• This topic has 182 replies, 116 voices, and was last updated 10 years ago by JCL.
Viewing 40 posts - 81 through 120 (of 183 total)
  • Jumps – why do most riders make no attempt and just roll them?
  • mudmonster
    Free Member

    Think I need to go on a washing up skills course. One of my friends laughs when I try to wash a cup. Now she just tells me to leave it for her.

    kudos100
    Free Member

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JEWrpFmz98[/video]

    The early 90’s pro’s personify what mtb’ing is to me. Being able to do everything on the same bike. Climbing, decending, jumping, wheelies, skids etc.

    If people aren’t into jumping that is cool, but don’t pretend it isn’t one of the core skills!

    alpin
    Free Member

    only gayers ride groomed trails.

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    Personally, I think every ‘competent’ mtb’er should be able to pop a wheelie/manual, endo, drop-off, jump, drift, bunnyhop, rail a berm – to a certain degree.

    This doesn’t mean you have to be able to ride the length of your street on your back wheel, or huck 30ft road gaps – however, all these elements are core to riding an MTB on challenging terrain.

    Everyone should try and improve these skills, so they can at least use them on the trail to a certain degree – it makes riding safer and more fun.

    Don’t chastise someone for rolling a table at a bike park though, if they aren’t confident enough.

    rogerthecat
    Free Member

    Blimey, I thought it was just about riding a bike.
    So much to learn, even after 24 years riding a mountain bike.
    Every day’s a school day!! 😀

    mick_r
    Full Member

    Its not about missing out or being awesome its about pushing and challenging yourself. If you don’t try and ‘up your game’ what’s the point?

    I could say the same thing about the some of the “jumpers” at Gisburn etc where they have to walk up even the feeblest little hill, to then only ride down the smoothest bits of the forest on huge suspension bikes. Why not up your game / challenge yourself to ride everything and everywhere?

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    To plenty of folk, especially those riding walkers’ trails (which was all many had in the first 15 years of mtb in UK) and/or those who missed out on bmx, jumping tabletops is useful about 0% of riding time.

    It is fun though, and I’d love to be half decent at it.

    And of course it always feels good to ride better than someone on a fancier bike.

    mrmo
    Free Member

    Personally, I think every ‘competent’ mtb’er should be able to pop a wheelie/manual, endo, drop-off, jump, drift, bunnyhop, rail a berm – to a certain degree.

    B******s, every competent MTBer should be able to ride up at least 3/4’s of Jacobs Ladder in Peak District. Anything else just means your technically crap and unfit. What does jumping prove?

    atlaz
    Free Member

    Riding has changed. People don’t stop and session a drop or a bomb hole or to bunny hop onto logs. It’s all about the flow, the ride, the berms, Strava and the man made trails.

    Steady on grandad. Who are you to tell people how to enjoy their bike ride?

    b45her
    Free Member

    i regard mountain biking as riding over quite rough technically challenging terrain, what a lot of folk here describe as their mountain biking i would describe more as touring.

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    I’d describe what you call mountain biking more as trials riding.

    rollindoughnut
    Free Member

    I agree with the OP.
    I find it quite wierd how so many middle aged fellas just sit, spin and bimble down the trails. It’s like they’ve got no desire to improve at all.
    Get your arse off the saddle! How hard can it be?

    mdavids
    Free Member

    Oh to be 14 again, then I wouldn’t have to worry about telling my company:
    “I know you pay me a lot of money which allows me to pay my mortgage, look after my family and live a nice life but I’ve smashed myself up playing on my bike….sorry, you’ll have to do without me”

    To be fair OP, I’d like to be better at jumping but of all the things in mountain biking likely to lead to hospital time and potentially getting me the sack, getting big air is top of the list. At 38 and already carrying injuries I’m starting to think in terms of managing decline rather than pushing the envelope.

    You know that Katy Perry song (yeah, I’m down with the kids) where she sings “we’ll be young forever”?

    She’s lying.

    Euro
    Free Member

    I still get a ribbing from work colleagues after taking a day off because i fell off my bike. Nothing to do with jumps, is was wet roots and bad braking that caused that one.

    The guys who think they’ll hurt themselves if they try to jump are probably best leaving it (wrong mindset for learning imo). To any potential jumpers out there – find a small jump and go practice over and over again. Or get a bit of coaching as it seems to be acceptable to pay someone to make you session a jump.

    doubledunter
    Free Member

    Mdavids you consider 38 old? 😯

    campfreddie
    Free Member

    I roll jumps because a few years back when I was free, single and non-fearing, I couldn’t keep my wheels on the ground. This went really well until I woke up strapped to a spinal board in a slow-moving ambulance.

    I now have a wife and young child and I want to enjoy my mountain biking for years to come as well as being with them.

    In short… I had a major mortality-check.

    That might sound a bit OTT as we’re only talking about a few small trail jumps BUT if you have the above rolling through your mind all the time, you WILL crash if you attempt to jump.

