[Closed] Long-travel hardtails - technique?

Stay low and centred. Don't do that silly "arms straight, hanging off the back of the saddle" thing... You should only do that when your hands are lower than your feet (slight exaggeration).
[img] [/img]

[i]Don't do that silly "arms straight, hanging off the back of the saddle" thing.[/i]

Thats probably why I had a comedy slow over-the-bars down a rocky banking in Hebden the other week then 🙄

IMO their are two main ways of riding a big fork HT:

1) arse over the back wheel, providing suspension with your leg joints, let the bike batter it's way down/through/over everything and you and the rear wheel just follow on behind. Difficult to "choose" a line with your front wheel so more of a straight fall down the hill.

2) over the front wheel working the fork on cambers and trail shape picking the line, turning in and giving the front tyre loads of grip with your weight. Requires much more skill and concentration, looks much more "pro". Biiger mess when you get it wrong though.

That's all IMO and Im sure there's hundreds of differing opinions on technique as well as interpretaion.

Having suspension doesnt mean you should be riding into kerbs, it might be worth inmproving your technique on on a rigid for a while and learn how to bunny hop etc

he was using that as an example not a regular occurrence me thinks

TBH riding into a hard edge thing like a kerb is the worst example, as it will indeed slow you up, if you see a trail obstacle similar to a Kerb you either attempt to hop it or like you said let the rear go light. To ride big rocky sections at the same speed as a full-sus requires a lot more energy as your constantly moving about on the bike making sure you get over/around obstacles... but that's the reason why you ride Hardtail because its more efford and more satisfying when you clear a section as fast/faster than your fellow Full sus riders. If you just want to plough into objects get a full-sus a long travel hard tail wont allow you to plough.

i don't "work the fork" as much as i probably should, but then again i run my fork with lots of sag (33%, easily) and very (2-3clicks from open rathert han the usual 2-3 from closed) quick damping. I do however run a 90mm stem where most people use a 70mm one so my weights already foreward.

Learn to bunnyhop on flat pedals, then practice that technique over obstacles, even if its just to unweight the bike rather than take off over bumps. Once you have that mastered you'll fly down trails (sometimes litteraly). Also try riding with the lockout on on some smooth trails (dont hit any big obtacles as it can blow the damper appart). That way you learn not to rely on the suspension at all.

As for weight distribution your hips should be verticaly over your BB, once there keep your weight low by leaning forewards to "work the fork". With practice you can ride steep rocky chutes that require you weight right back, at speed, on a hardtail, but it takes practice and confidence your not going to scrape your arse on the rear wheel!

Drop yer saddle, bend your knees.

You've got, ooh, 12"+ of the best damped, most perfectly sprung travel on the back of any hardtail. It's called your legs.

And yes, work the bike. All the time.

Anyway Brant. Please get some more Clubman SL's in 🙂 Size large please. Unless you have one sat in your Quasi-mutant showroom section?

I think there are some more on a boat somewhere Mark.

I did the new ones with a 31.6mm post so that we could aggregate build kits easier.

Though it's all a bit hazy.

[i]Though it's all a bit hazy.[/i] Have you been on the Sauce?

There isnt- I asked getsatisfaction yesterday. Said 10-12weeks before there would be more.

xc-steve has a good point...

> if I ride a moderate sized hit, e.g straight into a kerb at a reasonable speed, my fork swallows the bump but my
> rear wheel thuds and slows me down.

I haven't "ridden into a kerb" since testing forks BITD.. What the process should be is to approach, unweight front, get the front wheel on it, then unweight rear to lift the back. All in one single smooth highspeed closely controlled zen like movement.

Which is probably why often I'll feel like I'm slamming into things too.

Riding a rigid 29er around Calderdale for 2 years helped massively with my technique when I got my long travel 26in bike (along with Maxxis tyres, Revelations, and watching Ed-O from behind - as it were).

Oh yeah... complete Jan 20th. Next container shipping after CNY, so here potentially Mid March. Ah.

Ok, the riding into a kerb thing was only an example, when out riding for real I do not make a point of slamming into things on purpose! That said, it is good to know where the limits of your bike are. Also, if you are forced to ride over very rough terrain, with repeated large obstacles, there is every likelihood that you will not be able to bunny hop over every single one. Apart from that, thanks very much for the advice guys, will have a play on the local trails tomorrow...

Low & centered is spot on.
Relax, pick your line & let the bike do its job. Dont try to "over-control" it. And play with your re-bound damping, I found it better a bit slower.

I have no idea what "low and centred" means. Can someone de-numpty that statement for me please? Pictures would be great 😀

Ta Brant. sorry for the thread hijack.

Ps. That nasty old roadbike you have in your showroom- I could give it a good home...

Low and centered:

[img] [/img]

bit like this

low and centered,

i.e. not stood bolt upright, with your weight right over the front/back.

keep your hips verticaly over the pedals and your arms bent to lower your CoG. Not slaming into things isnt hard, as has beeen said either bunnyhop (my prefered technique) if theres only one obstacle, or just let the bike do its thing, keep the lightest of touch ont he controlls and allow your legs to smooth out the chatter from the rear wheel.

horra>>>>Thats probably why I had a comedy slow over-the-bars down a rocky banking in Hebden the other week then

Cheers spoon, that clears it up for me nicely (I think!) 🙂

learn to work the trail. i ride with a guy who only ever rides hardtail and he barely seems to be on the ground. i think its more comfortable that way.