Your hands grip the brakes. Your heart hammers against your ribs. The trail drops away beneath you like a cliff edge. We’ve all frozen at the top of a descent that looks more like a wall than a path. But descending extreme technical terrain is less about courage and more about physics. Master your body position, and you’ll unlock the confidence to flow down mountainsides you once walked. Here’s how to let go of fear and let gravity work for you.
1. Get Your Weight Back—Way Back
The number one rule: get your butt off the saddle and behind it. Slide your hips backward until they hover directly over—or even behind—your rear wheel. This shifts your center of gravity rearward, preventing a catastrophic endo (forward flip) and keeping your front wheel light enough to glide over obstacles, not spear into them. Bend your arms deeply and drop your chest low toward the handlebars. You should feel balanced and loose, not stiff and braced for impact.
2. Feather Your Brakes, Don’t Slam Them
Death-gripping the brakes will only lock your wheels and send you skidding. Instead, drag your brakes lightly with one or two fingers. Use 70% rear brake and 30% front brake to maintain control. Practice "pulse braking": squeeze lightly for 2 seconds, release for 1 second. This prevents brake fade from overheating and keeps your tires gripping the dirt. On the steepest sections, let go completely for a split second to reset your traction.
3. Read the Trail and Choose Your Line
Don’t just look straight down at your front tire. Scan 10-15 feet ahead for the smoothest line. If a direct descent is too steep, carve wide, gentle "Z" shapes across the fall line to reduce the effective gradient. Avoid the temptation to ride parallel to ruts or across large roots and rocks; instead, hit obstacles straight-on at a 90-degree angle for maximum stability. Your bike wants to go where you look—so keep your eyes on the exit, not the abyss.
Descending is a dance between commitment and control. When you get it right, it’s not a controlled crash—it’s flying.
Ready to own the downs? Click here to explore our full-suspension mountain bikes, powerful hydraulic disc brakes, and protective gear—engineered for control when the trail points straight down.