I keep falling off, help!

Stevie-eff
Stevie-eff Posts: 36
edited June 2012 in MTB beginners
I am reasonably new to this game, been doing it about a year.

I have a Specialized Rockhopper Comp 2012, i ride clipped in with SPD's. do most of my riding at Sherwood Pines on the red and blue routes.

I am having trouble with loosing grip in fast corners and some of the sandy and loose muddy bits of the tracks again in corners. Had a few falls, not too bothered about that though, cuts bruises and scratches heal soon enough. I just want to get faster through the corners and feel confident the bike isnt going to slide out from under me. I am looking at getting better tyres, at the moment i have the standard specialized captain sports. I dont feel they are grippy enough.

It has been politely (and not so politely) suggested to me in another area of this forum that it may be a problem with my technique and the way i am weighting the bike?

Any advice gladly accepted.

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    so just the same as you asked here?
    viewtopic.php?t=12859482
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Stevie-eff
    Stevie-eff Posts: 36
    nicklouse wrote:
    so just the same as you asked here?
    viewtopic.php?t=12859482

    Pretty much, i wanted to stay in line with forum rules and uses. Might get a few more helpful responses in newbie forum
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Fabien-Bar ... ering.html
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  • Stevie-eff
    Stevie-eff Posts: 36
    Thanks for that oodboo, i will give that a try next time i get out.
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Lean forward in corners, not back. Weight on the front wheel to give it grip. Lean the bike not your body.
  • Good Old Bakes
    Good Old Bakes Posts: 89
    nicklouse wrote:
    so just the same as you asked here?
    viewtopic.php?t=12859482

    No. There he was asking advice on tyres and people started commenting about his technique so here, he's asking for advice on technique. Cut the lad some slack.
  • brindlescoops
    brindlescoops Posts: 464
    nicklouse wrote:
    so just the same as you asked here?
    viewtopic.php?t=12859482

    And it probably would have taken less time to offer some constructive guidance, than to search for, copy and paste the link to make him look like a twonk! :-p
    My biggest fear is that should I crash, burn and die, my Wife would sell my stuff based upon what I told her I paid for it.
  • Twelly
    Twelly Posts: 1,437
    Rebel against the mods! Viva la revolution!
    Epic Threads
  • brindlescoops
    brindlescoops Posts: 464
    TwellySmat wrote:
    Rebel against the mods! Viva la revolution!

    Ha Ha, I have got my Che Guevara T Shirt on for the afternoon!! :lol::lol:
    My biggest fear is that should I crash, burn and die, my Wife would sell my stuff based upon what I told her I paid for it.
  • miss notax
    miss notax Posts: 2,572
    I think perhaps different tyres would make a big difference :D

    Also don't be too hard on yourself - Sherwood Pines can be quite fast and some of the corners have a loose surface that can catch out anyone. I say with the voice of experience as it was there that I buckled my wheel quite spectacularly 2 weeks ago (the cuts and bruises are only just starting to go!) :?
    Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away....

    Riding a gorgeous ano orange Turner Burner!

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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    BrindleScoops wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    so just the same as you asked here?
    viewtopic.php?t=12859482

    And it probably would have taken less time to offer some constructive guidance, than to search for, copy and paste the link to make him look like a twonk! :-p
    And you miss the point totally.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • brindlescoops
    brindlescoops Posts: 464
    And you miss the point totally

    :roll:
    My biggest fear is that should I crash, burn and die, my Wife would sell my stuff based upon what I told her I paid for it.
  • 1mancity2
    1mancity2 Posts: 2,355
    Try tyres also the pressure in them can make a huge difference, as bennett says weight over the front, elbow up.

    Also try different rebound settings, if its too slow your wheel will wash out easier.

