Steep chutes can be daunting and the exits are often dodgy, so it’s important to stay in control rather than just dropping in and hoping for the best.
The main three things to think about when dropping into a chute are body position, line and speed. Keep your bodyweight neutral and let the bike pitch down the slope, choose a smooth and straight line, and keep your speed in check!
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1. Approach
Ride towards the chute stood up on the pedals with your feet level, knees bent, arms bent and chest low. Keep your speed under control, but don’t go too slow because this could cause you to lose balance and wobble when you drop in.
2. Drop in
Keep your chin up and let your bike pitch from flat to downhill by extending your arms and bending your knees. Rather than leaning back, think about keeping your bodyweight supported with your legs. Leaning back will cause you to hang off the handlebar and limit your control.
3. Get low
Keep your head up, your chest low and your arms bent so you still have control and extension in your arms in case your front wheel drops down any further.
4. Control your braking
Depending on the length of the chute and the state of the exit, you may need to keep your speed in check. Do this by dragging both brakes equally from the top rather than grabbing a fistful near the bottom.
5. Absorb the g-out
Prepare for the transition from steep to flat by extending your arms and legs, then absorb the forces to ride out smoothly.
Advanced: squash and pump
If you know the trail you’re riding and you’re hitting a steep chute fast, you can use it to help you gain more speed by getting low and squashing the entry, then extending your arms and legs to pump the downslope.