Duke
New Member
Rattlesnake is harder than Rock-It
Where does Rock-it at Aliso Woods stand in regards to difficulty?
- Thread starter Extole
- Start date
jcampbell
going Gods speed since 75
OK, sorry but this is a pet peeve of mine...
Just because a person rides a hardtail, doesn't mean the bike can't handle the trail or that the rider can't handle the trail. IMO riding a hardtail makes you a better rider and riding a completely rigid bikes increases your skills even more. Suspension allows a rider to make mistakes and still be able to ride through it. That is not the case on hardtails or rigid bikes. Of course this is not always, but (in my opinion) generally so. For those that are disagreeing with me... lets ride!
Me with on that! Rigid and hardtails force you to chose better lines that flow corner to corner. Just look at what happened to the Oaks trails once everyone got a credit card and a new full suspension bomber these last 5 years? Some of them forgot how to turn and pick a good cornering line. Ended up just going straight!
Cableguy
Member
All this for an average XC/AM trail? 
dirtvert
Whine on!
^^
Thank you. Everybody's an expert!
At least the OP didn't ask about a warning sign on the trail (like the one on Stairsteps which, ironically, is placed so far down the trail that most people wouldn't turn around even if the sign said "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter"). : )
"Full squish is to hardtail as hardtail is to rigid as rigid is to coaster brakes as coaster brakes are to unicycle as unicycle is to round rock."
Thank you. Everybody's an expert!
At least the OP didn't ask about a warning sign on the trail (like the one on Stairsteps which, ironically, is placed so far down the trail that most people wouldn't turn around even if the sign said "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter"). : )
"Full squish is to hardtail as hardtail is to rigid as rigid is to coaster brakes as coaster brakes are to unicycle as unicycle is to round rock."
1TrackMind
Member
Here is Stairsteps:
[video=vimeo;11872060]http://vimeo.com/11872060[/video]
[video=vimeo;11872060]http://vimeo.com/11872060[/video]
el cap
Active Member
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Last edited by a moderator:
coolbreeze
Looking for the gun show?
it's more fun going up Rock-it
1TrackMind
Member
I fixed if for you, Chad.
I fixed mine, but the one you poseted has both Stairsteps and Lynx, only it's a lot longer and with my old camera and since it was two years ago the skill lever is a little lower. :wave:
el cap
Active Member
It's still some good stuff!
Extole
No Pain No Gain!
0_0 you guys are awesome, I wasn't expecting so many replies. enjoying the comments and videos alot!
An earlier poster asked about my skill level. To be completely honest I still consider myself a "noob" and envy some of you guys i see on the trails that are just blasting though the the technical sections with such speed and control and are the ones that are making me want to push myself harder. (One day i'll catch up to!! *shakes fist*) I've only been riding on weekends for about 2 months and ride a 29er hardtail access 9.7 bike. the rock garden took a liking to my elbows, wrist, and knees a few times but the last ride i was able to finally cross it. I'm going to try taking the earlier advice by sucking it up and picking up more speed going down the rock gardens instead of shifting into tortoise mode. I'm pretty out of shape right now due to my long office hours and my past hobby of being lazy and playing video games or such on weekends for quite a few years so my athletism isn't quite all their, YET. I've decided this weekend ill give rock-it a shot with the new tips you guys provided and then try lynx after wards to test the waters. I will keep you guys posted on my success or how many boken bones i've come out with.
oh just a side question, kind of off tangent from this topic but does a full suspension bike really make it a night and day difference? Like, for those of you who mainly ride fulls suspension on some of the tougher trails like car wreck, are you not capable of doing it if you went on a hard tail or is it just a little more uncomfortable?
An earlier poster asked about my skill level. To be completely honest I still consider myself a "noob" and envy some of you guys i see on the trails that are just blasting though the the technical sections with such speed and control and are the ones that are making me want to push myself harder. (One day i'll catch up to!! *shakes fist*) I've only been riding on weekends for about 2 months and ride a 29er hardtail access 9.7 bike. the rock garden took a liking to my elbows, wrist, and knees a few times but the last ride i was able to finally cross it. I'm going to try taking the earlier advice by sucking it up and picking up more speed going down the rock gardens instead of shifting into tortoise mode. I'm pretty out of shape right now due to my long office hours and my past hobby of being lazy and playing video games or such on weekends for quite a few years so my athletism isn't quite all their, YET. I've decided this weekend ill give rock-it a shot with the new tips you guys provided and then try lynx after wards to test the waters. I will keep you guys posted on my success or how many boken bones i've come out with.
oh just a side question, kind of off tangent from this topic but does a full suspension bike really make it a night and day difference? Like, for those of you who mainly ride fulls suspension on some of the tougher trails like car wreck, are you not capable of doing it if you went on a hard tail or is it just a little more uncomfortable?
unclepudding
Fueled by Frosted Flakes
Invest in some pads. I think that made more of a night and day difference in my riding than switching from a hardtail to a FS. With that said, though it is possible to ride most every trail with either FS or rigid, I think it is much easier, much more comfortable, and sometimes (often) more fun on a FS. Just my $.02 though.
