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How Do You Sidehill?

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I thought the name of this topic "How Do You Sidehill?".....not about putting down others who ride differently, or who have left hand throttles, or use their mountain bar. :face-icon-small-con

If you can't/don't use a lefty or mountain bar.....fine. No one is calling you names because you don't find it necessary for YOU, or uncoordinated because you can't use them.

Sidehilling on my right side.....use my mountain bar and stand on right side of my sled. Left side....use my lefty and my mountain bar, standing on my left side. Use my throttle according to conditions. :)
 
Good call Cat woman. It would appear that some will practice their turns to the left or right (fine advice), but would give up on practicing the art of ambidextrous throttle control.
 
CatWoman said:
I thought the name of this topic "How Do You Sidehill?".....not about putting down others who ride differently, or who have left hand throttles, or use their mountain bar. :face-icon-small-con

If you can't/don't use a lefty or mountain bar.....fine. No one is calling you names because you don't find it necessary for YOU, or uncoordinated because you can't use them.

Sidehilling on my right side.....use my mountain bar and stand on right side of my sled. Left side....use my lefty and my mountain bar, standing on my left side. Use my throttle according to conditions. :)
Click to expand...

SEE.... nobody called you any names. nobody made fun of the way you ride.
For some .... left handed throttles are not very Macho
when I had one on my King Cat I felt "prettier" some how.
 
OK. First things first.
The original post was about sidehilling and how to.
Lean it into the hill, big hand full of throttle and go.
Throttle holds the right side up, so no need for left side throttle in side hilling.

Now about the left side throttles and the bashing they are taking.
Throttle choice does not change sexual prefference, hanging out with Larry Craig does :eek:

Left side throttle is not normally ment or used for sidehilling.
Think about it though. It's about 2 or 3 times a year that they are really needed.
What ever you climb up, you have to ride back down. We all know this.
So what about the steep downhills where it's also steep off camber to the right and you need to go left to avoid trees, cliff, or rocks etc.
Rather than reach down hill across the sled moving your weight to the wrong side of the sled, and having to grab the huge hand full to correct what you just did, it's far better to just lean your weight back into the hill and use the left side throttle and mountain bar to finess it over to the left where you need to be, nice and smooth.

For those who complain that they can't learn it, think back to when you were a kid and learning to drive a clutch.
At first you hit the wrong pedal a couple times because the brake is right there too. But then with practice, you didn't make that mistake any more and then started laughing at others for doing it. It's exactly the same with the left side throttles.
So just take the time to learn your equipment.

That all being said, I know that about 1/2 of the mountain riders like having a left side throttle, and about 1/2 don't.
That's OK. weather or not you like having a left side throttle is no reason to bash others.
 
Sidehilling was probably the most intimidating thing when first learning to mountain ride. Now I love it.

I have a lefty throttle, but rarely use it. If I am stopped in an awkward spot on a side hill (usually trying to get unstuck) I will stand on the left running board, grab the mountain bar, pull hard left, and pin it. The sled will straighten right up, then I'll switch to the right thumb throttle. It just feels more natural.

I practiced sidehilling a lot and have gotten pretty good. Now I can be heading straight down hill, and cut back in to the slop and start sidehilling again increasing the angle back up the hill as I gain speed. I can sidehill equally well to the left or right. I still prefer to stand on the left running board. I think it is because all of the other things I have done like water skiing, snow boarding, skate boarding and have always just naturally wanted to put my left foot in front.

Like any thing else, sidehilling is just practice. Once you get it it feels great. Feathering the throttle, slight weight shifts, and a little counter steer...effortless.
 
I still prefer to stand on the left running board. I think it is because all of the other things I have done like water skiing, snow boarding, skate boarding and have always just naturally wanted to put my left foot in front.

Like any thing else, sidehilling is just practice. Once you get it it feels great. Feathering the throttle, slight weight shifts, and a little counter steer...effortless.[/QUOTE]

THAT'S IT. I have never thought of it. I have always practiced the oposit of what I was more natural too doo. I am leaving in the morning for a ride. I will practice at what side I have the strongest foot in front. THANK YOU for that advice. Now that I think about it, It just might work better. Later
 
Saturday I got to use my lefty, it wasn't for sidehilling at all. I broke my leg and was right at 20 miles from the trailer. It came in very handy trying to manage the ride back. Also I was in a steep ravine with a tree in the bottom v, I used the lefty and bar to pull left to clear the tree I was in. They make some situations alot easier.
 
I didnt ask here to learn how to side hill I asked how do you all sidehill thought it would be cool to hear everyones techniques and learn a little from each other. It seems to me most people thought I didnt know how to side hill thats funny. Also most people just fight and talk trash on eachother for having a lefty come on guys were all adults well most of us lets act like mature sleders not teenagers in highschool.
 
FurryCURT said:
Packed snow its all about weight. Lean uphill and keep both skiis in contact. Straps are handy here and hope you don't have to do it for very long. Powder its about track speed and counter steering. Blip the throttle to spin the track and settle the sled in to the hill. Meanwhile turn AWAY from the hill slightly. Now that the sled has a good bite, all you have to do is feather the skiis and slightly shift your weight to send it anywhere you want. Very easy to control in anything over 6" of fresh snow. Practice on the meadows so that its second nature.
Click to expand...

hit the nail on the head. esp for me on a trx 1 with simmons gen 2s. great in the pow but any crust or hard pack and you can not get the hi ski to sink like you need it to. early in the day you can use the power to help, later it just helps you go down (the wrong way) that much faster. i stiil love it!!:)
 
I used to have a lefty, so what does that mean?
I have over-sh00t the trailer with my lefty lefty, so what does that mean.
I am dork???

But you know you lose your mind everytime you hear some crashing inside of a enclosed trailer...............same reply EVERYTIME I thought it was the brake!!!!!!!!

I side hill with throttle and hope to have the seat between my legs, doesn't always work and thats when I look like a rag doll with dangling legs!!! I am a light weight workin agaist gravity and lose all the time!!!!!
 
Last edited:
This is how i sidehill... left foot on the left running board, right foot on the right running board.
IMGP0061.jpg
 
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