What Am I Doing Wrong?

[jonnybmac]

Haha, thanks. I was uploading them and was abit gutted the camera didnt do it justice, and the fact it looks like theirs a kicker below the third rock too..

I have trouble balancing in a stationary position. Sometimes im ok but other times im not. I can stop and balance, but I cant get on the bike and balance from a start... Maybe I should spend half an hour a night in my garage practicing that.

Good idea though to do the last bit first, then atleast im prepared for when I get ontop of that rock

Edited June 6, 2010 by jonnybmac

[ham2]

I have trouble balancing in a stationary position. Sometimes im ok but other times im not. I can stop and balance, but I cant get on the bike and balance from a start... Maybe I should spend half an hour a night in my garage practicing that.

Agreed.

( I'm no expert)..but this is the heart of the problem as I see it .

The big boys have a (well practiced) talent for stopping an balancing 'nearly' anywhere in the section, to mentally slow-down the series of obstacles just as John.B suggested,it's an invaluable tool.

You're doing very well (better than me!) by just letting your momentum alone,carry you so far.

So effectively I'm advising what John.B has recommended and I'm saying that you need to practice having the bike stationary,paused,(on any flat ground) for a second then popping the clutch/throttle with a quick bend of the legs. This should then be applied to your obstacle training..

Wheelie up the first two rocks then drop the front wheel onto the third rock so as to bridge the gap..pause..bend ze knees and pop over the gap.

Once you've got that sussed you can apply some no-stop rules and cut out the pause and front-wheel drop all together.

Show us a vid of your success.. I don't think it will take you long.

Edited June 7, 2010 by HAM2

[shercoman2k8]

By low I meant about fifteen/twenty degrees above horizontal, it'll soon rise back up as you pop the clutch for the gap.

[copemech]

Watch a bit of this slo-mo vid and it gives a better idea. What it takes is some timing and the load and unload. Not a speed thing. By the time you are up on the second rock, you should be prepared for the third, and so on.

Steering is done with the feet, the front just follows in the natural lean on turns with body upright, and the bars just make corrections and the front will float over most anything if you let it. Get that into your head and keep arms loose and you will have a different approach.

[wri5hty]

Wouldnt consider any of that out of order. I do want to compete in trials, I just need to find myself a pair of boots. I was saving up for some decent quality ones, but due to car related issues meaning I need to save up alot of cash fast for a new one, I think I'll have to go for some budget ones for now. I know what I'm doing wouldnt be on the trials I was expecting to compete in, I've already been told these are more closer/are expert rocks, I just feel I'm way in over my head with this one, but I'm so close to nailing it, having got over it so many times although hit and miss, I dont want to give up and say its defeated me

have a look at the forma gripper 2 boots my mate has a pair of the older ones they have lasted him years. he got a pair of hebo eco's didn't last at all he is back wearing the forma now.

guisborough have a good trial on this sunday 40 mile 40 sections. if you have the time go have a watch and think about it for next year cracking day out. it takes in most of their summer series venues so you will get a good idea of what too expect when you get out trialing.

[jonnybmac]

have a look at the forma gripper 2 boots my mate has a pair of the older ones they have lasted him years. he got a pair of hebo eco's didn't last at all he is back wearing the forma now.

guisborough have a good trial on this sunday 40 mile 40 sections. if you have the time go have a watch and think about it for next year cracking day out. it takes in most of their summer series venues so you will get a good idea of what too expect when you get out trialing.

Is that at charltons? Take it I wont be able to ride about up there on sunday then?

Thanks for the extra comments people, been unable to get my bike out and practice due to the weather, hopefully be able to get out over the weekend!

[wri5hty]

no not at charltons mate. 40 mile round charltons. it starts at glaisedale and takes in the surrounding country side 1 lap 40 mile with 40 different sections. 2 petrol stops coz you cant get round without them. good trial and has a b route. keep practicing and think about it for next year.