Duke
New Member
It's possible to ride pretty much anything on a hardtail/rigid bike. Why do I choose Full Suspension?
For one thing, it's more COMFORTABLE (your ass and balls don't hurt....). The other reason is it's just more fun, period!
For one thing, it's more COMFORTABLE (your ass and balls don't hurt....). The other reason is it's just more fun, period!
rojomas
A.K.A The Oxx
First of all, don't ride any faster than you are comfortable with. Though some people have been giving you some light hearted answers, Rockit should not be taken lightly. People have been seriously injured on Rockit. Not to scare you but there are a few posts here on STR about how bad some of the crashes have been.
As for your question on full suspension, the suspension absorbs much of the impact so it makes the bike more forgiving and comfortable, which inspires confidence, which in turn will make you ride faster. The flipside to that is that since you'll tend to ride faster you'll have harder crashes.
As for your question on full suspension, the suspension absorbs much of the impact so it makes the bike more forgiving and comfortable, which inspires confidence, which in turn will make you ride faster. The flipside to that is that since you'll tend to ride faster you'll have harder crashes.
herzalot
Well-Known Member
Yes. A good full suspension bike makes a night and day difference. Equally important is geometry. Slacker head angles help when it gets steep downhill. I could probably ride a good hardtail (with a 67* head angle and good 130mm fork) down every trail I ride on my full squish, but not as fast, not as confidently, not as safely and just plain not as much fun. Comfort has little to do with it for me.
That said - ride the bike you have and develop skills. As many have posted here - that's all we rode in the early 90s, and we got pretty skilled at it. It was fun to "clean" obstacles that I just jump over now. The fact that yours is a 29er should make it easier to run over stuff than it was for us on our 26er HTs. Go ride. Report back. If you see a tall guy on a big turquoise Yeti bombing down Rock-It, it's me - say hi!
Yes, but: Braking, shifting, solid wheels, strength-to-weight, properly inflated tires, etc. They all matter too. You can get a $200 FS at walmart, it won't help. When you're committed enough to drop >$2K on a bicycle, the FS will not disappoint.
And: There are no solutions, only tradeoffs. If you went and spent $7K on the full Sam Hill DH package tonight, you'd be 50-100% faster down Rock-it tomorrow, guaranteed. But that's a pretty steep trade to make unless you are made of money and employ a chauffeur with a shuttle truck.
Finally: I own a 5" travel bike, a 6.5" travel bike, and a plastic road bike. And what bike do I wish I could go get? A 29er hardtail.
ladera Dave
New Member
I would say Stair steeps, Car Wreek & Lynx are harder.
spicolli1976
New Member
Actually Five Guys would be giving it too much credit ;-)
Greengiant
Steady diet of dirt
We all were once "noobs", some of us have been riding long enough that we remember biopace chainrings and purple anodized bling, Pro-Flex FS rigs (yikes!) and the days before SPD clipless pedals....and we probably all rode with a goofy styrofoam helmet and neon-pink shorts! Give yourself some credit that you are TRYING some of the steeper, more challenging trails at your level of riding skill....and look into taking some skills clinics. It helps speed up the learning curve...try the bikeskills clinic with Bob Loeffler....he's pretty patient with helping noobs find their inner shredder...
Meadows trail will help you learn body positioning and turns, etc so you can develop those skills and feel more comfortable on your bike before you tackle the rock gardens...
Hardtails are lots of fun to ride, but at some point, your back will like you better if you ride a FS....I have a HT 29'er I love to ride, but my back would prefer that the FS is my main squeeze for all-day rides.
Keep at it, mountain biking is addicting, you'll love it!
Extole
No Pain No Gain!
Update: This weekend was so much fun! I did exactly what you guys told me to do on rock it and i felt like i learned a whole new level in mountain biking! As I approached the rock garden i could feel my adrenaline starting to kick in, I told my buddy (his first time mountain biking) that i would meet him at the bottom of the garden. I loosend up my body, eased off the brakes and in my head i kept the thought of the only way to get better is to actually try it. Through the entire thing with the added speed i felt wayyyy more in control of the bike then i ever did on that section and made it down in one piece. I didn't get a chance to do lynx yet cause i was with a friend and it was his first time out on the trails so we took it slow but will be giving lynx a go this upcoming weekend and ill keep you guys updated on my outcome with lynx! I really appreciate all the help all of you have given me, THANKS!
MojoCP
New Member
Congrats. One of the few universal laws in MTB is that: Speed is your friend*
*: Rule does not apply to off-camber corners. Speed is not actually your friend, but will begrudgingly contribute $5 to the office birthday cake on your birthday. Do not taunt or threaten speed, or speed may become unpredictable. Never look speed in the eye. If you confront speed alone, put your bike over your head and attempt to appear bigger than you actually are, always showing control of the situation. Do not flee from speed, as it will give chase. NEVER give your password to speed. Keep speed locked in an approved container where minors cannot reach it or access it. Do not exceed posted daily maximum dosage of speed unless directed to do so by your doctor.
