mr neutron Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 (edited) Hey, All!!! I've got kind of a weird question here. It involves my crummy attempts at riding along 8" wide railroad ties that I've used to make crude landscaping steps with. I decided to try riding up & down them this weekend. Having a tough time getting up the steps cleanly. Going down the steps seems to be a little better. It seems to be easier for me to focus on the end/"where I want to go" while riding down rather than up. As I begin to go up the steps, there's a point (you can see it in the video, at about the 5 second point in it....) where both tires are more or less climbing and getting bumped around at the same time, typically followed by a dab shortly after that, or uncontrolled riding off of the wood...... How's the best way to get up this silly thing? (And please ignore my feeble wheel hops. Like everything else involved with Trials, I seem to be perpetually learning and needing practice....) Thanks, Jimmie Added in EDIT: I also need to remember to turn my gas on before I take off also. That's why the vid ended so abruptly..... Edited April 1, 2013 by mr neutron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Your knees are stiff. When you are riding up and both wheels are "climbing" you should anticipate the upward motion of the bike and bend your knees with the bike. Yes, the bike has suspension but so do you (knees) and they work together. Trials suspension is more "pogo stick" like, and will somewhat "bounce" the rider up a bit. hence the need to "soak it up" with your legs. I may be off and if I am somebody shall point you in the right direction 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axulsuv Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 I'd have to say the same ... your legs are the best suspension you've got ! let the bike come to you a little with your arms and legs . relax ,,, smoothness makes it all easier ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr neutron Posted April 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 (edited) Hmmm, yeah, I do believe y'all may have hit on something there. I do look stiff as a board on the bike, particularly going down the r/r ties, and when screwing up my attempted front wheel hops. Okay, Good. Gives me something to focus & work on. Thanks, Fellas! (now to get these 57 yr. old knees to loosen up some....) Jimmie Added in EDIT: A buddy of mine here at work, who rides the "Advanced Level" class dropped by, and looked at this. He said pretty much what y'all said about flexing/bending my knees. He also thought I had too much weight on my bars and didn't have my weight far enough back, or centered better, from the very beginning. He seemed to think a more neutral stance would help, along with knees slightly more flexed. He thought maybe I could try a short, low wheelie until I get the front wheel over the last ledge, but thought I may not yet have the skills to pull that off.... I can wheelie up all of the steps, but have a tough time holding a controlled line while doing it..... Edited April 1, 2013 by mr neutron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 If you are too far forward, leaning on your arms/ bending your back forward etc.... maybe a slightly higher handlebar bend or bar risers may be in order. I switched from low rise to mid on my last bike and that made a huge difference. Plus low back did not ache as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr neutron Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 I dunno.... I know I need to be looser, and like you say, use my knees as suspension more. Zippy, in another thread, you mentioned that you'd narrowed your bars a slight bit. I know that won't accomplish what you're saying about higher bars, and that's something I've thought about, but did trimming your bars make (I guess I'd try to describe) the angle of your arms from the shoulder to the grips any better for you? I ran my mx bars at around 29" in width; enduro/off road slightly less, due to all the trees out here. These wide bars on my Gasser seem to make my wrists bend at an uncomfortable angle, and for the first time in years, I have a perpetual case of "Yama-thumb". Thinking trimming a half inch or so off each side of the bars would make things easier in that dept........ Jimmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Actually trimming the bars made my wrist "straighter", basically it kept the hand and forearm "in-line" with each other. Also there is a slight benefit similar to raising the bars by trimming them (a little trim) Try this: Have your bike on a stand and get on it. Stand on the bike like normal that you are rideing. (hand position, back position etc) Then move your hands inward on the bars a little bit, (may need to put hands on master cylinders a little) as your hands come in your back will straighten a little bit and you will "stand up" more. It's all about adjusting the bike to fit you, not adjusting you to fit the bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindie Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 You do look stiff but so am I watching trials vids! It looks to me like you anticipate the drops going down the steps but not when you go up as you are more tense. You seem to be using a lot of upper body which is making the front end weighted and harder to float over the height changes. Are you happier going down hills more than up generally? If so I'd only go up until you find it just as comfy. You are doing the right thing looking where you want to go rather than where you are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr