Riding help/advice

lee96

I've just brought a new Downhill bike (Specialized bighit) and it has a lot more travel than my carrera and is a lot softer. I went riding over the weekdend at Haldon i feel a lot more confident and comfortable on the bike, and don't feel any slower.
Obviosuly cornering will be very different to my Carrera where i could go into a corner flat out on my Bighit i can't do this and feel like i can't 'flow' as well.

Now obviously turning will be a lot more difficult and so will uphills but does could anybody give me any tips or advice on how to keep speed up efficiently a lomg flats and up hill and how i can corner without having to slow down?

Thanks

coopsman1

Man up and chuck it in

I take it you do the Red route mixed with black?

Or do you just cheat and head doen for the black stretch.

cee

Thats the problem with a big bike....

to keep speed on the flat or uphill bits, you really need to carry your speed into them...

work on your entrance to any corners that have flat or uphill bits after them and increase/maintain your speed through the corner...then pedal til you blow.

lee96

Yea i ride the last 2 sections of the ridge ride trail then the bermed ridge ride 'extreme'

But soon i will be heading out to Gawton, Haldon was just to get used to the bike and so me and my mate could get some filming in for his girlfriends Media project.

Thanks for the help guys.

supersonic

The bike is a lot slacker angled - it will not andle anywhere near as fast as the Carrera on tight, twisty level courses. As above, you need to ride it differently to get the most out of it.

lee96

How do you mean differently? More aggressive and work a lot harder for speed?

supersonic

Maybe have to weight the front end more to get it to grip. Just keep riding, you'll get the hang of it!

But as it will be heavier it ill require more effort anyway.

lee96

Ahhh i gotcha...Might be a hint to get fitter :oops:

lee96

Thanks by the way

Northwind

Also lots of travel, which can be very disconcerting til you're used to it, the bike reacts a lot more on braking and in berms and the like. And of course it's new to you so that'll be doubly weird. Give it a bit of time first.

bluechair84

I find I naturally pump the bike through a trail - a load of travel will make this harder to do. You could try increasing the spring preload a little?

lee96

Preload...Stupid technical terms confuse me :roll:
Preload making the Shock harder?

bluechair84

Yeah, if you tighten the spring slightly you'll stiffen up the back end - it will have other side effects too but you can always try. It might make the back a little more responsive through red/black graded trail centres as you can 'pump' more successfully.

bluechair84

Yeah, if you tighten the spring slightly you'll stiffen up the back end - it will have other side effects too but you can always try. It might make the back a little more responsive through red/black graded trail centres as you can 'pump' more successfully.

lee96

Ah ok. I'll have a fiddle on saturday before Cann.
Thanks for all the help.