    I enjoy my riding and love flying down red runs with reckless abandon, and my skills have if anything improved through my desire to keeps my wheels on the ground even when the trail dictates otherwise.

    mdavids
    Free Member

    Mdavids you consider 38 old?

    Maybe not old but certainly not young and I definately take a lot longer to heal when things do go wrong.

    I only took up riding again about 4-5 years ago, regretted not doing it earlier and now I’m trying to make up for lost years. I dont want to waste any time recovering from daft, avoidable injuries.

    iffoverload
    Free Member

    I can’t stop being a kid out on the bike, see stuff, anything, a bench steps natural drops or jumps, whatever and I want to ride/fly over up down it, but I am no yoof and a nasty injury is not really a option, but doing this stuff is almost irresistable..

    additionally I have done some great landing head first/into immovable object etc. type “stunts” while on solo casual XC type rides, sometimes stuff just happens! that takes some of the fun out of XC..

    what to do? practice skills, safely even if you dont ride big stuff it might stop you losing it on a XC ride. I know that practicing stuff has helped me avoid some accidents.

    for this reason if no other it’s good to push yourself.

    miketually
    Free Member

    Mdavids you consider 38 old?

    38 is old. Really old.

    mdavids
    Free Member

    it’s good to push yourself.

    Tis true that, in all walks of life not just mountain biking.

    I think the main catalyst for me taking up riding was a trip to fort bill, riding the cable car as a tourist and seeing the downhillers for the first time, not knowing such a thing existed.

    A couple of months later I had my first xc hardtail, a year later I was mincing my way down fort bill on a rented downhill bike.

    I’ll happily do smaller jumps, drops and steep techy stuff but I’ve always held back on the bigger jumps with steep kickers. Very easy to get wrong with big consequences for failure.

    mogrim
    Full Member

    I thought the essence of mountain biking is cleaning the climb, the rest is just the icing on the cake.

    mdavids
    Free Member

    38 is old. Really old.

    😆
    ****ard!

    TooTall
    Free Member

    There’s nothing so annoying as going on a ride and having to miss large areas out because you’ve got someone new riding with you who would stack it on some trail features.

    There is nothing more annoying as someone new to ride with someone who forgets what it was to be someone new.
    I’ve moved about once every 2 years for the last 18 years, I’m reasonable on a bike, but I’ve been ‘someone new’ a lot more than most. I’ve met some wonderful people on my travels and the majority have been fantastic. Those less so have nearly all been the local trail warriors with no empathy for others, whether the others are new to the area and don’t know the trails or new to riding. Just try and remember what you were like before you were TEH AWESUM.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    There is nothing more annoying as someone new to ride with someone who forgets what it was to be someone new.

    I think you missed my point. I’m in favour of rollable features as it means everyone can ride rather than places with doubles or gaps that are likely to hurt them. I hate the attitude that everyone should want to get wheels in the air at all times and the associated building that comes with it (see the “ghetto” double that appeared on Barry Knows Best a few years back).

    It is pretty annoying approaching a technical section and some bimbler bottles it – fair enough if they can’t do it, but don’t f’in stop and block the run-in.

    B******s, every competent MTBer should be able to ride up at least 3/4’s of Jacobs Ladder in Peak District. Anything else just means your technically crap and unfit. What does jumping prove?

    Point missed in your rather arrogant reply.

    Yes, being able to at least attempt to climb something technical like Jacobs is another essential skill – there will be varying degrees of success, but to say you must be able to clean 3/4 of it is as ridiculous as the OP. I have the technical ability, but my legs/lungs would probably give in first.

    As for the other skills that I, they are all necessary to successfully negotiate trails – being able to do some degree of small jumps included. I don’t like drops of more than 3-4ft, I can’t wheelie far and I certainly can’t huck, but if I come across a trail obstacle that is going to see me get the wheels off the ground, then I’ll certainly tackle it – this is jumping, is it not?

    Northwind
    Full Member

    I watched Danny Hart come up short on the final doubles at Antur Stiniog, then later on squash them all rather than jumping them, presumably he’s a mincer too.

    miketually
    Free Member

    I have the technical ability, but my legs/lungs would probably give in first.

    Is that because you’ve wasted time practising jumping when you could have been out doing intervals, and therefore got better at the vital fitness aspect of MTBing?

    miketually
    Free Member

    I watched Danny Hart come up short on the final doubles at Antur Stiniog, then later on squash them all rather than jumping them, presumably he’s a mincer too.

    Perhaps the size of his balls got in the way? I’m not even sure how he sits down, with balls that big.

    hora
    Free Member

    Any KOM tossers on that new stretch yet?

    fervouredimage
    Free Member

    This thread is a bit depressing really. Who on earth cares how others enjoy riding their bike? It’s a simple pleasure anyone can enjoy in any way they wish to. If pootling along admiring scenery is your thing then great, if shredding the gnar, tackling 30 ft drops is your thing, awesome. If clearing every double, whipping every tabletop is your thing then brilliant. The beauty of modern mountain bikes is their ability to tackle most things you can throw at them, they are a great tool with versatility so anyone at any level of ability or with any particular riding desire can enjoy them fully.

