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riding steps, what&...
 

[Closed] riding steps, what's the best technique for these?

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I dunno if my straight line is any good, but it does give you the option of braking on the flat bit away from the steps, which might be handy if you end up going a bit quick!

I always seem to be going a bit quick on steps. There's some wooden ones down to the canal near home (Off the bridge near Mytchett Canal Centre, on the way to the cafe/pub!) that have a platform in the middle, on the second flight I'm usually pretty much flat out....It makes a helluva noise 🙂


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:25 am
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[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=157zam&outx=483&quality=70 [/img]

The line I saw was similar to PPs* but you don't touch the off-piste bit, just boost of the big nice looking step and then land for the corner after the nasty looking bit of the steps. The foliage looks quite soft on the landing/crash zone

*The curved bit of the line is meant to be where you are in the air


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:37 am
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But that's not riding them.

Outside right hand edge cutting to left hand edge on the nasty bit in the middle. You lot can stand at the side just in case. 🙂


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:41 am
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Think about what normally goes wrong, then counter that with technique.

So, drop the saddle as far as it will go - you will then be able to rub your bum on the rear tyre.

Next, ensure your compression is adjusted so the steps dont eat up all the travel and pitch you forward - same with air pressure, get it right. You want to use the travel, but not at the expense of it compressing so fast it changes the geometry and pitches you forward.

Roll fast enough that you skim them rather than see/saw them.

Enter at the speed you need to finish with, thereby eliminating the need to have to use too much braking.

Lean dont steer, to get round the corner.

Where are they - id like a go.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:49 am
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How about this?
[img] ?t=1298973785[/img]


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:04 am
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STW forum session meet anyone...?


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:13 am
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Rickmeister - now thats a plan.

Lets see how all those with advice on technique actually ride in real life - Oh, hang on, I offered advice.

Good idea though.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:22 am
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The most important thing you have to do when riding steps like these is to make sure the video camera is running before you start. Second most important is that it's got enough capacity to stay running at least until the helicopter appears. 😀


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:26 am
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Enter at the speed you need to finish with, thereby eliminating the need to have to use too much braking.

......and while you are at it, remember to turn off gravity for a few seconds 😉

...and LOL @ TheBrick


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:30 am
 Drac
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Lean dont steer, to get round the corner

That would depend on speed and tightness of corner, they look too tight to lean around.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:33 am
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Drac, you may be right - I can do stright down steps - but ones with corners Ive not tried. Didnt stop me giving advice though 🙂


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:35 am
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OH dear, my camera has HD video too...gulp


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:37 am
 Drac
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Drac, you may be right - I can do stright down steps - but ones with corners Ive not tried. Didnt stop me giving advice though

No why not might add some comedy effect when he tries different techniques.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:51 am
 D0NK
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Aaaaaah just down the road from lickey hills.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:51 am
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Ohhhh thats on my way home to see my parents, I feel a challange coming on!


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 12:05 pm
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Rickmeister - yeah! Where / when?


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 12:06 pm
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Bart Green? They all ride £6000 bikes around there don't they?

Will scope this one out on a ride to the in-laws (after a few others here have had a go and reported back injury stats)


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 1:18 pm
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Dont do it without witnesses.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 1:21 pm
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Will have to drop in there and have a look next time I ride the lickeys, bet they are a lot worse than the photo appears


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 1:23 pm
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Does anyone remember coffeekings playground thread? 190 posts and 7 months later it still hasn't been done:
[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-attack-this ]http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-attack-this[/url]

rOcKeTdOg, don't be that guy. You can be a hero, in HD. A video diary containing all of the aborted attempts, the inevitable half arsed, non committed mess you make of the first go, the slow road to recovery, and then finally (eight months later, once you've healed and learnt what it is to be alive. I mean, really alive)...redemption, in slo mo, with a soundtrack to match.

I can't wait...do you need an agent?


