How To Descend Hills On Your Bike | KBO Bike
It is natural for every uphill to have a downhill. When going downhill, you can conserve the battery. It will help your electric bike to travel further. In a nutshell, an electric bike can recoup some of the energy expended while climbing a hill. To speed is human, and to use your brake appropriately is divine. When riding an electric bike, it is vital to know how to descend with poise and control. Gliding down a hill could be one of the best feelings ever. Cycling down will be an exciting experience, a reward for the stress endured on the climb. The breeze on your face, less pedal power applied, and you are making good speed. It is magical. Things could get tricky if the rider does not know how to descend appropriately.
Because of the built-in friction in the electric bike, its descending top speed is lower than that of a traditional conventional bicycle. Gliding down without pedaling will slow the bike down. It is a good thing if you want to keep the top speed of your electric bicycle under control without having to use the brakes all the time.
Before you set out
Ensure you check out your bike before you go out for any riding, especially when you know that you are going on a hill and steep route. Some parts of your e-bike should be maintained. Check out your tires, Braking systems, and Saddle position.
Brakes
Considering the type of braking system that your e-bike uses, be it hydraulic or mechanical. You should clean your brakes regularly. To ensure your safety, you must look after them.
Tire
The performance of your electric bike brakes is influenced by the tires. The tires provide adequate grip on the soil. You have to use the proper air pressure, which is determined by the terrain you are riding on as well as your riding style. It is advised that you lower your tire pressure. So that your tire's contact patch with the ground will be larger, resulting in better traction.
Saddle position
Shifting your weight back is made easy by lowering your seat. It's helpful to keep your weight back and low as you descend to maintain equilibrium and stay in control. A dropper post aids descent by allowing you to lower your seat using a handlebar-mounted lever. If you don't have a dropper post on your E-bike, you can manually lower your saddle (with a multi-tool) before a long or steep descent.
Things You Need To Do To Ride Down A Hill
Let us explore some things you need to do to ride down a hill with poise and skill. Following all these rules will help you have a safer ride.
1. Relax
It is essential to stay calm and composed. Because your muscles are tense while riding downhill, your arms stiffen, resulting in a rougher ride with less control over the bike. Bending your elbows and relaxing your shoulders while bracing with your forearms will help you ride more safely and controllably. Allow the machine to do the work of absorbing the terrain. Don't grip the handlebars too tightly. Instead, keep your arms relaxed and your core strong. It also helps to keep your legs relaxed and not too stiff when descending technical terrain. It allows your body to act as its suspension system, allowing you to ride with greater agility.
2. Body Position
The position of your body is subject to the steepness of the hill and the terrain on which you are riding. A neutral position is acceptable when riding on gentle slopes. However, if you're riding up a steep incline, it's a good idea to shift your body weight a little bit backward. You should not rest backward too much, though, because uniform load distribution between the front and rear wheels ensures that weight is shared to the front wheel, which is essential for grip and maneuvering. You're likely leaning too far back if the front wheel seems wobbly or skips from side to side when you're riding.
Also, keep your body as close as possible to the bike. Hanging limbs make it possible to sway. Many rough terrain descents can be absorbed by suspension systems, but your legs and arms are your most effective shock absorbers. Keep your elbows bent slightly over 90 degrees.
3. Focus on where you are going to
Try not to keep your face on the ground beneath your wheels when you're riding a bicycle. Keep an eye on the road and on potential obstacles as you descend. Look for potholes on your horizon, move your position to avoid them, and scan ahead for the next one to avoid. It's possible to miss what's next if you keep looking at an obstacle until you're right on top of it. Wherever you look, that's where you'll end up. Here's a tried-and-true method for scanning ahead: Look ahead 15 or 20 feet as you descend. Then, return your gaze to your tire. When you continue this up-and-back motion, your eyes will take in a lot of information.
Due to the increased speed of descent, it's best to keep a greater distance between riders while descending and communicate obstacles if you're riding with others
4. Stay Vigilant
In as much that you are focused on where you are going, stay alert. Hold your handlebars in such a way that you can easily reach for your brakes, firm and relaxed.
5. Control your speed
For a controlled stop, apply both brakes simultaneously. The front brake is the most powerful. If used alone, it can cause your back wheel to lift off the ground. Before going faster, practice slowing down and stopping at low speeds to get a feel for how the brakes feel and respond. You are in a better position for more effective braking when descending. While descending, it is critical to use both brakes. The rear brake is more effective at maintaining speed on less steep descents or entering corners.
6. Maintain Tire Contact with Trail
Utilize the suspension technology on your off-road E-bike. Our commuting bike KBO Breeze has a front suspension system with over 80mm of travel, preload adjustment, and lockout. Lowering your weight on the bike and pumping the E-bike with both arms while descending is beneficial. Maintaining traction by keeping the tires in contact with the trail is a great benefit. Maintaining tire contact allows you to brake, turn, and ride technical terrain with greater control by maintaining tire contact.
7. Pedaling VS Gliding
Prepare yourself for the descent by going slowly at first. In the beginning, you can coast downhill if you don't want to speed up. Put your feet parallel to the ground, and apply equal pressure on both pedals while your heels are slightly lowered when coasting. You'll be able to get the most out of your brakes by putting yourself in this position. While descending, your body can also act as an air brake. The wind will be blocked, and you will be slowed down if you sit more upright on your bike.
If you want to go downhill faster. Utilize all of your gears as you pedal down the hill. It's pertinent to pedal until you've "spun out." This means that you're no longer accelerating with each pedal stroke. Then, tuck it away. Bend your elbows and lower your chest close to the handlebars. You can still go faster when you have stopped pedaling. As you descend, aerodynamics will continue to assist you. On long, straight sections of road, it is best to practice this body position as much as possible.
8. Follow other riders
If you are riding in a group and not alone. It could be easier for you to descend if you watch the person in front of you. Due to the high speed of descent, it is advisable to put a reasonable distance between you and the person in front of you to avoid crashing into them. There will be no need to analyze and process all of your own line choices at high speed, so you can focus on improving your riding skills. Keep up with someone skilled, but not too fast. It allows you to learn from their line choices and technique.
Being safety conscious is quite vital in your everyday riding. As you embark on technical ridings such as steeps and hills, invest in protective gears that will help you stay uninjured, should there be an unexpected turn of events. The KBO family provides you with an economical yet durable safety helmet.
Practice these tips as much as possible if you want to improve your descending ability. As your skills improve, you'll learn to rely on yourself and your E-bike while you're riding downhill.
