Jumping a bike into water?
- Thread starter ffonsok
- Start date
water-inside the fork
self explainitory
self explainitory
Just get an old junk bike for cheap.
Suspension fork will be unhappy unless it's an undamped version with just some coil springs (like the Marzocchi EXR on Caitlin's bike). Hubs and headset will get trashed, BB maybe not so much if you drill a hole in the shell...Basically anything that requires constant lubrication will die.
When I was about 10 years old my best friend and I dug a big hole next to a jump behind his house then filled it with water and rode an old bmx bike I had into it. That was a blast for one afternoon, once our parents found out what we'd been doing it was all over.
I've seen competitions where they wrap an inflated innertube around the frame and handlebars so the bike will float. I'd definately use a beater or tear down the whole bike and clean and dry every bearing and repack with grease, from pedals to headset, it will all need new grease after ridding into a lake.
I've seen competitions where they wrap an inflated innertube around the frame and handlebars so the bike will float. I'd definately use a beater or tear down the whole bike and clean and dry every bearing and repack with grease, from pedals to headset, it will all need new grease after ridding into a lake.
A really cheap single speed would probably be ideal (no brakes, ridgid or cheap suspension fork) , . Then you wouldn't have to worry about a der. and shifters.
Unless you took extra-extra good care, the water will probably rust everything (BB, headset, hubs, etc) and make the fork crappy. Get a beater.
A foam pit would be awsome. I really want to try a 360, but I don't feel like trying one on the local double. If I had some space, I would build one.
Ok, I've been doing this for years.
NO, the bike won't get trashed. I use my BMX lake jumper as a flatland bike, and no bearing has been "ruined" to the point where I can't ride it. It has always been brakeless, but even a bike with brakes won't get too thrashed, it just depends if you leave it in the water overnight. Don't waste time drilling holes in your frame, just ride a cheapo BMX/singlespeed whatever. Aluminum is obviously a better choice than steel.
Use a PFD (life jacket) for the most compact and efficient floater. Water/milk jugs are too bulky, inner tubes pop and are huge, and any ropes are a bad idea. Just duct tape 1 PFD to your frame/handle bar and you'll be good.
btw, be ready to get hurt a couple times, lake jumping is super fun and always wrecks at least a couple people.
NO, the bike won't get trashed. I use my BMX lake jumper as a flatland bike, and no bearing has been "ruined" to the point where I can't ride it. It has always been brakeless, but even a bike with brakes won't get too thrashed, it just depends if you leave it in the water overnight. Don't waste time drilling holes in your frame, just ride a cheapo BMX/singlespeed whatever. Aluminum is obviously a better choice than steel.
Use a PFD (life jacket) for the most compact and efficient floater. Water/milk jugs are too bulky, inner tubes pop and are huge, and any ropes are a bad idea. Just duct tape 1 PFD to your frame/handle bar and you'll be good.
btw, be ready to get hurt a couple times, lake jumping is super fun and always wrecks at least a couple people.
im with bikenweed, of course if you have the option, use the cheapest bike possible, but if you are going to take care of your bike afterwards, cleaning, drying and relubing it, i dont see the big deal, any water inside the frame should drain and if not, you should be drilling holes so that happens, regardless of lake jumping, its just healthy for your bike not to be a water container.
as for making it float, you dont need that big of a buoyancy increase and ive seen the half inflated tube inside the spokes work really well, you can also use water bottles (maybe your frame has mounts?) and the best trick ive ever seen is pieces of styrofoam inside the spokes (or anywhere really)
the fork SHOULDNT be affected but obviously some water can get in, which sucks.
anyway, i think a session of lake jumps is going to be less detrimental to your bikes health than a long mud ride.
oh, and be prepared for rescue missions, you never know when your floating setup might stop working, so a mask and maybe a waterproof flashlight can be really useful.
as for making it float, you dont need that big of a buoyancy increase and ive seen the half inflated tube inside the spokes work really well, you can also use water bottles (maybe your frame has mounts?) and the best trick ive ever seen is pieces of styrofoam inside the spokes (or anywhere really)
the fork SHOULDNT be affected but obviously some water can get in, which sucks.
anyway, i think a session of lake jumps is going to be less detrimental to your bikes health than a long mud ride.
oh, and be prepared for rescue missions, you never know when your floating setup might stop working, so a mask and maybe a waterproof flashlight can be really useful.
