Hi all,
Managed to actually get out on my mountain bike for the first proper outing this year (mainly been on the Dark Side - TTing, pretty constant power output, in saddle stuff).
It was on a little singletrack bike area with lots of little bermed switchbacks and speed humps, for want of a better description.
Hitting the the speed humps (only about a foot high and a foot deep) on my HT, some I could get air, some I could 'squash' and pedal or coast over, but some I found that the back end would suddenly kick up... It was a little off putting to suddenly feel your weight suddenly get pushed over the front wheel, or find the rear wheel in the air.
Is it from trying to pedal when I should be absorbing the bump with my legs?
Am I a muppet? Should I stick to just pounding up and down a road for 10 miles, over and over again? Or is there something I am missing that will improve my riding?
Thanks in advance
PS It was great fun, getting muddy in the pi$$ing rain, made me smile, something road riding in rain never does...
Is it from trying to pedal when I should be absorbing the bump with my legs?
Yes. Stay off the saddle, pedals level, using the arms and legs to pump.
Have a look at this...
Thanks RealMan.
I've never really tried pumping like that, think the tail was flicking about as I was trying to pedal over them to stop losing speed, when proper technique would have kept speed up without pedalling.
Sadly the trail was miles from home, so can't easily go back to try it out 🙁