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Riding Technique - Lessons

boostindoubles

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
8,245
6,683
Yakistan
I haven't had any formal classes, but the one lesson that carried me into the next level was a guy who taught me the bunnyhop on my bmx when I was a kid. Learning how to hop a bike and then master it laid the foundation for all kinds of bike skills. The key for me is the attack position and knowing when to move weight around. Also, are you still coming down to Leavenworth this month?

Lastly, start riding a SS hardtail on your trails and watch your technique improve quickly.
 
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Da Peach

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,756
5,156
North Van
boostindoubles said:
I haven't had any formal classes, but the one lesson that carried me into the next level was a guy who taught me the bunnyhop on my bmx when I was a kid. Learning how to hop a bike and then master it laid the foundation for all kinds of bike skills. The key for me is the attack position and knowing when to move weight around. Also, are you still coming down to Leavenworth this month?

Lastly, start riding a SS hardtail on your trails and watch your technique improve quickly.
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Ha, yeah, bunnyhopping is a mysterious piece of voodoo to me. My second session is set to focus on manualling. We'll see how that goes...

And yeah, me and a crew of cronies are headed to Leavenworth over the 'Merican Freedom weekend. We're keen to get some info on the area.
 
HardtailHack

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
7,536
6,880
I have to do stuff through repetition, I like to find corners I can roll in to brakeless and I just keep going up the hill a bit further each run and grow my nuts slowly. If I don't do it like that I seem to fly at a corner, brake in the wrong spot and get retarded all while staring at my front wheel. I have ridden bikes for year but I still have to consciously work on keeping my eyes up, being **** sucks!
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,969
7,817
Colorado
Da Peach said:
Ha, yeah, bunnyhopping is a mysterious piece of voodoo to me. My second session is set to focus on manualling.
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Seriously? I thought that was just a given for riding DH. You need to work on those, as they are big when it comes to carrying speed.

Throw some flats on the smaller bike (sb?) and just start bunnyhopping up things. Preferably find a curb that gets progressively taller and work your way up it.

As for manualing, practice on the DH bike with flats. Make sure to put on your shin guards and ride around the street practicing. You should be looping out while you find your balance point. Once you find it, try to hold to for long periods. Once you get that down, using it to carry speed is much easier.
 
Jim Mac

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
Da Peach said:
Ha, yeah, bunnyhopping is a mysterious piece of voodoo to me. My second session is set to focus on manualling. We'll see how that goes...

And yeah, me and a crew of cronies are headed to Leavenworth over the 'Merican Freedom weekend. We're keen to get some info on the area.
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So much of bunny hopping is actually in the snap of the wrists it seems - push down with the feet then snap your wrists upward initially as you pull up overall . Of course your elbows are pushed down in recoil position before the snap upward. It's one of those things you don't notice because you've been doing it so long.

Not to get all nerdy, but check out a book called the Talent Code. Not bike specific, but it has good data that backs up the idea that it takes about 10,000 hours to master a skill. So, 'git out there & ride/session!
 
Da Peach

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,756
5,156
North Van
^ funny. the coach mentioned the 10,000 hours thing during the session.

I went out for ride yesterday. started on a trail that I ride all the time, but only managed to improve on 1 or 2 of the corners. Then I went back to the trail where we did the sessions. it went much better, but it's clear I've only scratched the surface on the 10,000 hours...
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
42,784
14,867
Portland, OR
Toshi said:
This. Well, I can't say that I've translated it to the mountain bike, but I learned all about cornering through motorcycling, specifically a Lee Parks ridercourse.
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The Lee Parks book was HUGE, but after meeting him at Leguna Seca and taking his course, my skillz went through the roof. It translated to both off road moto and bikes in a huge way.

Know your machine, know it's limits, and know yours. I am a real bitch about my tires and how well they take a corner. I'm all about the corners.

