MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Following on from the "too old to jump" thread of yesterday, I've been thinking that I really do need to get better at some of the technical aspects of mountain biking. Track stands, jumps, drop-offs, step-ups, wheeiles, manuals etc. Not that I ever want to be a circus clown like D MacAskill ( 😉 ) but some of these would make my riding less stop/start and more enjoyable.
I've been thinking of a skills session with someone like MB7. Perhaps even on a 1:1 basis.
However, I was also wondering whether acquiring a small jump/play type of bike would help me develop these skills faster/better. Has anyone else gone down this route? Not sure what I'd be looking at as we're not talking about BMX style tricks, so any pointers would also be useful.
TIA
If you're thinking skills course / day then it makes sense to ride your usual bike for that. If your usual bike is fs then learning stuff on a ht and transfering it over isn't always that simple ... they'll behave in quite a different way from each other. The biggest difference you could make is switching to flats (sorry for the assumption that you're clipped in) whilst learning.
PS if you fancy a course, inc 1:1 www.forestfreeride.co.uk
Cheers
Stuart
Whilst I agree that riding in flats will quickly tell you if your footwork is wrong on jumps and bunnyhops, I disagree on the level of importance. I normally like riders to do skills sessions with whatever they use currently and intend to use in the future. The correct technique is the same clipped or unclipped, it's just that when clipped it isn't as obvious if you're doing it right. Plus, I am of the opinion that usefulness of the bunnyhop is much over-rated - certainly there are quite a few other elements that I'd like to get right before I bothered working on that.
You're right glenp if you're used to using clips and are 100% happy with it, then don't change ... however around half the people I meet ask to have some flats fitted at some point during a course simply as a confidence booster. Yes, I must agree a bunnyhop falls into the same realm as a wheelie with regard to gereral trail riding ie, not much use once you've made it past the trail centre car park 😉
Seeing people unclip a foot due to lack of confidence as they approach a jump, drop, etc is not a joyous experience.
Stuart
Agreed - double edged thing though isn't it? On the one hand you don't want them keeling over clipped-in, on the other hand you don't really want them to keep trying to put their foot down in the first place! Supposed to be riding, not stopping!
Car park skills - my own personal worst mtb injury was in the car park just cocking about! In fact, it is practically the only time I've fallen off in years and years (not counting gritty cleats/failure to unclip whilst talking!). I'm afraid the exact circumstances of my injury are too embarrassing to relate - suffice to say the thing I was doing would be of absolutely zero value on the trail!
Any skills day, I'd use my normal bike (and would prefer to use the SPDs). Any thoughts on learning/practicing on a more specialized bike though?
Carpark skillz are the shizznit.
Along with skidz.
Perfect these and folks will think you're a trailgod.
If you're going to be using the skills on one bike, there's not too much point in spending a pile of cash on another one, just to learn them.
(this is assuming a) your current bike isn't hugely specialised - pure xc race for example, b) you don't just want an excuse to buy another bike, at which point go for it! )
GlenP - "usefullness of the bunny hop overrated". You sure??? After good cornering technique, I would think underastaning the motion of hopping is the single biggest thing to being able to flow fast on a trail - just the process of weighting and unweighting the bike through humps and hollows, over roots and rocks, changing lines, pumping - all variations on the bunny hop theme. Sure your wheels may only be 1/2" off the ground at times, but it's the same basic technique.
Glen, just use your usual bike. It's the one you'll be riding when you're using the 'skillz' on your rides afterwards. It won't help you learn any faster.
My personal analysis of your riding has identified that the main area you need to work on is learning to be more comfortable moving around the bike, increasing the 'cone of movement' that you are comfortable with and 'loosening up' a whole lot. HTH 😉
Tsk. I thought you were just looking at my bunz.
my biggest challenge in improving is just getting the balls to do something new, there was a time when even a little drop had me thinking twice, but once you do it you wonder why you never just did it, you just need to gradually keep moving that boundary. Once you accept that you may fall off/crash trying it and just do it, it will help a lot but chances are unless your completely useless on a bike you'll be ok. Oh and flat pedals gave me way more confidence and can't say i lost any pedaling ability.