[jonnybmac]

Ill be doing alot of trials hopefully next year, maybe even the ssdt for the craic (doubt id be good enough to compete properly)

[wri5hty]

SSDT you must be mental. reeth 3 day is a good weekend, 3rd weekend in july massive marque with a bar in it in the start field. MINT TRIAL, GOOD LAUGH.

[jonnybmac]

Been watching a few videos whilst im bored, really studying the way they work the bike and not just their body position... Maybe I should try doing it as albert starts on these rocks? Dropping my front wheel down first for a bounce instead of just wheelying from the start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQMUjU-9uLE

Also been watching how he does the jumps whilst stationary on the back wheel, noting hes keeping that front wheel down and the rear loaded just before takeoff, bringing the front wheel back up high again for the slap onto the rock.

Cant wait for a few tries, the weather has beend dreadful and I'm itching to get back out

Edited June 10, 2010 by jonnybmac

[motojojo]

Ok, so you know what your riding is way over your head, but you still want to do it and do it right. A-lot of people touched on it but didn't explain fully. I biggest mistake any trials rider makes is to just stiff legged ride over something and let the bike do all the work by bending your legs and using the 2ft. of travel that you have in your body you would have more control. Use less gas and load and unload your rear shock when you leave the first group of rocks would give you more control when you land. The technic I would use is a double blip, practice bouncing the bike on flat ground using gas clutch and loading and unloading of the suspension. When you got the timing on that, you just ride up the first rock place the front wheel over the gap then load front and back suspension dump clutch, gas it a little and unload and you will bounce over the gap and have control of the bike. This will take most people about 2yrs. to learn but you can do it in about 2 weeks.

[taff_d]

Was that you I was talking to on top of the shale tonight then later on I witnessed your gracefull decent into a tree down by the river ?

[jonnybmac]

Was that you I was talking to on top of the shale tonight then later on I witnessed your gracefull decent into a tree down by the river ?

HAHAAHHAHHH

Yes it was

That must have been monumental to watch, me and my friends couldnt stop laughing when reminded of it, me more so for such a prat I must have looked. I came off the stump at the top, my foot slipped off the back brake and i slipped and ended up in a sit down position with no brakes flying down a hill.. I thought I was going over the handlebars at the bottom or in the river but lucky i rode over that huge log and not into it. got cuts on my legs and bruises where my legs came into contact with my pegs a few times, but its all fun!

Had a look at that log later on, never noticed it was there really. Looks kinda like this rock, only steeper falls on either side but with a bigger landing when jumping the gap. I feel I could ride up it and clear it without worry of going wonky and missing the landing, as theres plenty to land on... Only problem is my takeoff part only has about 2 inches either side of my tire width, maybe less and i feel if i load my suspension and my weight is off abit, my back wheel will just slip off the stump im riding up.

Edited June 25, 2010 by jonnybmac

[kevo]

Johnnybmac,

check this guy out at about 30 seconds

see how much slower and controlled looking he is than in your video. his weight is much further back than yours and his front wheel is a lot higher. he is using back brake and weight far back combo, as he bounces onto the rock and his front wheel begins to fall he pops the clutch & releases back brake with a blip of throttle. This is enough to make the next jump then he covers back brake and clutch again with weight well back ready for landing. legs are straight and act as shockers on landing each time.

I think you should be aiming to hop to the 2nd rock in a slow and controlled manner letting the front wheel down on landing and then re-positioning yourself and bike for the jump from 2nd to 3rd rork (this is where your stationary balancing skills will be needed). I would pop the front wheel against rock no 3 and then take it from there rather than try to leap up onto it from stationary. I am sure you will crack it and look fwd to seeing the video

Kevo

[jonnybmac]

I havnt really been practicing on this rock since I last posted. Been a tad busy and the only ride time I've got is with friends in a wood. I feel my stationary balance is getting alot better, I'm gonig to concentrate on using my back brake but i cant seem to get it right and everytime i use it the front wheel just comes down, even if I lean right back.. Maybe what I'm doing wrong is not snapping the clutch out to bring it back up again, I guess I'll just have to practice that first! Cheers for that video, Wish I could do half of what he does.