Law of gravity

ianton2
ianton2 Posts: 14
edited May 2010 in MTB beginners
Hello out there..Now that i am gaining confidence and taking on some baby jumps...cant figure yet why i feel like my feet are leaving the pedals..
is this beginners scare or is my bike to heavy...giant escaper 2010 disc

Comments

  • peter413
    peter413 Posts: 5,120
    You just need to perfect your technique thats all.

    Still occasionally happens to me but no where near as much as it used to
    Transition Patrol
    Cube LTD 29er

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  • inthemicz
    inthemicz Posts: 39
    Yep same thing used to happen to me. If you really have problems getting the technique down there is always SPD's. Although learning to jump clipped in is potentially dangerous.


    I seem to remember from GCSE physics. everything falls at the same rate regardless of weight. it's air restiance that makes the difference.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    you don't really learn anything being clipped in.

    learn to ride flats and move with the bike.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • vengeance111
    vengeance111 Posts: 137
    point your feet slightly downwards and push back with your legs
    this keeps pressure on the pedals
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,695
    Pirates of the Caribbean quote"

    "They're not so much laws or rules...more like...guidelines...."
  • Pritchardd04
    Pritchardd04 Posts: 37
    you just need to scoop your feet when you jump i still do it when i havent done any jumps for a while i also find the right shoes help though but if you jump with your feet flat they do have a tendancy to come off the pedal
  • ianton2
    ianton2 Posts: 14
    hello fellow mtbers..just came home from looking at some rural forested back roads
    new sights new challanges...thanks very much for those tips on foot pedal contact when jumping...
  • nwmlarge
    nwmlarge Posts: 778
    i found that trying to lift the bike as per a bunnyhop helps to not lose the pedals.
    also don't back down when you go to jump, if you don't commit you'll come off
    2013 Saracen Ariel 162
    2010 Specialized Allez in Matt Silver
  • Oxygen Thief
    Oxygen Thief Posts: 649
    I kind of jumped accidentally when taking a shot cut through the park the other day, there was a little kicker and I was going pretty quick noticed it but thought might as well commit as you say, and pulled a decent jump, I thought anyway, for a first jump anyway. Feet stayed on pedals, it kind of came naturally. Went back and had another go and it wasn't as smooth!!! Was not impressed!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    the key is not to jump OFF the bike, and not push the bike away from yourself, just flow with it. It takes a little time to get the feeling of it, but keep trying and you'll get there - don't be put off by a fed dodgy attempts.
  • Luke-Dob
    Luke-Dob Posts: 121
    Pushing the bike into the jump JUST before you take off helps keep my feet planted and aids with the flow. Dont use SPD's though, if you land with your ankles pointing upwards, it feels that your feet are going to snap off! Plus means you cant bail off the bike should it go wrong.

    Just keep hitting some jumps over and over again, soon you will find a flow :wink:
    "If I Was Falling, YOU BETTER FREAKING CATCH ME!!!"
    6 years riding bikes, 8 broken bones, gravity can be a b**ch
    http://dobby.pinkbike.com/album/My-Bikes-D/
  • cat_with_no_tail
    cat_with_no_tail Posts: 12,981
    I've always been rubbish at jumping, and I've been doing this for years now. The problem we have here is that there are just no jumps out on the trails so it's not something I've ever had to deal with.

    It's my weakest area and tomorrow, I aim to rectify that. I'm heading down the local playing fields, they have just put up 2 fairly small dirt jumps and I'm going down there and I'm going to session them all day.

    As said above, just keep doing it over and over, it's the only real way to learn and improve.
    "Avan-TT"
    F*cking Fast 29er
    Rapid Rose Roady
    Bionicon Beast
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  • Oxygen Thief
    Oxygen Thief Posts: 649
    How should you land?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    jonbonjovial wrote:
    How should you land?
    Rubber side down, preferably.
  • Oxygen Thief
    Oxygen Thief Posts: 649
    Well yeah, but I hear people saying they've had flat landings liek it's not a good thing? So is it back wheel first, front wheel first or what?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    If you're landing on a downwards slope (often called a transition, as it is a transition from a sloped surface to flat ground) then try and land with both wheels at the same time, or even the front wheel a tiny fraction first.
    If you're landing on flat ground, it helps to push the rear of the bike down with your legs, and touching the rear wheel down first. Kind of like when you hop off a wall, you extend your legs to meet the ground, then absorb the impact with them.

    Try your best to never ever land on an uphill slope!
  • Oxygen Thief
    Oxygen Thief Posts: 649
    Sounds good, have a bash at that later
  • Luke-Dob
    Luke-Dob Posts: 121
    Also worthwhile maybe lookiing at this (if anyone of you might have a degree in maths of physics):

    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/3117332/
    "If I Was Falling, YOU BETTER FREAKING CATCH ME!!!"
    6 years riding bikes, 8 broken bones, gravity can be a b**ch
    http://dobby.pinkbike.com/album/My-Bikes-D/
  • Oxygen Thief
    Oxygen Thief Posts: 649
    Pass on that one!
  • ianton2
    ianton2 Posts: 14
    Thanks a lot guys, have been trying the tips i got and can safely say i can now bunnyhop 4inches high and yes its all about technique and core strength and the extra 3/16 machine screw studs i added to my pedals.....now lets go levitate
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Ooh, levitation is a tricky one. I used to be able to do it in my younger days :lol:

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