[Rhymenocerous]

Gonna keep this one short -

Anyone here ride chainless for training purposes?

If anybody has ever done a chainless race, you know it's fun. So why not change up the on-the-bike training, keep it interesting, and what better way to work on carrying speed through a whole course?

Maybe the more serious racers here could chime in? I'm interested to see how people feel about this.

 

[willem]

I think its a great idea.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

I was talking to a lady who did the Chainless at the Mob in Mojave. She was commenting on how she was actually faster in her chainless race because she had to pump each and every inch of the terrain to make it work.

I could see it being useful if you had time on a course to practice without. If you could pump it all the way down, and incorporate the ability to pedal after learning it all the way through, I could see that being really useful.

 

[Kanye West]

Some of the trails by me can be done completely freefall, so I do chainless quite often (usually not by choice). The biggest thing is that it forces you to keep your pedals level through just about all corners and makes you ride CLEAN. Works excellent.

 

[stringbean]

really good, do a few pedalless runs (bit of self control helps) and then start to throw some pedals in, you notice that you hold speed better into and out of corners and pump more sections rather than pedal, as most of the time you hold better momentum and speed.

 

[dhkid]

i do train 'chainless' once in a while, keeps things fresh and keeps you smooth.

well, i say chainless, but i leave the chain on, just dont pedal. its amazing how you find your self trying to sneak in some pedal strokes out of corners sometimes, it just instinct after a while.

anyways, chainless is good stuff, try to brakes less too where possible. most of the time your mind is so cleared up from not needed to worry about pedaling/chainging gears, you can judge how much you need to brake better. most of the time end up going through sections much faster then you would with a chain.

 

[Damo]

Chainless is great! I spent half a season here in Morzine chainless as the chainguide I had sucked (Blackspire) and it was better to take the damn thing off.

It teaches you to be smoother and your cornering will improve. Keeping your speed to get through sections you would otherwise pedal.

Pumping everywhere and cornering better.

 

[Speedwa]

Dropped a chain earlier this month and had so much fun I rode without putting it back on for a week. Ended up a better rider for it too!

 

[John P.]

You see tons of chainless dudes at Whistler every year (mostly Aussies, for some reason).

BITD, I was doing a two-run format DH race at Sunday River and threw my chain sprinting off the start line on my second run. I think my finishing time was only 6 seconds slower over the 3-4 minute course without the chain, and that was mostly due to me forgetting that I had no chain on a couple of flat sections and falling over when I pedaled into zero resistance. Made me realize two things: 1. I should have been pedaling a hell of a lot more when I had my chain in the first run, and 2. You can definitely get faster if you concentrate more on carrying speed from one section to the next.

 

[OB1]

Hell, pedaling is the only thing I don't like about bikes! All races should be chainless! As a former bmxer...it gives me a chance against all the XC converts. Those guys never stop pedaling!!

 

[S.K.C.]

You see tons of chainless dudes at Whistler every year (mostly Aussies, for some reason).

Made me realize two things: 1. I should have been pedaling a hell of a lot more when I had my chain in the first run, and 2. You can definitely get faster if you concentrate more on carrying speed from one section to the next.

...if you've seen a lot of Aussies riding chainless at Whistler year after year... I think this explains a lot. :biggrin:

 

[Rhymenocerous]

To me it seems like a downhillers logical progression from a pumptrack - taking those same ideas and skills but applying them to the trail.

I might be taking it too far but I started thinking about this because I have enough spare (albeit bent, worn, misused, and abused) parts to build a dedicated chainless bike to fool around on. I guess I could be the local weirdo who scooter-walks his bike around all the time... on the other hand I would probably be the smoothest guy on the mountain after a while. Hmmmm......

 

[toodles]

I was doing a two-run format DH race at Sunday River and threw my chain sprinting off the start line on my second run. I think my finishing time was only 6 seconds slower over the 3-4 minute course without the chain.

Same here... A few months ago I did a two run race and broke my chain in the first 200 metres of the track on my first run. In a 4 minute track that had a significant uphill in the middle, I was 20 seconds slower than my 2nd run with chain. I know 20 seconds sounds like a lot, but I had to get off and jog up the uphill section plus I was trying to conserve energy for my 2nd run.

 

[ciszewski]

Better yet a dedicated chainless hardtail. That would teach you some mad skills.

 

[Bicyclist]

Better yet a dedicated chainless hardtail. That would teach you some mad skills.

Hell, why not run a dedicated chainless rigid bike with slicks and cantilever brakes?

 

[seespotendo]

Hell, why not run a dedicated chainless rigid bike with slicks and cantilever brakes?

and without a seat.

 

[al-irl]

chainless is great. Myself and the guys i ride with do it every now and again. Powerlinks come in very handy for popping ur chain off. If you leave it on your always tempted to put in the bitch pedals. First started doing it after i snapped my chain while practicing for a race. Wasn't bothered to waste time going back to the van and repairing it so just kept on banging out runs chainless for the rest of practice. I found I was getting much smoother, holding my speed better in corners and was starting to get some of the gaps i was struggling to get earlier when i was pedaling my ass off.

 

[ciszewski]

That brings up a whole new point that my brain didn't think of. Practicing chainless. Thought about doing it on weekend or just for fun/training. But doing it on the race course on practice day would help a lot I think. You'd be able to pick out the fastest lines better and get it down smooth faster and better than you would with a chain. I think I'm going to give it a go at the first race.

 

[fortenndu]

When I was at Whistler this year a couple Aussie's and Brits convinced me to do a chainless a-line run with them. I wish I could do it more but during the winter I ride pretty much XC only.

 

[.:Jeenyus:.]

i had to ride 6 days this summer at whistler chainless due to a lack of funds.

most fun i have ever had on a bike.