neutron Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 You do look stiff but so am I watching trials vids! It looks to me like you anticipate the drops going down the steps but not when you go up as you are more tense. You seem to be using a lot of upper body which is making the front end weighted and harder to float over the height changes. Are you happier going down hills more than up generally? If so I'd only go up until you find it just as comfy. You are doing the right thing looking where you want to go rather than where you are. First of all, Thank You to you folks that responded! Zippy, Axulsuv, & Pindie, your input is really helpful, and I'm grateful to you guys for that. For whatever reason, I'm not cerebral enough to analyze what I'm doing wrong, and then try to correct it (even with the video). It saves a lot of time when good riders like you men will say "Do this to correct that."..... Happier going down hills? I never thought about that; I just might be. It seems I can hold my line better on this particular deal. I just know that on these silly steps, all of 'em about 8" high or so, the very first ones when going up tend to make me go off my chosen course. If I get lucky, and we don't get the rain they say we are to get today, I'll make another stab at it. And I'll focus on riing "looser", and riding with my knees a little more bent/loose/flexed/whatever. Thanks Again! Jimmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Good Luck and remember to have fun! (UK riders don't let rain stop them...........but then again they only 2 days a year when the sun shines ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr neutron Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Zippy, Our weather here in NW Oregon is just like what I'm told Britain's weather is like. I believe both countries are right at the 45th parallel, near an ocean, & blah, blah, blah. I can find two websites that have the annual average rainfall of Sandy, OR at 79-80" a year. Rain forest material. Two days of dry & summer sounds about right, sadly...... I don't fear riding in the rain at all. Like you said, if we don't do that here, we won't get to ride...... But, I do fear Mrs. Neutron if I mess up the yard around where that short video clip was filmed. I have "my own part" of our property, with a log, safety cones for marking corners, & stuff like that I can do whatever I want in that part of our little acreage. If I mess up the grass anywhere else, there's consequences, ya know??? So it may be a few days before I can get back on the steps, but I have other junk to practice. Corners need to be more of a priority anyway, but I do try to keep it fun........ Jimmie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr neutron Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Well, the rain held off for this afternoon, so I hit again. I managed to clean it once while going up. But I have to confess I'm not 100% sure what I did to get that clean..... If I recall correctly, I slowed down a bit (used 1st gear) so when I hit the ledges, it didn't seem to throw me around as much. I do recall making a concious effort to ride with my knees flexed more, and really tried to focus on the end of the board. I cleaned it once out of what I'd guess was 10-12 attempts..... And then I had struggles with going down the goofy thing, and with my rear wheel hop at the end while going down. Had a tough time focusing on the end this afternoon. Gave up on the steps, and went & practiced turning & floaters. I pretty much suck at all of this. Gave up for good, went and washed the bike, and hopped on my rowing machine. I think I did that correctly, hee hee..... Again, thanks for your help and advice here, Fellas! It's very much appreciated! Jimmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0007 Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 A couple months ago I had an epiphany while watching a you tube video It was to try and get lower on the bike, more in it than on it if you know what i mean and get my knees bent and out I'm no better than I was before LOL but now I seem to have more time to notice what I'm doing wrong It's like when I 5 something I know exactly why, heck I might even improve some day!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr neutron Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 A couple months ago I had an epiphany while watching a you tube video It was to try and get lower on the bike, more in it than on it if you know what i mean and get my knees bent and out I'm no better than I was before LOL but now I seem to have more time to notice what I'm doing wrong It's like when I 5 something I know exactly why, heck I might even improve some day!! My Advanced buddy here at work keeps telling me I need to do what you said, Triple-0 Seven. Bend more at the knees, & keep 'em out,,,,, It's a hard thing for my old arthritic knees (well, technically "KNEE"; I had one replaced recently....) to want to do for an entire trial. And I truly wish I had the ability to analyze & diagnose my shortcomings & mistakes after a dab, a Five, or whatever. The ability to figure out what you've done wrong, and then to be able to correct it, would be great to have....... In the meantime, that's why this forum is here, and I truly appreciate that. Jimmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 You are normal, trying too hard, need more beer! Relax, let the bike come to you, if it were just a curb or rock you would never think twice about it! All in the head, takes more time! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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