2nd day at swinley forest "blue trails"

core00
core00 Posts: 169
edited May 2017 in MTB beginners
First downhill on my first day was slow which is expected and today feels more confident but feels hard to turn when going downhill on berms I feel like my arms are locked.

Also I know someone who has 5"7/5"8 with bizango, do you feel like the bike is tall due to being a 29er? I feel like its tall which maybe I find it a little difficult to turn or just not used to it yet.

Comments

  • chrisdouglas
    chrisdouglas Posts: 114
    Something else you'll find/notice on others, is that they don't turn their bars much when going around fast berms, fast corners downhill. They will but they'll also lean the bike underneath them to help it turn in. It's something that can feel a bit alien but like oxoman said check out youtube for the various how-to videos.
    2013 Kona HeiHei - 29 Life

    http://www.lakesrider.weebly.com
  • core00
    core00 Posts: 169
    Thanks guys, surely I will loosen soon haha its like when I was learning to drive my arms were so stiff on the steering wheel.

    Another thing I found out on my first ride my tyres wasn't as grippy as some rocks are slippery then I lower the tyre pressure today it a little bit better than my first ride.
  • wilberforce
    wilberforce Posts: 294
    Link to skills courses at Swinley http://www.mountainbiketuition.co.uk/
  • core00
    core00 Posts: 169
    Thanks, been on youtube last night and just watching basic stuff including cornering on berms. I will try those techniques in the forest near my house it wouldn't be similar to Swinley but would give me the foundation.

    Regarding tyres, what kind of tyres do you recommend for blue and red trails? Would be nice if its tubeless ready then I can try how it feels riding on tubeless and would allow me to ride low psi without worrying pinch flats.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    edited May 2016
    Swinley is pretty smooth except the 'cobbles' can be slippery when wet. I use anything from Kenda Small Block 8s to Panaracer Rampage, but any not too knobbly tyre will be fine.

    Swinley FB page is a good place to find out what's going on, if you ignore all the 'what tyre' threads (not a dig at you - it's a standing joke), and find people to ride with. Swinley Bike Hub organises rides as well.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/SwinleyforestMTB/

    We do a bit as well via London Calling (link down there vvvvvvvv).

    There's some nice more natural off piste stuff if you know where.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    ps the red trails are no harder than the blue really, just a bit longer and pedally in places. Don't be shy. Even the single black is about the level of a green Welsh trail (ex Satans Grotto now sanitised.)

    Arrange to ride with some locals and you'll pick up some skills quickly. More welcome to join us when we go, but ours tend to include a lot of talking and resting. Or just post up something and see who bites.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • core00
    core00 Posts: 169
    cooldad wrote:
    ps the red trails are no harder than the blue really, just a bit longer and pedally in places. Don't be shy. Even the single black is about the level of a green Welsh trail (ex Satans Grotto now sanitised.)

    Arrange to ride with some locals and you'll pick up some skills quickly. More welcome to join us when we go, but ours tend to include a lot of talking and resting. Or just post up something and see who bites.

    Thanks cooldad, I've joined both groups on Fb :)

    Yeah and I found that it has more deeper dips as well in when I took the red route to go back to the look out :D aha. Planning to visit again this weekend if the weather is nice like last weekend, having someone to talk to is good than nobody to talk to :lol: I will ask the people I know as well when they're going to Swinley next.

    I'm going back to the bike hub at Swinley today to return something and I will ask them about what's a good tyre to use on their trails, was looking at continental trail with black chili compound apparently its good and grippy would be good on the front-end.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Added a couple of people this week, so now trying to decide who you are in real life...
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • core00
    core00 Posts: 169
    cooldad wrote:
    Added a couple of people this week, so now trying to decide who you are in real life...

    Aha just posted a comment on the fb page on your sig :)
  • Redkyte
    Redkyte Posts: 16
    I found my 29er tricky to get around some of the narrower berms but have since stuck with my 650b as I found it easier to throw around.

    As per the tyre pressure I've asked the bike hub and they recommended 30psi (the same pressure in all the rental bikes) and I found this has worked for me! I've tried 20psi and the rubber felt like it was slipping off the rim and 40 psi was too hard and loose.

    You'll soon build more confidence the more you go around the blue route!
  • core00
    core00 Posts: 169
    Redkyte wrote:
    I found my 29er tricky to get around some of the narrower berms but have since stuck with my 650b as I found it easier to throw around.

    As per the tyre pressure I've asked the bike hub and they recommended 30psi (the same pressure in all the rental bikes) and I found this has worked for me! I've tried 20psi and the rubber felt like it was slipping off the rim and 40 psi was too hard and loose.

    You'll soon build more confidence the more you go around the blue route!

    Yeah couldn't agree more, but hopefully I'll find my way to build my confidence it will take time surely aha.

    I'm still playing with tyre pressure, might be ideal for me to bring tyre pressure gauge as I'm currently using the "thumb method" aha. Is that 30psi on both wheels?

    @oxoman
    Thanks, I will check that tyre. Any good place to get tyres from? Currently looking on Chain Reaction
  • Redkyte
    Redkyte Posts: 16
    core00 wrote:
    I'm still playing with tyre pressure, might be ideal for me to bring tyre pressure gauge as I'm currently using the "thumb method" aha. Is that 30psi on both wheels?
    30psi out front and 32/33 in the rear :mrgreen:
  • IanWhite
    IanWhite Posts: 85
    Redkyte wrote:
    I found my 29er tricky to get around some of the narrower berms but have since stuck with my 650b as I found it easier to throw around.

    As per the tyre pressure I've asked the bike hub and they recommended 30psi (the same pressure in all the rental bikes) and I found this has worked for me! I've tried 20psi and the rubber felt like it was slipping off the rim and 40 psi was too hard and loose.

    You'll soon build more confidence the more you go around the blue route!

    I'm thinking of going to Swinley , as a retaliative new rider would you say leave my 29 er at home and hire something from them ?

    Thank's Ian
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    IanWhite wrote:
    Redkyte wrote:
    I found my 29er tricky to get around some of the narrower berms but have since stuck with my 650b as I found it easier to throw around.

    As per the tyre pressure I've asked the bike hub and they recommended 30psi (the same pressure in all the rental bikes) and I found this has worked for me! I've tried 20psi and the rubber felt like it was slipping off the rim and 40 psi was too hard and loose.

    You'll soon build more confidence the more you go around the blue route!

    I'm thinking of going to Swinley , as a retaliative new rider would you say leave my 29 er at home and hire something from them ?

    Thank's Ian

    Personally your own bike will fit you better than a hire bike, how ever good it is. Swinley as it is isn't that twisty turny at least compared to what it was, so i'd be surprised if a 29er would feel sluggish in any way. but people are different and all that.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    I bought a 29er since the posts last year and can hardly tell the difference. For me it's much faster overall on pretty much anything than my previous bikes, and fine for Swinley.

    But compared to most I'm pretty slow anyway, except for the uphill bits.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools