Lowering your seat for downhills gets your weight back and prevents endos and face plants. Dropper posts let you drop and raise you seat the instant you need it. You simply lower your seat as you approach the downhill then pop it back up when you’re ready for power. 

Don’t have a dropper? Use your butt instead. Stand on your pedals and get your behind behind the seat. Use your thighs to squeeze the seat for control. When you need power again, slide back onto the seat. 

This can be a little tricky if you get way back and have a lot of seat post to get back up and over or baggy shorts that catch the seat on your way back up. (This is one of the many reasons I love my Zoic shorts from AK Cycle Chic; they’re super comfy but not baggy enough to catch on my seat.) 

Experiment on gentle hills to perfect your technique…or drop some dough for a nice dropper post.