It's concrete, with got a hard (potentially tyre-ripping) edge. Should be able to just bunny hop over it to then ride along the foot high wall but the fear of smashing my face on the concrete after an OTB event is preventing that. If it didn't have that bit that's a 10cm higher at the start I don't think there'd be a problem, just keep thinking the front wheel will get destabilized as it comes off it onto the wall beyond. So I just ride up to it and hop the front wheel onto it then slam on the brakes. Every time.
Any tips for approaching it please?
Images feature a 26" rigid MTB for scale.
Try bunny hopping over the bigger bit from the side a few times onto the grass. Once you know you can clear it do it the other way.
There's no run up from the side due to a building. The grass slopes lightly up behind me, and to the right. The height is not a major problem for bunny hop, more the prospect of it going wrong. Which is why I then try to do it in two stages, front wheel up, then back wheel, but the front wheel would drop just as I try to get the back up so I chicken out instead.
Just got to do it...you can ask on here for tips etc but you'll probably forget all that as you do it anyway; seems to me this is purely mental hurdle. Do it and realise how easy it actually was...we' ve all been in this situation before
Fill in the gap with something then practice riding it, once you’re comfortable then practice with a small hop on to it then progress up to hopping clear over it onto the wall and riding along
Find a cardboard box a little bit higher, put it on grass with space around it and convince yourself you can bunnyhop over that.
The hardest part is getting your front wheel onto the top. If you can do that approach it at a brisk walking pace lift up the bars and aim to land the front wheel just after the edge. Once the front wheel is on the ledge shift your weight forward to bring up the rear wheel (much easier with spds as you can just lift up your knees too) and land rear wheel just after the ledge too. No need for brakes at all but you should cover them just in case.
Your gear lever dosnt like the look of it
Have you tried rolling your bike over it (with you not on it) just to see where the wheels are at different points, what angle the bike will be at and wether it requires a bunny hop?
It'd be a lot easier if you had some suspension........
(actually, it wouldn't, but lets not let that ruin a perfectly good excuse to have a go at a fully rigid rider....... 😉 )
Pop a full face on, borrow one if required, try it knowing it will hurt much less if you get it wrong, find that you can do it really, do it without the full face now you've proved this to yourself.
Your front tyre is on backwards.
The 10cm thing is irrelevant. Wont make a jot of difference to the bike or you. As above, roll up to it and lift front wheel on, weight forward and bring the rear on.
To get onto obstacles I approach slowly, lift the front wheel then throw my weight forward and jab the front brake to get the back wheel up, then when it's up I shove the bike forward underneath me to get it onto the obstacle. Sounds hard but not that difficult once you get it together. Practice it on kerbs.
@maxtorque Been riding the FS on hols for last two weeks. Couldn't resist a quick blast on the rigid after getting back. Felt good, so responsive!
Might try the full face and pads, good idea just might feel a bit stupid riding around town like that!
I know the principle of what I need to do and have practiced the technique elsewhere but this keeps stumping me
Who did that stick man drawing of someone crashing when they asked for advice in similar circumstances. Was funny.
Do it drunk - simple. Its a bit like religion - once you 'believe' then not even the bloody obvious will stop you 🙂
I'd start slowly by lifting just the front onto the block. Once the front lands, lift the back wheel while the front rolls onto the wall. Then do it faster gradually.
Front wheel on, weight forward, back wheel on. Bunny hopping over or onto the block would be much much harder and far more likely for you to fall sideways off the wall.
Flat pedals and seat dropped as far as it will go for the first few times as well.
Once the front wheel is over the block and onto the wall you need to check the chainring will clear the block before back wheel gets there.
How much speed can you get up rolling into it?
I'd be tempted to do like a rear-hop type thing, landing back wheel first onto the top and letting the front land well past onto the drop. It's just a gap really, but with a small 2nd drop at the end that's pranging you out. The thing that will ruin your day is the rear hanging up and sending you forward. I mean, the front hanging up with ruin your day also, but getting the front over should be a piece of piss.
That's got trip to A&E written all over it!
go in fast and hard and deal with it when you get there.... report back your findings
Couldn't you just ride around it? 😎
I'd do exactly what Roter Stern describes up there ^.
Would probably want to be on flat pedals though as if it goes wrong you're going to be making a fast sideways exit.
I'd rate flat pedal chance of injury about 50/1, spd chance of injury about 2/1
Was going to do it on commute home this evening. Without pads or full face as previously mentioned. However cross wind and rain made me reconsider. Starting to think docgeoffyjones had the right idea: see how the bike rolls over it (without being on it) and take it from there. Doing this on flat pedals, ditched SPDs a couple of years ago.
It looks fairly easy to me. I don’t think I’d be aiming to go at it fast and fully bunny hop over the first taller bit onto the wall after - that’s got way more chance of going wrong.
Id think just roll up to it at walking pace ish, then lift the front wheel so it lands on the top, then just lift the back wheel. The front wheel doesn’t look like it has more than about 10cm to drop so can’t see that being an issue.