Currently on the poll on the front page 11% of singletrackers say the can jump a chasm, no problem. Is that wishful thinking?

On a forum mainly frequented by XC riders whom in many cases never actually leave the ground I find it hard to believe that over 10% can jump or have jumped a chasm.
A chasm in my book looks at least something like http://www.gravity-slaves.co.uk/?a=475 which is the atherton gap as it is now known at bala. I tried that jump but bottled it each time I got even close to the take off. I simply have a mental problem with gaps that big, now I can do big jumps, and big tables but vast gap jumps scare the hell out of me and a chasm would imply the biggest of gap jumps with a one ticket to A&E or worse if you get it wrong.

So really 11% on this forum could do the bala gap?

i can 🙂

I definitely don't think I could do the Atherton Gap but that answer is the nearest to what I can do so I voted for that one.

Dam, forgot about jedi 😳 . Is there anything you can't jump?

Everyone else is

I think in the scheme of an online vote if you can do a gap longer than a couple car lengths and take off taller than yourself you can call it a chasm.

The poll didn't stipulate if it had to be on a mountain bike… I wouldn't be going anywhere near that gap though engine or not.

Iain

Don't know whether the wording has changed or not but it says jumps, doubles and chasms now. And I can do two of those.

From Gravity Slaves, the Atherton Gap:

^ yep thats the one, my balls shrank when got within 100 feet and I just kept slamming on the anchors.
The landing is not great either your doing about 40mph and there is a dry stone wall to hit if you land to far left.

that atherton gap is a massive road gap, it's not really a chasm
a chasm is just a gap which is steep and deep
I chose that one on the front page, because it closely describes what I'm capable of, but there's no way I'd do that Atherton road gap

It's a poor rider who doesn't have chasm-jumping in their repertoire.

Tell me this though, has anyone cleared an abyss?

It's a poor rider who doesn't have chasm-jumping in their repertoire.

Tell me this though, has anyone cleared an abyss?

No! but I've hucked off a few kerbs in my time.

here's my claim to gappy fame

No. I work very hard to keep at least one wheel on the ground at all times, sometimes when I'm very brave I've nailed a speedbump.

I'd define a chasm as something you would not survive if you fell in it. Width is imaterial.

Jedi – have you done that gap? ^^

I've jumped longer stepdowns but I'd def have to see it in person before I could say.

no i havent. looks like rose hill. to be honest they all the same really

It was me that took those shots (and my ropey photoshop that measured it in 'Cols' for scale!) and that gap was massive!

I was freaked out enough just taking the photos – the speed Sam was pedalling the run in was nuts, pedalled right from the top of the hill (check the linked article for a shot of him still pushing up to the runup). The run up and jump looked mad but he looked fastest on the sketchy loose runout.

I've hit road gaps and they're not usually 'doubles', from standing on the edge I'd say this is pretty close to a chasm!

I hadn't realised that Col was an SI unit for measuring 'Chasms'.

I wouldnt assume the 11% as being representive.

Market surveys are only as good as how they are conducted, to get a true reflection of the cross profile then you need a strict protocol wrt questions asked and who you ask.

thats more like a chasm

Ah Robbie Maddison
85m
nutjob