How to ride loose rocky runs?

gingerrob25
gingerrob25 Posts: 65
edited August 2012 in MTB general
Well...

I am currently out in the Alps at the moment, which is great :)

And today was the first chance I got to ride (arrived yesterday morning) and although I this is my second time riding in the Alps, after a year of riding in the UK I had forgotten how a fair few of the runs were just made up of loose rocks covering the whole track, slightly larger than tennis balls. Rather different to the typical UK downhill run!

So today there was one run with loose rock all the way down the mountain and also with lot of sharp corners and I found it hard to carry much speed round the corners as the rocks just slipped away and the whole bike just slid out. So I couldn't get much speed up.

Can anyone give any suggestions as to how to ride this type of rocky run and carry more speed, especially around the corners?

Because at the moment it feels pretty slow considering the run isn't exactly flat to say the least.
Specialized Hardrock 06
On One 456 Summer Season 2010 neon orange!

“…get it in your head, then there’s nothing else important for the next couple of hours than getting that particular line done…” – Danny MacAskill

Comments

  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Sounds like a crap run for the Alps (is it by any chance a wide ski run - if it is find some singletrack).

    Where are you? I have ridden a few trails like that to get to other runs but if they havent been swept of the rubble by now by other bikers it suggests its not a popular route which probably means it goes nowhere good. Rethink your route.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • gingerrob25
    gingerrob25 Posts: 65
    Yeah I'm not sure that it is a proper run for mtb, but since I'm out here with my parents ( I'm a teenager) and there not always up for spending hours out on bikes, so it takes a while to explore the area,

    but next week one of my mates is coming out, so should be able to get out a bit more :)

    ATM I am in les houches, which is just outside chamonix
    Specialized Hardrock 06
    On One 456 Summer Season 2010 neon orange!

    “…get it in your head, then there’s nothing else important for the next couple of hours than getting that particular line done…” – Danny MacAskill
  • sofaboy73
    sofaboy73 Posts: 574
    as above in regards to routes. but back to you're original question - stay loose and fairly low on the bike, weight slightly further back than normal center / neutral position, unweighting the front a little more than normal and let the front wheel 'float' over stuff. let the bike move underneath you and don't try and 'wrestle' it, it'll find its own path through. in the corners, back to more neutral position and really weight the outside pedal. i find running my tyres and forks a little softer than normal for this kind of stuff helpfull as you don't get 'pinged' about as much
  • gingerrob25
    gingerrob25 Posts: 65
    Cheers for the replies, got out on the bike again today :)

    Managed to find a much better route today as well, got in some awesome single track and rockgardens! Was pretty crazy, although I didn't go up in the lifts so had to do quite a bit of climbing! But still had a great ride :)
    Specialized Hardrock 06
    On One 456 Summer Season 2010 neon orange!

    “…get it in your head, then there’s nothing else important for the next couple of hours than getting that particular line done…” – Danny MacAskill
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Also - lean the bike over, but not yourself, position yourself above the bike so that if it slips sideways, it doesn't just drop you on the floor behind it!
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