How Should Mountain Bikers Traveling in the Same Direction Pass Each Other?

How should passing work when two mountain bikers are heading in the same direction?

By Jeff Barber
November 14, 2021 Last Updated: January 26, 2022

19 comments

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Picture this: You’re riding down the trail and having fun when you round a bend and notice another rider ahead, going in the same direction as you. What do you do? What do you expect the rider in front to do?

Or maybe you’re the rider in front, and you hear someone approaching from behind.

Every rider has found themselves in both seats at one time or another. With mountain bike trails becoming more popular than ever before, the opportunity to share the path with others has never been greater. When approaching from opposite directions there are generally accepted rules around yielding to other trail users and fellow bikers, but what about when both parties are traveling the same direction?

19 Comments

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Shad Holland 2019
Nov 14, 2021

The first thing I say is, "Hello, no hurry.....keep going until you find a safe place move over and let me pass!"

The reason I say this is because I have had people bail off to the side of the trail as soon as they see or know I am coming up behind them. A young girl last summer panicked and rode off the trail into deeper brush and fell over.

I don't know what other cyclists do to make them feel like they have to jump out of the way so quickly. So to all riders, even the slower ones. Stay on the trail and keep riding. It's the best thing you can do. It is the riders behind you that have to slow down and be patient until there is a safe way to pass. Riders in the front always have a say in when they can move to the side safely.

When I ride I make it clear right away that they can keep going. When I see riders ahead of me I slow down before I get right up on them. I don't want them to panic or feel rushed. After I let them know to keep gain and wait for a safe place for me to pass I will then let them know where there is a good spot up ahead of I know the trail, which I usually do, or if I see a good spot coming up.

Once they move over I thank them and tell them to have a good ride.

A month ago I was coming up behind a guy and said exactly what I wrote above. He just turn off the trail and barreled into the woods and up a hillside and almost fell over. He was on an eBike and looked very inexperienced. We want to keep singletrack single, so please don't be like that guy!

6 reply

Hap Proctor Florida // 2014
Nov 15, 2021

If you're the slower rider and you hear the one behind you, let the faster rider pass. If you ride up on someone, just politely let them know you are there and would like to pass whenever the trail conditions allow it to be done safely. I think the faster rider should inform the slower rider if there are additional (and how many) riders in their group.

4 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Nov 14, 2021

Common courtesy would be kinda nice...

The basics of it are both parties are responsible for common courtesy in a non race environment.

In a race environment, the V8 just blasts past the 4 cylinder with ample room to not commit a foul.

1 reply

jimmilt 2015
Nov 14, 2021

I'm 61, so I'm used to getting passed. The best passing experiences I have are another rider asking me if they can get by when possible. Another reason to not wear ear pieces.

Black-Man West Virginia // 2011
Nov 18, 2021

Yeah... the ear bud crowd is an issue. Luckily, I'm not fast enough to catch anyone.

0 reply

jjMustang Indiana // 2019
Nov 14, 2021

It's both 1 and 2 when not racing. Slower riders need to let faster riders though, but the riders coming from behind also need to announce their presence and wait for permission and the right time to pass. Passing without notice on narrow singletrack can be dangerous for everyone.

AUTHOR

Jeff Barber Georgia // 1998
Nov 15, 2021

How do age / gender classes play into the race passing scenario? For example, if the slower rider is trying to win their age class, but not the overall, should they move over to let the overall leader past?

enduroexpert78 Virginia // 2019
Nov 17, 2021

Yes. It's the same way in other racing genres. Purposefully slowing another down endangers both racers.

wareagle4130 2010
Nov 18, 2021

It's the "move as soon as possible" part that kept me from voting for the former question. When I hear someone behind me, I think about where I can pull off without stopping to let them pass. If I'm in a tight section of trail and I know there's a gravel road crossing in 200 feet, then I'm not pulling over to come to a dead stop to let them pass the second they catch up with me. I keep going until the road crossing where I can let them pass without having to come to a full stop.

And when passing, like others have pointed out, I try not to startle anyone (I too have had folks practically jump off the trail to let me pass). Instead I will call up "no rush".

And as someone pointed out, when someone does pull over to let you pass and you've got buddies behind you, PLEASE let the person you are passing know that there are riders back. Nothing like pulling over to let someone pass, having them say absolutely nothing, then getting back on the trail only to be rear ended by his buddy.

Phonebem Utah // 2017
Nov 15, 2021

My answers were both that the slower rider should yield, but with some caveats. First that there is a fairly significant difference in pace. I typically keep an ear open on the trails and know when someone is catching me from behind and try to let them pass when it sounds like they are about on my wheel, to do anything else would feel about as self-entitled as a left lane camper. During a race; if someone catches you quickly, you aren't racing against them. You've already lost, don't be a d*ck.
Second, if both parties are riding at a similar pace all bets are off. In trail riding, there's a decent chance the leading rider was just a "rabbit" for the trailing rider to chase and the trailing rider may not really want to go any faster (anyone else? OK, just me...) In this case a quick "Let me know if you want by" is more than sufficient. In racing, you've just met your main competition for this race... Race clean and there's a decent chance you might make a friend.

rmap01 Maryland // 2013
Nov 18, 2021

^^ Exactly this ^^ For trail riding, if you're a slow(er) rider and you hear someone coming ask the rider behind you if they wish to pass. If they do, tell them when it's safe to do so. The fact that they know you're going to move over alleviates any potential tension or safety issue. Why would you want someone riding your rear wheel anyway?? If you're the faster rider, you should always ask.the slower rider if you can pass. Communication goes a long way.

With respect to racing the faster rider should always let the slower rider know they are either want to pass or are making a move to pass - and on which side. In a race this year I had a guy take me out when his bars clipped mine from behind as I had no idea he was trying to pass me. If you're getting passed - and it's not in the final stretch of the race - you ain't winning anyway and it's very unlikely you'll podium so don't be an a$$hole and try to block faster riders! The only difference in passing between race and non-race is that in races the slower rider should not have to give up (too much) momentum to let the faster rider pass.

Holden.K22 Colorado // 2021
Nov 14, 2021

For races the slower rider needs to let the faster ride by but the faster rider needs to announce their presence first

Sunspot raises a good point. Denying the pass in a race can be a valid strategy. For example: If I'm good at climbing, but not descending I might try to box out those behind me on the downhills so I'm in position to leave them on the upcoming climb.

Also, see my comment to jjMustang above about slower riders who are competitive within their own race class. Everyone is racing even if they aren't directly competing with one another.

I thought it was sposta be a race! In that situation, should the slower forfeit the race and not finish or what?
Seriously!

And in a normal riding situation the faster rider should always slow down and ask the slower rider to pass first.

Holden.K22 Colorado // 2021
Nov 15, 2021

Yeah this is a tactic that is actually pretty smart in a race situation but sometimes it can leave the faster ride frustrated and this can result in them trying a risky pass that may not be on safe terrain.I do agree though that that is definitely a strategy to use if you want to win. I could have made my response less biased towards what I would have wanted as the faster rider.

I totally understand what your saying

SlippyNicky Georgia // 2020
Nov 18, 2021

On the trail the golden rule is don't be an ass. Both parties are responsible for communicating their intentions.

In a race... did you see some of the passes Nino made this past year!? All is fair in love and war!

banksy91 Ontario // 2015
Nov 19, 2021

The front rider should always stay to the right of the trail as much as possible. The faster rider coming from behind should announce their present and desire to pass by saying 'to your left'.

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