mercuryrev Posted July 28, 2010 Report Share Posted July 28, 2010 I'm pretty much still a wobbler, but learning fast(ish) but I'm struggling with cambers followed by an uphill turn. A riding friend says lean the bike away from the slope and bend your knee and elbow into the slope, thereby making the tyre flat to the surface.... Schreibers excellent book suggests leaning the bike into the slope..... What's the correct technique for the camber and what am I doing wrong when it comes to turning to go up? Each time my front just pushes or slips down and across the slope as I'm turning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy Posted July 28, 2010 Report Share Posted July 28, 2010 If only there was only one way to ride a trials bike!; Classic theory is . keep your shoulders parralel to the bars , look ahead. bend your outside (of direction of turn) elbow, stand as naturally as possible with bias to out side weighting of footrests, try to point your toes in direction you want to go, Simplfied riding is just like walking try walking the camber and noticing what you are doing with your body positioning, which foot is carrying most weight etc etc, as you probably know we are all experts in theory best if you can fing someone good to tell ,show, tell, sort of thing all best from an old wobbler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted July 28, 2010 Report Share Posted July 28, 2010 Evening! I've just about moved up from wobblers (at last!) Cambers of any type used to scare the beejeezus out of me, and all of my falls were on cambers, sometimes pathetic little things! The main thing I've learned is not to be afraid of them, and I think that's the hardest thing to overcome (certainly was for me!) Before you get to the turn, make sure you are totally centered and relaxed, fingers on levers etc just how you like it. I find that if the turn is quite shallow, then I tend to stay in the centre of bike, and use peg and bar pressure to edge the bike up the hill and into the turn. I usually just push down on that side with my toes in my boot, and that's enough to keep balanced and centered properly. If the turn is quite tight, then I climb all over the bike with arms and legs everywhere! I really lean the bike into the turn, with my outside knee cocked right out and my elbow pointing to the heavens. I keep my weight fairly well back, but with pressure on the bars to keep the front planted. I try not to use the clutch for those kinds of turns, but sometimes I find it balances the bike against the hill and gives a bit more time to get the balance just right. After that, its just throttle control and weight juggling so neither the front nor rear wheels slip anywhere! Hope I've been some help! Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrub Posted July 29, 2010 Report Share Posted July 29, 2010 Hi Fella Im also pretty new to trials and will be making the step up to the B shorlty, something that has helped me no end is this: Trials Training Techniques with Ryan Young DVD (not the advanced one) It is a good step by step guide of how to ride things with the minimum effort. Good luck and stick with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted July 30, 2010 Report Share Posted July 30, 2010 Evening! I've just about moved up from wobblers (at last!) Cambers of any type used to scare the beejeezus out of me, and all of my falls were on cambers, sometimes pathetic little things! The main thing I've learned is not to be afraid of them, and I think that's the hardest thing to overcome (certainly was for me!) Before you get to the turn, make sure you are totally centered and relaxed, fingers on levers etc just how you like it. I find that if the turn is quite shallow, then I tend to stay in the centre of bike, and use peg and bar pressure to edge the bike up the hill and into the turn. I usually just push down on that side with my toes in my boot, and that's enough to keep balanced and centered properly. If the turn is quite tight, then I climb all over the bike with arms and legs everywhere! I really lean the bike into the turn, with my outside knee cocked right out and my elbow pointing to the heavens. I keep my weight fairly well back, but with pressure on the bars to keep the front planted. I try not to use the clutch for those kinds of turns, but sometimes I find it balances the bike against the hill and gives a bit more time to get the balance just right. After that, its just throttle control and weight juggling so neither the front nor rear wheels slip anywhere! Hope I've been some help! Pete. Seems to me Pete almost has this down! Yet in a tight one, you gotta lean back(pull), apply slight throttle, poke the inside peg, and ride it on the rear for maximum traction and peg steering with the front just off the ground! Easy Peasy! Stay over the bike and let feet steer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercuryrev Posted July 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2010 Thanks guys..... So the general opinion is lean the bike into the camber? I have to say I can see the advantage of leaning it the other way (away from the slope) if you are just crossing a slope, but when it comes to a turn I get lost! I've watched the Ryan Young DVD and he does cover a downhill off camber turn, but if I recall he uses the front brake to dig the edge of the tyre into the slope and then slips the clutch until he's coming out of the turn.... Turning and slipping, sliding or whatever doesn't worry me, it's just frustrating when you try different approaches and it still results in a dab! I suppose there always has to be one thing that you have to have a block on though..... Appreciate the replies......keep them coming? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmetal Posted July 30, 2010 Report Share Posted July 30, 2010 I'm a novice rider but working my way through things; have been working on basic ground skills recently and went out dirt bike riding. Brought the Gasser (of course) and spent about 1 1/2 hrs doing a circle on a dry, scrabbly hil that's about 35 degrees, (summer in CA) about 20' in diameter. Could do all of it except the off camber at the bottom/transition to uphill. Always seemed that I either pushed the front or slid the rear; when I got the front to track and started to roll on the throttle the rear would come around slipping and I'd lose the drive. I've got the Ryan Young DVD but hadn't watched in a while, remembered the outside to inside shift when going uphill to downhill but couldn't remember what he did at the bottom. By the end of my little seesion I could do the whole loop (was proud of myself) but only if I did as your friend says (swap the bike to the outside as you transition from straight to uphill). This worked (I think) because throwing the bike outside gave the rear a better traction patch and allowed me to keep my momentum, really felt a pull on the outer bar was the gas was on. Now I looked back at the DVD and RY says to lean the bike into the hill to initiate and get the front tracking, then smooth throttle...I