More tips sought for riding rocky trails – Page 2 – Bike Forum

PeterHerold · 2010-11-25T18:03:37Z

After the improvement I saw in my riding with responses the postI thought of asking STW forum again -:) I made a HD helmetcam videoof the descent on my standard ride from home on the east coast of Sardinia. I have included the sections I can just do (some for the first time when I made this vid, you can hear my swears of delight when I manage them) which would be S2/borderline S3 I guess, and some S3+ sections I don’t even try. You can see me working on line choice (often I can do each section but not one after another ‘cos I can’t set up right for 2nd one), not bashing/jamming pedals/chainring going over rocks (I can sometimes keep cranks level and rachet, but need to do better at not bashing pedals), sections with solid sharp rocks sticking up, loose rocks, steep, rocky sections with big drop-offs and a succession of rocky obstacles with dips between. So, what tips can I use for improving my riding of this route? Clearly practise helps – each time I do bits I couldn’t do before - but what specific techniques can I use / apply better and how can I do drills for these? 1. The big obstacles my chain ring hits are “some much in the middle of other things” and I’m going at walking pace, so not sure how a bunny hop would help. I could do a lot better, though, at getting my front wheel up and the bike over obstacles, but need to avoid making a full half-pedal stroke to avoid bashing pedals. 2. With practise, I’ve got lots better at simply balancing through the sections, and find that forcing myself to (at least try to) set off again from exactly where I’ve stopped is very good practise. 3. Specific tips, YouTube videos, etc very welcome! Thanks Peter

molgrips

Posts: 91168

Free Member

You look awful tense in that pic...

Posted : 06/04/2011 3:56 pm

PeterHerold

Posts: 0

Free Member

Topic starter

You look awful tense in that pic...

I was just about to put a foot down when the shutter snapped....
BTW two UK riders have just helped me rate on the green/blue/red/black UK trail center scale of difficulty the rides they've done here in Sardinia in the last week. They said this one would be red/black in the UK. With their input on 7-odd rides I can therefore (re)grade all the 30-odd best rides round here on the UK trail centre scale: 13% green 21% blue 54% red 13% black, with 4 easy family rides, 15 XC rides, 6 FR, 4-5 AM. Local hospital good at stitching too
[img]

[/img]
This meant only 1 day missed riding
cheers Peter

Posted : 08/04/2011 6:33 pm

PeterHerold

Posts: 0

Free Member

Topic starter

Look forward to the video of you nailing it all!

Am almost there. Yesterday did the slab at the bottom
[img]

[/img]
and the drop-off-followed-by-rocky-step
[img]

[/img]
but still have to do the first steep section
[img]

[/img]
and steep switchback after slab at bottom. Back again tomorrow
cheers Peter

Posted : 21/07/2011 9:58 pm

Forum menu

[Closed] More tips sought for riding rocky trails