Bigger Logs/drums - How?

[mr neutron]

It sounds like you & I should be two of the smartest riders around, huh Mokwepa? At least we learn what not to do, I guess......

For getting more lift, it's pretty much a function of rebound after compression of the suspension (both ends), and spring from the legs. You can influence how much compression (and then rebound) of the suspension you get by your wheel placement on the obstacle. Too high of the front wheel on the obstacle, and the tire either skips over it, or doesn't make enough suspension squish to do much for you, as far as "lift" is concerned. Just don't do like I occasionally do. Sometimes I'll accidentally pull the clutch in when I want to do the first blip/lift the front wheel, or I'll simply have my timing WAAAAAY off, and wont get any front wheel lift. The bike then runs into the log, and I get "Yard Darted" over the bike and log. A good reason to keep speeds down while learning, i say....

For getting the timing down, it really helped me to break down each aspect of a double blip or zap, and go through the technique very slowly. Focus on obstacles about the size of your front wheel or smaller, and just practice them slowly. You'll find that you don't need a lot of speed at all to accomplish this, also. I probably should've been going a bit slower in my video I linked to.....

Hope this helps!

Jimmie

Edited June 8, 2013 by mr neutron

[mokwepa]

Im getting over a single drum relatively easily but from this position, my front wheel drops rapidly and is on the ground while the rear is still on the drum. What I did notice n a slowmo vid is that my rear wheel is spinning on the drum from this point untill its on he top.

Now is this why the front wheel is dropping or am I doing something else wrong? Is my drum too slippery?

[guys]

Not only is your drum to slippery, your pants and boots don't match either

[zippy]

Not only is your drum to slippery, your pants and boots don't match either

I am liking the Shorts. ROCK THE SHORTS!!!! but remember the key to success is accessories!!

I even wrote an "article" about it.

http://wgasa.motatrials.com/8-fluffy-kittens/4-are-you-showing-too-much-knee

[mokwepa]

Haha. As for the shorts, im a game ranger and try to practice for a hour every day in my lunch break. Im saving my pretty beta gear for events.

Seriously, can my drums be too slippery making it dificult for me to get this technique right? There are some rocks for me to try it on but ill have to get a armed buddy to watch my back if I ride in the bush here, lots of eles and lion around at the moment.

Supose I could make a rifle scabbard to fit on my beta and wear my 44mag, but it might be a bit restricting and heavy

[b40rt]

Footrests can bite bare knees as bad as lions !

[mokwepa]

Ja you are right but at least they dont try to eat you afterwards

[mokwepa]

Oh yes, my drums are too slippery. Almost did a backflip over a drum sized log today.

[zippy]

Oh yes, my drums are too slippery. Almost did a backflip over a drum sized log today.

AAAHHH Learning the differences in available traction on different surfaces. You are learning quickly.

[0007]

Haha. As for the shorts, im a game ranger and try to practice for a hour every day in my lunch break. Im saving my pretty beta gear for events.

Seriously, can my drums be too slippery making it dificult for me to get this technique right? There are some rocks for me to try it on but ill have to get a armed buddy to watch my back if I ride in the bush here, lots of eles and lion around at the moment.

Supose I could make a rifle scabbard to fit on my beta and wear my 44mag, but it might be a bit restricting and heavy

LOL, we get the odd black bear, lots of deer and a moose or two

Minders don't have to carry a large caliber rifle to guard you from the wildlife, that's kind of interesting for sure but I'm glad I don't have to watch for Elephants in a section

[mr neutron]

I guess you should probably shoot your footpegs before every ride, just to show them who the boss is, maybe?? Actually, b40rt does have a good point about pegs bitin' ya; I've got a couple of scars on my shins to prove that.... Yet I still rock the ugly shorts fairly often, and feature even uglier legs. Go figure.....

Have you gotten to look at the Ryan Young dvds yet, Mokwepa? If I recall correctly, there is a "lesson" on one of those DVDs, where Ryan rides back & forth over a log that is on a slight hill, and the log is approximately half a meter in dameter. I believe the lesson is on Zaps, but can't recall; need to go watch the dvd again. At any rate, when he goes over that log, the rear wheel pretty much comes up to the top of the log without actually having to climb up. It gets there with help from rebound, and from Ryan's legs. It's almost like his "Bunny Hop" technique.

Added in EDIT: The video I have is Ryan Young's "Trials Training Techniques and Cross Training Tools". The part of the video I'm referring to is under "Advanced Techniques", and is called the "Jap Zap". He gets enough lift from his suspension & technique to pretty much either set the wheel on top of the log, or has enough momentum for it to roll smoothly up & over, or clears it completely.....

I know that painted drums can be slick, even when it's dry out. The dust on your tires alone can make it really tough to find traction. Here where I live, we get a good bit of rain. This makes our logs & boulders really slick. Those logs are pretty easy to get over with poor technique (I speak from experience here... ) when they are dry. There's not much room for error when they're wet, however. You really need the technique Ryan uses to get over them when they're slick like that, along with the minimum amount of throttle. Finding out what that "minimum amount of throttle" becomes an experience thing, however. Just gotta practice the right technique. Sorry, it's a hard thing to give you a verbal on. Actually seeing it done would help more than my text can....

JImmie

Here's a good video where the guy gets some really great lift from his Zap, and has s ome good slow motion & text explaining what's going on as he does it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTSd4MbzoGc&list=FLM7a7xBGdVDokQi9gf_OQfA

After looking at what you're wanting to do Mokwepa, I'm not sure if a regular old "Double Blip" is more what's needed, or the Zap. Done correctly, either one can get you the lift you need for your rear wheel to get up on top of the obstacle, and then to roll over smoothly. You don't want the rear wheeel "slamming" the obstacle. you lose forward momentum then..... Hope this helps!

Jimmie

Edited June 14, 2013 by mr neutron

[charlie chitlins]

And if you want to carry the front wheel longer, lean back a bit, straighten your knees and "hold pressure".

[zippy]

And if you want to carry the front wheel longer, lean back a bit, straighten your knees and "hold pressure".

Kind of like pushing your feet into the pegs and this will push the rear wheel into/onto whatever the obstacle is.

[mokwepa]

Ok im kinda getting it. What plays a bigger role in hight of the rear, the bounce/hop/suspension or the second blip of the throttle?

[zippy]

Ok im kinda getting it. What plays a bigger role in hight of the rear, the bounce/hop/suspension or the second blip of the throttle?

Both......................

but actually with the same amount of throttle but different amounts of "bounce" will give you different amounts of lift. Hope that makes sense.

You could make it over the obstacle with little bounce but HUGE throttle and it will go over, or use half as much throttle and get the bounce technique correct and make it over the same obstacle with much less throttle.

that help??