Drop off dilemma
Triban Man
Posts: 35
There are a couple of big (ish) drop offs, one quickly after the othr, at my local mountain bike track which are causing me concern.
To date, I have successfully negotiated them by building up speed. However, my control is minimal. I know there is a far better way of doing them.
They are both on a fairly steep slope. Am keen to take them on correctly at a slower speed. Any advice?
To date, I have successfully negotiated them by building up speed. However, my control is minimal. I know there is a far better way of doing them.
They are both on a fairly steep slope. Am keen to take them on correctly at a slower speed. Any advice?
0
Posts
Practice the timing and technique on smaller things first, even a kerbstone will be fine. Then slowly build up to larger and larger drops.
Speed isn't a bad thing, but it can sometimes mask poor technique.
If you are nervous you may well be quite upright, immobile and hanging on with a death grip! Try to stay off the brakes as people tend to grab a handful as they land, or even brake in mid air in anticipation.
If you have two joined up it may be better to find somewhere else to practise first.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
+1 keep it minimal, you don't want too much going through your head
Drop offs are a bugbear for me too. I'm happy to drop a couple of feet onto a flat landing, but when the landing's a steep downslope with loose surface and a corner at the bottom my head doesn't like it. This one at Gisburn (which is only a bike's length after a 90 degree left hander) gets me every time (I've attempted it twice, and not crashed either time, but made a real hash of it and nearly binned it):
I know the theory of how to do it, but putting it into practice is another matter.
Various vids including many Trail Centres
Technique is the same whether you're riding off a kerb or hucking off a cliff.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
Where is that at Gisburn? Cant say i remember it from the red route, so im asuming Hope Line?
Ok. Pump the forks and move your weight back so that the rebound of the fork lifts the front wheel a little. Practice off a kerb, you are getting it right if both wheels land at the same time.
If its a steep landing you can sometimes just ride off the lip and let the front drop but that comes with experience.
Most important thing is weight back and low, arms and legs slightly bent. Keep relaxed and don't tense up.
Already gave my opinion above, but as two people have suggested popping the wheel up without actually suggesting how, a little clarity was required.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
Yeah, fine ok. But if you can explain it better go ahead, rather than just saying it should be done.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
Make it clearer then. Explain it.
Either that, or STFU.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
Two of us tried to explain, you said not to do that, so I'm asking you to explain it better. What is your problem for chrissakes?
Yeah, about half way down the Hope Line. The trail splits round the trees and you've got the choice of that drop (or the chicken run immediately tp its right, which just slopes down), or a double drop on the other side.
This pic shows the landing slope better:
It's not the drop that bothers me (in itself it's nothing), it's the steep, loosely surfaced landing that freaks me out. I approach it every time knowing the theory and intending to drop it, but at the last moment my head says "Abort! Abort!" and I slither to a stop or take the chicken run. This short vid shows it from the bottom, with the alternative double on the left:
http://vimeo.com/64553607
This one at Stainburn's similar (steep landing slope, loose over hardpack surface, right turn at the bottom. After half a dozen aborted approaches I finally took it, landed it fine and thought "well, that was nowt", but still baulk on the approach now, even having nailed it once:
Aye, I understand the theory - weight rearwards, knees bent, keep low over the bike, arms bent so that the dropping front wheel doesn't pull me forward over the bars, lift the front a little, and the fact that the down slope should actually help a smooth landing, since it's effectively flat under the wheels (since the dropping front's below the higher rear), but when I approach and look over the edge I just get all :shock: in my head. I'm just rubbish, lol.
I had a similar moment doing the big drop in Glentress, in the freeride park, and whilst I look back at it now and wonder what the fuss was about, at the time, it took several aborted runs to hit it
I probably need to find a similar drop in isolation to practice on, rather than these (the gisburn one's 40 miles away anyway, so a bit far just to nip up just for a practice, lol). Take away the loose surface and corner that needs negotiating just after the drop and there's less for the head to process and fret about. Get the basic technique nailed so you know you can do it, then transfer it to the trail.
I must be getting old, when I was a kid I would've thrown myself off there on my BMX without even thinking about it. At one point we had a jump that was made of a stack of wooden pallets about six feet high, with a big sheet of wood for the takeoff ramp, then a gap of about ten feet before the similar landing ramp, and I'd happily launch off that all evening, but now I can't get my head round these little drops, lol. At least I know I'm a fanny though - it's amusing to see some of the riders at the top of the Hope Line sat on long travel AM bikes in full armour and full face lids, looking the real deal, but then going down there no faster and just as fanny-like as me, lol...
I didn't say not to do it, I said not to pull up as both your instructions were vague - telling someone to pop the wheel up without actually explaining how that is done could lead them to think they need to pull up, which is bad.
RM got that and clarified it, you can't actually do that without having a dig, maybe it's your ego needs massaging but you really need to learn that if you want a polite answer, ask a polite question.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
It's easier said than done but if I'm doing something I'm uncomfortable with then I focus on one thing, staying loose on the bike. It tends to help the other things happen on there own, but if you are tight and rigid you can't do anything (apart from grab the brakes at the wrong time) .
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
But your frustration at not actually being able to word it any better seems to have angered you somehow, and it seems like your fragile ego is the one that's needing some massaging.
You took an invitation to clarify something, and turned it into a declaration of war.
I'd already commented that I push the bike away from myself as a technique, that has the benefit of also compressing the fork slightly to get you some rebound. You could tell the OP to push down, but as forks are quite good a damping rebound in that direction that doesn't really work.
If you want to coherently criticise in that as advice I'm all ears.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
Quite apart from that, I disagree with your advice about pushing the bike away from you, that's just going to end in tears, unless you mean extending your arms and legs to meet the landing.
If the OP needs clarification on why pulling up is a bad idea then I'll happily provide it.
Giant Trance
Radon ZR 27.5 Race
Btwin Alur700
Merida CX500
You've got some serious issues, and I don't mean that as a silly remark, or an insult. It's rather worrying.
So, for the last time, can you clear it up and provide a better explanation?