The best riding advice?

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by denmother

Always ride with a purpose, pick a skill to work on, don't just ride to ride (per Gene Hamilton).

Do all your braking before you enter the corner and then exit with speed.

The second one is good advice, but doesn't the first take the fun out of it?? Some of the best rides I've ever been on were more social in nature. ALWAYS riding to work on a skill would make it seem more like work.

[2wheel_lee]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Keep your weight back.

1) When turning, keep your weight forward. You need that weight on the front tire to allow it to bite in. Also, with suspension forks, the weight shift drops the front end, making the steering a little quicker. Having weight too far back is what causes many people to have problems in corners.

There is a lot of great information posted here!

2) Another item that I didn't see mentioned, and this may be directed to someone I occasionally followed a couple weeks ago at Mammoth: Stand up! Get off the seat and stand. Bikes don't handle very well when your butt is stuck to the seat. Right Dino?

3) When riding aggressively, always keep your elbows up. When standing on your bike, your arms should be inline with the fork, bending outward at the elbows. Many people don't realize it, but it's common for newbies to bend their elbows downward. You do not have good control of your weight positioning and the bike when your elbows bend downward.

[sdyeti]

this is so true!

Originally Posted by guero

even though you feel like you can't keep pedalling, just try and you might surprise yourself.

Yes! So true!

Originally Posted by El Salt

Silly little one, but given to me 20+ years ago when I started riding, and something I pass on to every new rider I ride with (and still remind myself!):

Look where you want to go, not where you don't. Your bike WILL go where you look, even over a cliff.

[jfromlv]

I completely understand and agree with denmother, here's why. Honing your skills not only makes you faster, it prevents injuries. I know that many people don't necessarily care about getting a lot faster, but most people would like to prevent injury.

[sdyeti]

When I see pictures of guys riding, they look like they are ready for roller derby! I just can't get myself to stick my elbows out

Originally Posted by 2wheel_lee

1)


3) When riding aggressively, always keep your elbows up. When standing on your bike, your arms should be inline with the fork, bending outward at the elbows. Many people don't realize it, but it's common for newbies to bend their elbows downward. Look at some of the photos on the Whiting Rance Newbie ride as an example. You do not have good control of your weight positioning and the bike when your elbows bend downward.

[2wheel_lee]

Originally Posted by jfromlv

I know that many people don't necessarily care about getting a lot faster, but most people would like to prevent injury.

That would be me.

[jfromlv]

Originally Posted by 2wheel_lee

That would be me.

I was thinking of you as I typed that, don't get any faster, ok?

[allison]

Originally Posted by PacMan

The second one is good advice, but doesn't the first take the fun out of it?? Some of the best rides I've ever been on were more social in nature. ALWAYS riding to work on a skill would make it seem more like work.

Your goal on 10/20 is to ride either Widowmaker, Stairway to Hell, or Organ Donor.

You choose. May as well work on something, eh!





Oh, btw, if you hurt yourself, I'm not taking the blame

Originally Posted by 2wheel_lee

this may be directed to someone I occasionally followed a couple weeks ago at Mammoth: Stand up! Get off the seat and stand. Bikes don't handle very well when your butt is stuck to the seat. Right Dino?

I always stand up.. oh wait, you didn't ride behind me at all

[genusmtbkr5]

1. Ride hard, ride often!
2. Just when you think you have nothing left, dig deep inside and you'll find it.
3. pain is temporary, glory is forever(ocrider)
4. don't always be so serious, learn to have fun!(example; OMR)

[KonaDupee]

Originally Posted by El Salt

Look where you want to go, not where you don't. Your bike WILL go where you look, even over a cliff.

Boy, did I learn this the hard way as a kid on my little Yamaha 125 dirtbike. Still rings true with mountain biking. Pretty much every crash I've ever had can be traced back to this little gem.

[autoduel]

Let go of the brakes!

Who knew it would make me a faster rider.

[2wheel_lee]

Originally Posted by denmother

Always ride with a purpose, pick a skill to work on, don't just ride to ride (per Gene Hamilton).

I'm still trying to read through all of these while here at work.

Even though I can jump, I still have lots of fun simply jumping curbs. If I'm in the area of my dad's house, I still enjoy jumping the same curbs I did 30+ years ago (yeah, I've been jumping curbs for a long time).

People have jokingly asked me to do a jumping clinic. If I were to do such a clinic, I can assure you that a lot of time would be spent on curbs. There are a lot of techniques that can be gained, improved, or honed by jumping or riding off curbs. This includes:
- riding straight off a curb (no launcher involved), and practice manualling the front wheel. By doing different variations of this, you can practice front wheel control that applies to many skills.
- Basic curb jumping is where you can practice basic jumping styles - we all want to have some style, right? Simply visualize an mimic the style you admire, and then practice it on a small scale. "Superman Seat Grabs" may be a bit difficult of a 6" curb.
- Jumping driveway gaps. Start as small as one foot and work up to 10+. Not only can you learn to "pull up" for increased distance, but you can also practice backside landings (landing your front wheel first).
- Curb grinds. No, not like the kids grinding up their bikes. I ride along a curb, then lift my front wheel on top of it, sliding the rear tire on the curb, then roll the front wheel back to the pavement. I usually start beginners on 2-4" curbs, then work up from there. This helps technical riding, because you get used to your rear wheel getting hung up in a rut, as well as being able to learn control of your front wheel. You also become comfortable with how your bike reacts in these normally uncomfortable situations.

These are just a couple things I do with curbs. Even though I think I have some of these skills pretty well mastered, I still do them all the time. So if anyone in the area wants to go street riding, let me know!

Oh, and something else that I do that's kind of fun, is to find a small area 10' x 10', and kick a tennis ball around with your bike. However, you can't take your feet off the pedals; you can only move the ball with your tires. The key to the small area is that you're not really riding the bike, you're more hopping and balancing it. I occasionally do this kind of stuff in my garage during the wet and rainy winter months.

[allison]

Great stuff, Lee! Thanks for sharing those... I think maybe it's curb clinic time, eh??

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by allison

Your goal on 10/20 is to ride either Widowmaker, Stairway to Hell, or Organ Donor.

You choose. May as well work on something, eh!

Maybe Widowmaker. We shall see. I'm sure it isn't as hard as I'm making it out to be in my head.

[DownhillWebKook]

Look where you want to go. Don't look where you don't want to go. - My Brother

Stay actvie and animated on the bike. - Rich Houseman

Pin it ya fairy! - Photo of a message penned on Jared Graves' top tube.

[jfromlv]

One thing I don't practice near enough is to set up two cones(or whatever works as markers) and do a figure 8. Practice going faster, dropping the bike lower, correct body position(as Lee explained), some of the best cornering practice you can do. I'll do this for about a half hour in front of my house, fortunately I live on a cul-de-sac.