    As your turning push your outside knee against your frame and your inside knee out, twist your hips and feet this will push the back end round.
    Finished, Check out my custom Giant Reign 2010
    Dirt Jumper Dmr Sidekick2
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    1mancity2 wrote:
    As your turning push your outside knee against your frame and your inside knee out, twist your hips and feet this will push the back end round.
    You put your right hand in,
    You put your right hand out,
    You put your right hand in,
    And you shake it all about,

    You do the hokey pokey
    and you turn yourself around
    That what it's all about.

    Etc.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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    Parktools
  • 1mancity2
    1mancity2 Posts: 2,355
    cooldad wrote:
    1mancity2 wrote:
    As your turning push your outside knee against your frame and your inside knee out, twist your hips and feet this will push the back end round.
    You put your right hand in,
    You put your right hand out,
    You put your right hand in,
    And you shake it all about,

    You do the hokey pokey
    and you turn yourself around
    That what it's all about.

    Etc.

    Ohhh the ...........
    Finished, Check out my custom Giant Reign 2010
    Dirt Jumper Dmr Sidekick2
  • Stevie-eff
    Stevie-eff Posts: 36
    Thanks all for the advice, (and also defence against snotty comments!!)

    I am changing my tyres, ordered a pair of panaracer fire xc pro's. Also been advised to lower tyre pressure to approx 35psi.

    As soon as i get a rare day off work and some half decent weather i will be trying out some of your tips.

    I will post back to let you know how i get on.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Lower it to 35psi?! and the rest! If you have it significantly higher than 35 now then yeah that will be at least some of your problem especially in soft, loamy soil.

    Think of your bike as being seperate to your upper body - lean the bike into the turn, weight forward, lift outside elbow to bring you forward but keep body upright, steer body toward where you want to go and look at the corner exit, plan ahead and do your braking in a straight line so you can enter the corner off the brakes - nothing makes you go down faster than a fist full of brakes (or at least that's what she said - ho ho)
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 8,045
    Stevie-eff wrote:
    Thanks all for the advice, (and also defence against snotty comments!!)

    I am changing my tyres, ordered a pair of panaracer fire xc pro's. Also been advised to lower tyre pressure to approx 35psi.

    As soon as i get a rare day off work and some half decent weather i will be trying out some of your tips.

    I will post back to let you know how i get on.

    Good call on the tyres, IMO one of the best all round XC tyres available, did you get the 2.1's?
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • Darkstalker420
    Darkstalker420 Posts: 212
    Good choice with the Panaracers had a pair on my bike for years..... However a badly positioned v brake block wore a small hole in the side wall which over time got bigger. I patched this however yesterday it got silly and the tube was almost hanging out :shock:. So reluctantly i have to throw it away (still has loads of tread as well!).

    As mentioned lower psi in the front AND get more weight over the front wheel in the turns (maybe try some flats?). I have some SPD's but went back to "knarly" flats for ease of use and the "can i clip/unclip in time" brown trouser moments!! :lol:.

    Thanks.
  • pilch
    pilch Posts: 1,136
    http://www.great-rock.co.uk/courses/stop-crashing/
    A berm? were you expecting one?

    29er race

    29er bouncer
  • 1mancity2
    1mancity2 Posts: 2,355
    pilch wrote:
    http://www.great-rock.co.uk/courses/stop-crashing/

    Ed will help you alot.
    Finished, Check out my custom Giant Reign 2010
    Dirt Jumper Dmr Sidekick2
  • Stevie-eff
    Stevie-eff Posts: 36
    Thanks again folk for the advice, yes homers double, they are the 2.1's.

    Got the PSI lowered, and am trying out advice you are all giving and so far, no falls. However, due to the wet ground i have not been pushing it as hard. When i get a good dry run i will give it a good go.

    Darkstalker420, i agree with the clip/unclip comment and i have had a few of them. However, one bonus, when i have failed to unclip i have landed between the ground and my bike. Cuts, scratches and bruises heal, bike scratches on my pride and joy bike however dont. Nothing worse than that first big scratch on a new bike!!!!

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