    I can’t fathom why anyone would be bothered by how someone else chooses to enjoy their bike. It’s got sod all to do with anyone else.

    Is that because you’ve wasted time practising jumping when you could have been out doing intervals, and therefore got better at the vital fitness aspect of MTBing?

    No

    hora
    Free Member

    People who get uppity about others not jumping a bicycle tend to be, how do the Italians say it? Piccolo[/i] .

    mrmo
    Free Member

    Yes, being able to at least attempt to climb something technical like Jacobs is another essential skill – there will be varying degrees of success, but to say you must be able to clean 3/4 of it is as ridiculous as the OP. I have the technical ability, but my legs/lungs would probably give in first.

    So your unfit then, spending all the time worrying about being able to jump?

    3/4s of Jacobs is perfectly reasonable. top bits a pig as is the bottom bit, but most of the middle section’s perfectly ridable. Even the bottom bit isn’t that hard once you get to grips with the rocks moving around.

    And no i haven’t missed your point, you are claiming that you have to be able to jump, brutal reality is you don’t, outside of trail centres and man made jump spots there are very few jumps, If your idea of MTBing is a glorified BMX track, then fine, if your idea of MTBing is actually riding a bike… Well…. If you want to ride a MTB off road then having some fitness helps far more than being able to do tricks.

    Ever wondered why some don’t like the Sorreling of South Wales trail centres? maybe some people like to ride rocks and roots and not berms and jumps?

    PeterPoddy
    Free Member

    Jacobs Ladder. Well, if that’s the one I know near Edale everyone is talking about, the one I first rode in about ’91, and sporadically ever since, then in itself, as a hill, it’s not a hard thing to ride. If it was smooth, nobody would mention it and we’d all poodle up it pretty easily. It’s purely a technical challenge, with maybe a bit of luck thrown in. It’s one of the best examples of skill over fitness I can think of. 🙂

    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Jeez, lord help us if 3 people from this forum ever get together in a confined area….

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    Jeez, lord help us if 3 people from this forum ever get together in a confined area….

    Judging by the photo he just posted, b45sher and I were riding in the same place yesterday! Was there a third? 😉

    Euro, I agree that you’re not going to see anyone clearing a big jump with style who has never ridden a lot of jumps already but I do think some people are fundamentally much more natural at jumping. I’d say that I’m on the better end of natural ability compared to the awful stiff unbalanced air-shy riders I come across but I’m a world away from the effortless loose stylish look and big air displayed by good jumpers (like yourself!)

    A group of us were up at Bike Park Wales yesterday and spent a while sessioning the big tables at the top of Enter The Dragon. On my first runs I was keeping quite low and squishing them and it wasn’t feeling right so I tried standing up more and pushing off the face harder (like some of my mates were doing) and that worked better.

    There was a guy up there coaching a couple of riders so after one of the runs I asked him what I was doing wrong and he pointed out that I needed to get my weight back a bit more, straighten my arms more and slow down my shock rebound. Didn’t fancy fiddling with the scary CCDBair at the time but I adjusted my body position, hit the jump quicker, pumped harder and flew further whilst feeling nicely balanced.

    I did one more run after that good run and it was a bit messy, I just wasn’t concentrating. I think one of us cleared the big tables, and a few others got close. I managed about halfway on my best run – I think they’re over 20′ long.

    Anyway, the point I’m trying to make in a longwinded way is that not everyone has the feel/knowledge/whatever to teach themselves to jump safely. I think anyone can jump given the right direction (be it paid coaching or having a mate who not only can jump but can teach a non-jumper how to jump).

    rogerthecat
    Free Member

    You should see the blood spilled at one of Pook’s pootles, there was over 50 at the last one. It was like dozens of Dr Whos all crossing Ghostbusters light streams – carnage, I’m sure it punched a hole in the fabric of time and space.

    satchm00
    Free Member

    That’s why I give blood, to help those that suffer from Pook’s Pootle.

    maxtorque
    Full Member

    I’d say that learning basic “drops” is much much more important than learning basic jumps (although, like all MTB skills they are interconnected of course) I can think of a lot of natural trails with significant (and changeable, depending on weather/erosion) drops on them of all sizes, but really very very few with actual jumps. It seems that nature can easily erode a drop (after a big rock or root etc) but there is much less chance of the terrain being formed into a jump!

    chris_db
    Free Member

    I have broken my collar bones three times; the doc said if I did it again I could cut the brachial nerve and end up with a dead arm.

    That’s why I very rarely jump. I’d love to be rad but I’m just sad.

    Chris.

Viewing 40 posts - 81 through 120 (of 183 total)

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