That as well Glen... *blushes*
If you have the space and the cash I would recommend buying a play bike. I did. I picked up a pretty good bargain on a new DMR sidekick on ebay, you could probably get a second hand one cheapish
Got a spare half hour? Get the playbike out and go for a bit of manual practise on the nearest bit of open ground etc... Don't know what your main bike is but I feel far less of a tool messing about on a cheap(relative) DMR than my blingy full/suss. Plus I don't have to worry about chavs following me home....
It's a slippery slope though, in the last year I have spent far more time on the playbike than the 'big' bike which is now a special occassion bike (morzine/trail centre visits) to the stage I'm thinking about selling the susser and going back to a hardtail.
Haven't done a skills course yet, but once I get some free time in the new year it's on the cards.
bunny hop is a technique. the skills that make that up are evident in every technique.
simples
Yeah, don't buy a new bike. In the past, I thought that would help. But what helped was getting rid of the idea that I was any good and accepting that learning meant being bad at stuff for a while.
For all of the things you mention (drops, manuals, track-stands), definitely learn on flats, and drop your saddle.
But you'll probably find that most of them aren't related to riding with more flow, which is what it sounds like you want.
I'd say get some flats and decent shoes. Ride around in them a bit. Then go on a skills course. Switching back to flats takes a while so you will probably go best if you're used to them before your course.
use what you're comfy with.
clips and straps if thats what you usually use.
find a reputable skills company and use them.
Yeah, I suppose I'd revise that last bit.
If you really want to learn manuals etc. I'd still recommend flats.
But that might not really be what you're after. In fact skills instructors will probably try to talk you out of it. If you want more flow and skills for your normal riding, then use what you're used to, like jedi says.
Getting a little play bike sounds like fun and it's through having fun that we progress. Playing around on a bike rather than just riding your usual loops will speed things up. This is why skills areas at trail centres are so good, if you take the time to have a few goes.
For your skills day take the bike that you like riding, rather than the one you think you should take. Any decent skills instructor will be able to chat to you about this and help you with your decision.
You can borrow my clown bike.
thebikechain - MemberYou can borrow my clown bike.
Which one?
OH. a lol nearly came out...
THE clown bike. the blue wan.
Ed-O makes a very good point there ... regardless of anything else it's meant to be fun 😀
Stuart
Take one of your vast array of road bikes - you seem to spend most of your riding time homosexualising anyway... 🙄
Do the skills course with your regular bike unless it's unsuitable (see above), decide if it's for you, then ask advice and then get a stupidly big bike that will both flatter the skills you've just picked up and compensate for the ones you don't yet have.
Surely the STW Way is to agonize over which blinged to buggery £3.5K trail wagon, and matching gloves to burn your money on, finally decide and buy the bugger....
Then you stand about watching people half you age on bikes one tenth the value of your own, cleaning the awesome challenges of Jump gully, or the chicksands Dual course, mutter something too pithy to be heard, shoot them a bitchy look and bugger off back to the car park, then jack it all in for a rigid, single speed, 29er and spend the difference on an overpriced coffee machine that only comes out when you need to impress dinner guests...
Yes, I must agree a bunnyhop falls into the same realm as a wheelie with regard to gereral trail riding ie, not much use once you've made it past the trail centre car park
Really?? I can't bunny hop that well but it has got me out of trouble on a number of occasions. What do you suggest doing if you come across an unexpected obstacle at speed like a waterbar or whatever?
Grumm, a *manual is a far more useful skill for general riding. It doesn't have to be massive, so long as the front wheel clears whatever you're faced with the rear will follow without too much fuss. I'm not saying a bunnyhop isn't a technique worth obtaining, it's just that in the great scheme it's not that important.
* Not just yanking up on the bars hoping the front wheel will follow 😀
Stuart
a manual is a technique in my eyes made up of certain skills