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 1:43 pm
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If there is a half decent route that is nearby or takes the steps in email it and I'll make the trip, have a crack/crash 🙂


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 1:58 pm
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Why not ride on the smooth dirt on the RHS until the turn, then just release the brakes and whoop till you reach the bottom, looks like a straight line to me?!


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 2:22 pm
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Popped over on the commute home and did a bit of filming, will upload later


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 7:47 pm
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do hospitals have wi-fi nowadays?


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 8:20 pm
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*excited*

remember coffeeking's thread, massive anticlimax


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 8:30 pm
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thanks for the map link, without that i wouldn't know there was a place called 'bell end'!


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 8:32 pm
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thanks for the map link, without that i wouldn't know there was a place called 'bell end'!

How about Lickey , Lickey End and Rubery? 😀 😯


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 8:36 pm
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[i]thanks for the map link, without that i wouldn't know there was a place called 'bell end'! [/i]

Look even closer and you will find a road up the Lickey Hills is called ****ling Road........ 8)


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 8:38 pm
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What tyres? That'll decide the line choice, that and your preference for either a superman no-hander or a tail-whip on the 7th step


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 8:38 pm
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i filmed the steps, not me riding them, i'm not doing that alone!

bell and lickey end are about as exciting as it gets around here 😕


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 9:25 pm
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video still uploading, but here is a pic from the bottom

bike and bemused dog walker for scale
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5489403273_f800d256e6_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5489403273_f800d256e6_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketdog/5489403273/ ]from the bottom[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr

another maybe better angle
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5295/5489992988_62b7fc8b12_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5295/5489992988_62b7fc8b12_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketdog/5489992988/ ]bottom II[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 9:52 pm
 tang
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Write to chipps, this should be a feature. 'the forum shows its hand(to the dirt)' who would be brave enough to turn up? Or jedi could do a 'fish out of water' of old with a jeyboy to do the steps.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 9:53 pm
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that actually looks a lot more tame from the bottom


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:09 pm
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Is this like the 'guess where the football is' competition you get in newspapers but instead we have to put a dot where we think you'll land?


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:13 pm
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I've got a set of steps near me that are PROPER tricky. Can't grab any pics till the w/end tho 🙁

Anyone else know the ones at the Sandhills, in Sandy, Bedfordshire?
Heading north from the viewpoint, east of the railway line & south of Sandy lane:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Biggleswade,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.128759,-0.280023&spn=0.006376,0.016104&z=17


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:15 pm
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Hit the first step too fast, ram on the brakes and OTB.


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 10:27 pm
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schrickvr6 - Member

Hit the first step too fast, ram on the brakes and OTB.

Pretty much my approach.
Second attempt, too slow, so you end up pogo-ing down the first 2, before going OTB.

Personally I think TheBrick has the best plan, and it's one that I've since had to explain to my colleagues as to why I'm loling


 
Posted : 01/03/2011 11:04 pm
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Posted : 02/03/2011 9:18 am
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😀


 
Posted : 02/03/2011 9:50 am
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"Hello Emergency, which service do you require?"

Walk and live.


 
Posted : 02/03/2011 10:02 am
 Drac
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Ermmm! So what was the trouble with those again?


 
Posted : 02/03/2011 10:07 am
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i know, they don't look anything do they? until you get to the top at saddle height and look down, i think the easiest wat is to bypass the steps as they are all uneven height and spacing and all are lower than the wooden lip, but hey i'm rubbish at riding as you can see


 
Posted : 02/03/2011 10:10 am
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We have already trademarked another "Steps of Doom" in the NW Alps RD. These are the steps at the bottom of the bridle path from the Lickeys Visitor centre down to the B4096 road...the steps double back upto the visitors centre and involve carrying the bike. I wouldn't fancy attempting to ride those ones.... (disclaimer - I've not rode the ones in your video/photo either!)


 
Posted : 02/03/2011 11:31 am
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Good work rOcKeTdOg. 8)


 
Posted : 02/03/2011 12:31 pm
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