Chucking a full suss about after always riding HT??

Markmjh
Markmjh Posts: 415
edited September 2011 in MTB general
Hiya folks,
just wondering if anyone else found it a difficult transition from a HT to full suss?
I am back on a mountain bike after 2 years off on a road bike. Previous to that i have always ridden hardtails, i am now on a 2006 Marin Attack Trail. I am slowly getting there, but find it really difficult to pop the front end out or hop :( I can hop if i just straight hop with both wheels at the same time, but really struggle trying to lift the front end without peddling into it.
Can anyone give me any tips, or is it just practice practice and more practice???

Cheers,
Mark
Ride Crash Ride Again

Comments

  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    If you want to lift the front end just jump on the rear sus while pulling back on the bars and throwing your weight back.

    Just stick at the FS, it comes with time.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Probably a lot to do with different geometry too.
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  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    Practice on kerbs and stuff so you are ready for the trail.
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • iwearshorts
    iwearshorts Posts: 72
    Trade it in for a hardtail? You know you want to.
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    Do the opposite of what feels intuitive - give the front end a quick pump to unweight it, rather than trying to pull it up with your arms. It'll feel a lot more stable too..
  • mikeysickalrigh
    mikeysickalrigh Posts: 246
    Keep practicing, you'll get it!
  • 1mancity2
    1mancity2 Posts: 2,355
    frogstomp wrote:
    Do the opposite of what feels intuitive - give the front end a quick pump to unweight it, rather than trying to pull it up with your arms. It'll feel a lot more stable too..

    This! it does come with a bit of practice, feels weird at first but it works.
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  • Markmjh
    Markmjh Posts: 415
    1mancity2 wrote:
    frogstomp wrote:
    Do the opposite of what feels intuitive - give the front end a quick pump to unweight it, rather than trying to pull it up with your arms. It'll feel a lot more stable too..

    This! it does come with a bit of practice, feels weird at first but it works.

    Cheers guys, gonna be trying this all the way home tonight lol
    Ride Crash Ride Again
  • Growmac
    Growmac Posts: 117
    It's at least partly the bike. I have a Mount Vision and it just doesn't like leaving the ground. I blamed the FS, but my Canyon AM loves jumping. I quite like both, but the AM is definitely the better bike for playing on jumps and drops.

    You might try a shorter stem - the Marin's come fairly long as standard (based on my 04 example).
    1994 Clark Kent F12; 2004 Mount Vision; 2011 Canyon AM 7, 2012 Canyon Torque FRX 6, a unicycle and a Brompton.
  • Markmjh
    Markmjh Posts: 415
    Growmac wrote:
    It's at least partly the bike. I have a Mount Vision and it just doesn't like leaving the ground. I blamed the FS, but my Canyon AM loves jumping. I quite like both, but the AM is definitely the better bike for playing on jumps and drops.

    You might try a shorter stem - the Marin's come fairly long as standard (based on my 04 example).

    Hadn't thought of that! It has got a stupidly long stem on it, Doh!
    Think i'll get that swapped out and then see how it goes.(Anyone want to swap an easton ea90 stem? lol)
    Ride Crash Ride Again
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Growmac wrote:
    It's at least partly the bike. I have a Mount Vision and it just doesn't like leaving the ground.
    Utter pish. It's the technique. If you've got the technique right then you can lift the front, or bunnyhop any (normal) bicycle.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    I transition between FS-HT-FS-HT all the time!

    It does take a good 5-10 mins for me to remember how to ride each bike when I get on them lol! Massively different feel/control/response!
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Growmac
    Growmac Posts: 117
    Yeeha, of course you can loft any bike, but how easy that is varies depending on the layout and various other factors. Not all are equal, my three very normal (if slightly retro in places) bikes vary massively.

    That said, well done for confirming yet again that you can be the most abrasive member of the forum by a country mile. Have a gold star.
    1994 Clark Kent F12; 2004 Mount Vision; 2011 Canyon AM 7, 2012 Canyon Torque FRX 6, a unicycle and a Brompton.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I'll gold your star in a minute.
    Marin's have had a very relaxed geometry setup for a long long time. I can guarantee you, that if you're struggling to pop up the front of a mount vision, you are doing it wrong.
  • Growmac
    Growmac Posts: 117
    I didn't claim it was a struggle, I said that it took a lot more effort than the Canyon. Geometry makes a difference, while you claimed that it didn't.
    1994 Clark Kent F12; 2004 Mount Vision; 2011 Canyon AM 7, 2012 Canyon Torque FRX 6, a unicycle and a Brompton.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    :roll:
    No, I did not claim that geometry makes no difference. But I did say, and still maintain, that the right technique will work properly on any bike, to the extent that one machine will not feel any "harder" than the other.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Growmac wrote:
    It's at least partly the bike. I have a Mount Vision and it just doesn't like leaving the ground.
    Utter pish. It's the technique. If you've got the technique right then you can lift the front, or bunnyhop any (normal) bicycle.
    Utter pish back at ya!
    It can be hard to get the front end up on the Boardman in comparison to the Canyon, and its also much harder to get any air on the Boardman too... Definately not for want of trying though.

    all down to different geometries!
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Of course. Your technique is faultless. How naive of me to ever possibly consider otherwise.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Of course. Your technique is faultless. How naive of me to ever possibly consider otherwise.
    Clearly it is you with the faultless technique if you have no issues... when will we be seeing you in the DH world cup?
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    My technique isn't faultless either. But I'm not egotistical or narcissistic enough to believe it is.
    I'm also not delusional enough to believe that I claimed my technique WAS faultless.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Egotistical, narcissistic, delusional? Your only delusion is deluding yourself that you are not delusional.
    I don't do smileys.

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  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    My technique isn't faultless either. But I'm not egotistical or narcissistic enough to believe it is.
    I'm also not delusional enough to believe that I claimed my technique WAS faultless.

    I don't think anyone has... have they?

    Or are you just starting arguments for arguments sake... as always. :roll:
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Yes, you did. Right here.
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    Clearly it is you with the faultless technique if you have no issues... when will we be seeing you in the DH world cup?
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Yes, you did. Right here.
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    Clearly it is you with the faultless technique if you have no issues... when will we be seeing you in the DH world cup?

    Welcome to sarcasm... I know you're sh!t!
















    (that end bit was a joke btw :wink: )
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Don't try to use the word "sarcasm" to hide your ineptitude, you stupid, argumentative, cnut.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Don't try to use the word "sarcasm" to hide your ineptitude, you stupid, argumentative, cnut.

    :D
    Santa Cruz Butcher

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