IN THE AIR TO INDICATE 'DANGER' WORKS, A PROPER SIGNALLING SYSTEM IS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE FOR YOUR REACTION TIMES.
BRAKE FIRST OF ALL ‘RIDE WITHIN YOUR LIMITS’ IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT A HILL START FROM A PART WHERE YOU FEEL CONFORTABLE AND TEST IT. SECOND BE SURE TO KNOW HOW TO BRAKE, STARTING FROM THE BASIC BRAKE FOOT TO THE SLIDES AND STAND-UPS (IN CASE YOU ARE GOING FAST).
TECHNIQUES
GROUP ONCE YOU GOT ALL THAT COVERED YOU CAN GO FOR PACK RIDING. BEWARE, IN THIS CASE YOU'VE NOT ONLY GOT TO COVER YOURSELF, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE OTHER RIDERS AND WHAT'S GOING DOWN WITH THEM.
DOUBLE CLAP DOUBLE CLAP WHEN COMING UP BEHIND SOMEONE. IT SAYS YOU ARE GOING TO OVERTAKE THE RIDER IN FRONT OF YOU DO IT JUST IF YOU ARE SURE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT, OTHERWISE SLOW DOWN.
POINT AFTER SOMEONE HAS CLAPPED YOU, POINT IF YOU ARE GOING LEFT OR RIGHT AND TRY TO LET THE OTHER RIDER OVERTAKING PASS EASILY.
GO! THE SPOTTER HAS TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WHEN THE ROAD IS FREE. USE FLAGS OR WAVE ONE HARM, NEVER SHOUT ‘GO’, IT’S BETTER TO SAY ‘FREE’ OR ‘CLEAR’
STOP! DANGER! IF THE ROAD IS UNSAFE WAVE BOTH ARMS OR USE A RED FLAG. DECIDE A WORD WITH YOUR FRIENDS TO CLEARLY SAY ‘STOP’.
CAR UP/DOWN! IF A CAR OR ANOTHER VEHICLE IS COMING SHOUT 'CAR UP' OR 'CAR DOWN'. ALWAYS SPECIFY THE DIRECTION FROM WHICH THE CAR IS COMING: CAR COMING UP THEN HILL/CAR COMING DOWN THE HILL. SOUND IT OFF, IF YOU HEAR IT, REPEAT IT, EVEN IF NOBODY IS SKATING
INSIDE! OUSIDE! IF YOU ARE OVERTAKING SOMEONE OR YOU ARE NOT SURE IF THERE IS SOMEBODY RIDING IN FRONT OF YOU SHOU CLEARLY 'INSIDE' OR 'OUTSIDE'. IT COMMUNICATES THE INTENTION TO TAKE THE INSIDE/OUTSIDE LINE THROUGH THE CORNER.