What's funny is it has also translated a little into my driving, too. Mostly entering the corner under power at the right speed vs on the brakes.
 
jackalope

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,686
6,083
in a single wide, cooking meth...
I haven't read the whole thread, but let me break it down for you based on my considerable skillset:

* Always come into corners super hot...there is no exception to this rule
* Always brake (usually hard) in said corner...this allows for sweet skiddies (a sh!tty version of a cutty) and keeps you from carrying too much speed out of the corner, which is critical (see following rule)
* Always make sure you're in a really tall gear when entering into a corner, this technique really works your legs and right thumb as you struggle mightily to pedal back up to speed.
* Laser etch the word "pedal" on your cockpit components and top tube, otherwise you're likely to forget about this important aspect and you'll have to rely on spectators to remind you.
* Approach sketchy sections cautiously, and with liberal rear braking (especially on slippery surfaces). No one ever smashes through gnar with raw speed and confidence.
* Bunny hopping/jumping over technical features is not only dangerous, but possibly illegal in some states. I have been petitioning the USAC and UCI to adopt a time penalty for riders who gap over long sections of gnar chunder. Riders who do this are shortchanging their own trail experience and dumbing down mountain biking. I mean jesus, they invented 29ers for a reason.
* Walking the course is also to be avoided. Its essentially cheating, and the truth is, the first time you ride a new trail is usually the best way. Really not much to be gained IMO.
* Assume all corners have an increasing radius, which is why you should always come in super hot.
* Trails are really only woodland suggestions about where you should ride...feel free to cut corners and occasionally ride off trail when implementing the coming in super hot cornering technique.
* Foot out on 80-90% of the corners, regardless of cornering speed or difficulty of the corner. Can't be too careful ya know.
* Elbow droop...like droop travel, this is extremely important to understand and adopt. Hunch your back, drop your elbows, sit down, and cock your head up as far as possible. Not only does this look pro as sh!t, you'll keep a low air profile and keep your legs fresh for all the pedaling you'll be needing to do.
* Always keep your weight back...your front tire doesn't need any additional force to work properly.
* Consider cutting off your side knobs. I don't use mine, so they're just extra weight.
* A word about geo - in short, go for the Fabien Barel DH set up, but even slacker with a 2* angleset. Anything with a headangle above 60*, chainstay length <18.1" or BB height above 11.5" is basically unrideable at the WC speeds we see on the regulars.
* If possible, try to ride with people who are slower than you. It really makes you feel like a bad ass and will hopefully encourage them to quit. Gotta limit the Cat 2 competition whenever possible. That 2.7 Kenda Blue Groove for 3rd place is yours damn it.
* Never look through turns. Just stare about 1 -2 feet in front of your wheel.

That's just a primer, but it should help you start seeing results in short order.


Actually, given your proximity to Whis, I think it would be rad to take some lessons or go to a camp. That and continue to ride with faster guys like Stoney and Full Trucker. Within limits, its always helped me to ride behind marginally faster guys, but I've also tried to ride with full on pinners and it was ugly/disheartening.
 
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StiHacka

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,508
In hell. Welcome!
You can ride with Google Glass and have Jackalope's excellent instructions always in front of your eye. It might even give you voice commands to hot hit a turn that you haven't even seen, yet - rally racing mode!

(if possible, I never had that thing in my hands)
 
Da Peach

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,756
5,156
North Van
kidwoo said:
Peach, have you considered golf? Can be quite rewarding.......
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I'm not all THAT slow... but big-ted is a fast guy of the gang, but that probably doesn't help you... He's fast. Maybe even faster than you! maybe we'll find out at whistler this summer if yer not yeller.

I'm sure stoney and FT are plenty fast too... mustn't bruise any feelings...

Let's have a riding-credentials-off!
 
Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,724
16,138
where the trails are
kidwoo said:
Wait, those are your 'fast guys?'


Peach, have you considered golf? Can be quite rewarding.......
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Ha! I said that. As in, I'd ridden bikes all my life but didn't have much DH experience until I moved to Colorado. Everything is different sped up. I've gotten faster since then, by riding with faster people and crashing every once in a while.

Golf can be a hoot ... just ask Crabjoe. :thumb:
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,969
7,817
Colorado
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