think throwing the bike to the outside covered some of my other mistakes (throttle and weight shift) so that's why it worked. Now I want to go back and try it with the 'proper' technique and see if I can do it...probably not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted July 31, 2010 Report Share Posted July 31, 2010 Thanks guys.....So the general opinion is lean the bike into the camber? I have to say I can see the advantage of leaning it the other way (away from the slope) if you are just crossing a slope, but when it comes to a turn I get lost! I've watched the Ryan Young DVD and he does cover a downhill off camber turn, but if I recall he uses the front brake to dig the edge of the tyre into the slope and then slips the clutch until he's coming out of the turn.... Turning and slipping, sliding or whatever doesn't worry me, it's just frustrating when you try different approaches and it still results in a dab! I suppose there always has to be one thing that you have to have a block on though..... Appreciate the replies......keep them coming? There are several things that need to happen here! Firstly, to turn, any turn, you need to lean the bike into the turn, otherwise the front just pushes at some point of lost traction. Secondly, to lean the bike, you need peg pressure, yet stay centered over the bike. Thirdly, on a greasy turn, you gotta try and roll through(momentum) slipping the clutch, as you are on the edge of the tire and cannot apply much power or it will just spin out. And then on the transition to the uphill, you gotta get as much weight back on the tire as you can for traction, 100 percent, still turning(PEGS) and cannot apply full power untill you got 4 knobs(tire) on the ground. If you do this correctly, the front wheel will just skim or leave the ground(100 % traction) and your turn will follow due to your peg pressure untill the point where you need to straighten up(pegs again). Takes practice, but when you hit it correctly, feels like floating! Smooth clutch and throttle! Try different gears, first is sometimes too jerky! Feel for the traction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted July 31, 2010 Report Share Posted July 31, 2010 Takes practice, but when you hit it correctly, feels like floating! Smooth clutch and throttle! Feel for the traction! Such poetry!! I'll bet it looks nothing like poetry in motion when I do it! Mind you, I've seen some very smooth and practised get offs for when you find too much grip. I don't know how its done so gracefully. I always land in a heap under the bike! Gah, not ridden in a month, and not riding for another month at least. The withdrawal is severe, going out of my way to find mud and rocks wherever I am . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercuryrev Posted August 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Had the chance to practice over the weekend and whilst it's nowhere near perfect, it's getting better..... Slow and steady works well and I found leaning the bike in with my weight back and to the outside as I turned up had the front end light enough. At times floating, perhaps too much, but floating none the less. As soon as the turn is ending getting weight back, central and feel for the front rising. At the same time slip the clutch..... Almost sitting over the back wheel with my chest low.... Certainly needs more practice, but it's an improvement. Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike64 Posted August 2, 2010 Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Hi - I've read this and tried to understand what I should be doing etc but at the weekend there was a section I couldn't get right, so if anyone could advise. 1st there was a drop over a few rocks then an uphill loose climb with a right turn half way up though the flags and then coming down again to a climb out of the section. No massive boulders but it felt so odd going up turning and then down the hill - didn't know if I should lean the bike away from the hill in the turn or into the hill, ended up with the bike either loosing grip as I traversed the hill and the rear tyre sliding down or me footing into the hill side Any thoughts ? cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted August 4, 2010 Report Share Posted August 4, 2010 Hi - I've read this and tried to understand what I should be doing etc but at the weekend there was a section I couldn't get right, so if anyone could advise.1st there was a drop over a few rocks then an uphill loose climb with a right turn half way up though the flags and then coming down again to a climb out of the section. No massive boulders but it felt so odd going up turning and then down the hill - didn't know if I should lean the bike away from the hill in the turn or into the hill, ended up with the bike either loosing grip as I traversed the hill and the rear tyre sliding down or me footing into the hill side Any thoughts ? cheers Mike If you lean the bike into the hill on an uphill turn, it will not turn! Depending upon the course and steepness of the hill, often there is enough space to at least get yourself and the bike verticle again after the climb while tracking accross the hill and beginning a decent, but you must once again initiate the turn to the downhill by peg pressure leaning the bike to the inside of the turn and letting it roll into the downhill turn while keeping your inside arm extended and your body centered and adjusting rearward for the downhill! Get WAY back on downhills! Butt on mudguard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted August 4, 2010 Report Share Posted August 4, 2010 Had the chance to practice over the weekend and whilst it's nowhere near perfect, it's getting better.....Slow and steady works well and I found leaning the bike in with my weight back and to the outside as I turned up had the front end light enough. At times floating, perhaps too much, but floating none the less. As soon as the turn is ending getting weight back, central and feel for the front rising. At the same time slip the clutch..... Almost sitting over the back wheel with my chest low.... Certainly needs more practice, but it's an improvement. Thanks everyone! On a really tight 180% turn, you will have to continue the turn with peg pressure to the inside, else the bike will straighten up at maximum traction and the light front! Steereinwith feet here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil king Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Do not point your toes in the direction you want to go. If it's a steep off camber you can move your feet back and ride with your toes on the pegs. This allows for a great feel for peg input. No amount of body twisting will make the bike turn, but will instead put your arms in all kinds of weired positions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 The Ryan Young DVD sounds like a good idea for a beginner. Couldn't see it on Ebay / Amazon, where do you get a copy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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