the person coming down should always have right of way. No exceptions - it'd just be easier if we lived by one rule.

And being courteous to other trail users is super important!

Out here (Colorado Rockies) where many ascents are 10-25% grades the person going up has the right away. It is often impossible to get going again on a loose broken rock trail that's at a 10% grade. Anyone coming downhill who does not feel the need to yield, slow, or stop, is putting them selves at risk of going over a ledge with a very uncomfortable landing. Also, almost all trails here are multi-use, with right of way to hikers and horseback riders. Some trails even have these rules outlined at the trailhead. For those who like to bomb downhill there are place to go for that.

BTW - The same rule goes for the off road jeep trails in Colorado, trucks going uphill have the right away.

Crazy statement above. the one giving way should be the one coming down. If you are riding at a speed whereby you cannot stop when you need to,you should hang your head in shame and crawl back under the stone you came from. You can get going easily going down, not going up. The need for speed etc whilst understandable mustn't overpower the communal enjoyment. Thoroughly selfish and immature.

I agree with you Marcus. My local trails are through thick woodland which as the spring and, hopefully if it arrives, summer come along, get more and more dense with undergrowth, this means that you can't always see around the corners whether up hill or not. Most of the people i meet on the trails take an intelligent approach to things and will stop to let you pass if it's better/safer (not necessarily easier) for them to stop and I do the same. It shouldn't be a case of whether you're going up hill or down it should be based on the individual conditions of that part of the trail. It's what most people do when they meet someone on a flat section of singletrack.

As a group MTB'ers get it in the neck from so many other groups (Ramblers, land 'owners', motorists etc.) we ought try and stick together a bit and say thanks when someone lets you pass, whether you're overtaking a slower rider or you meet someone coming the other way.

I give the climber the right of way. He/she's usually working harder than me and I'll be there before long hoping that someone shows me the same curtesy. Smiling and thhanking any other trail user is always good, even (especially) when they're of the grumbly "you biking louts should stay on the roads" variety as you give them one less excuse and may, in the long run actually win some of them over.

Descenders claiming the ROW often reason with "I'm going too fast to stop safely", which frankly makes my blood boil.

In the vast majority of cases, all trail users have the responsibility to be able to stop at a moment's notice. That means; if there's a wide open trail in front of you, go faster sure but if you're in twisty covered forest with blind corners then you need to slow down. This is terribly inconveniet for our DH brethren and I enjoy a bit of DH blasting myself, but you can't get away from the fact that not being able to stop if you round a corner and find a dog/child/horse standing just behind the apex of the corner and you hit it you are in the wrong. Of course this is different on a specificall marked bike only one way trail, but these are few and far between and almost exclusively restricted to bike parks.

If it's shared use then by definition no one party has ROW. In fact that's not completely correct; if it's a public Bridleway then both pedestrians and horseriders have ROW over a cyclist, which just goes to remind us of our place in this world.

blimey my grammar is bad :P

If someone stops for me it's no effort to shout 'thanks' and '3 more coming through'

I'm not sure why I'm still shocked on a daily basis at the rudeness of some people...

If I'm coming down a hill , if the way ahead looks treacherous as a passing place. I stop and get off - too many times I have not slowed down a hill and hit a submerged log or worse and had impromptu flying lessons combined with a face-scrape down a Mountain Ash bole. Chivalry is not dead in Northumberland but I do wish some people would incline or nod their head when I get off my bike to let them past. Sigh...!

I'm proud to stop for my fellow trail users. Seeing the ammount of control some have over their bikes, it's the safest option too - it's fun watching a group ride past. If someone yeilds for me, I'll always say "2 more", or "last man" - so they can carry on safely - and of course thanks and a cheery grin. If we can't be happy on the trails, where can we be happy? It sure beats being in work! I'm amazed by the number of riders who seem so grumpy, too grumpy to even say "hi" as they pass. The worst offenders are riders on v expensive bikes who think they're above anyone on a cheaper bike. Wierdos! Anyway......be nice to the folks on the way up, cos you'll meet them on the way back down.

+1 give way to the poor b*st*rd climbing

some great comments, keep 'em coming...i particularly like the use of ' be nice to the folks on the way up, coz you'll meet them on the way back down.'

I guess if every rider had some manners then it wouldn't be an issue...whoever is in the position to stop safely should give way.

Anybody here ride the Timberland trail in Bristol? The volume of riders going the wrong way (around a marked trail) and making no attempt to give way is amazing...or even acknowledging you exist!

I agree the person coming down should stop or move aside.

Priority to the climber suffering against gravity and steep inclines.

From the highway code

155

Single-track roads. These are only wide enough for one vehicle. They may have special passing places. If you see a vehicle coming towards you, or the driver behind wants to overtake, pull into a passing place on your left, or wait opposite a passing place on your right. Give way to vehicles coming uphill whenever you can. If necessary, reverse until you reach a passing place to let the other vehicle pass. Slow down when passing pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

Being new to the sport I'm not as fast as I'd like but getting there. I'm also fortunate to live in Scotland where a lot of the trails are one way and specifically for mountain biking. So other users and people going opposite directions are rarely a problem.

I'm always prepared either on the downhill or uphill sections to let more skilled (or faster) riders pass. Especially on downhill when people have worked hard to get up the top and don't want the effort to go unrewarded. A good reason not to be listening to your ipod at full volume so you can be aware of someone coming behind you.

Before I enter a trail if someone has just started I usually wait to give them a big start to make sure I don't catch up. If I do it's really annoying if I have to stop but hey ho . There is no point in getting all het up about it anfd using it as an excuse not to do the right thing by others. Treat everybody - including the discourteous , as you would like to be treated and the world will be a happier place.

I like to fly downhills also,, but always give way to the people going up. if you are trying to go up a proper DH section on a XC bike you are nuts and he man..and should look really... most trails that can be cycled up are not proper DH sections anyhoo... am talking root and rock gardens here no single track. more technical. anyway give way to the up people.. most DHers are chilled out people anway, it's stressy enough dealing with hills that getting wound up about angry people, they will only burst a tyre.