The single most important element of going fast downhill is vision. Where you look, what you process and how you react are all vitally important. First, get your head up! If your like most riders you tend to keep you eyes glued to the trail directly in front of you hoping to spot and avoid any impending disasters. Instead try raising your head and looking further down the trail. Depending on speed and conditions you want to focus 40-80 feet in front of your bike. From this base you can then use your peripheral vision to briefly scan the trail to spot potential hazards. If your looking far enough ahead you should see any major problems far enough in advance to make corrections.
The single most important element of going fast downhill is vision. Where you look, what you process and how you react are all vitally important. First, get your head up! If your like most riders you tend to keep you eyes glued to the trail directly in front of you hoping to spot and avoid any impending disasters. Instead try raising your head and looking further down the trail. Depending on speed and conditions you want to focus 40-80 feet in front of your bike. From this base you can then use your peripheral vision to briefly scan the trail to spot potential hazards. If your looking far enough ahead you should see any major problems far enough in advance to make corrections.