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Showing content with the highest reputation on 05/14/2021 in Posts

  1. This is gold. I was thinking the same thing. When I observe new riders, a lot of the hangups occurr when they keep their butts planted in situations where more body English was needed. That takes time and some degree of conscious effort, as well as getting stronger. Some excerise off the bike would help here, especially if you spend most days sitting at a desk. Core, glutes, hamstrings, etc.
    2 points
  2. I’m not sure which page it’s on, but I think the log came loose and the plan was to replace it with a wooden small drop. That might still be the plan?
    1 point
  3. Not a mystery what happened to the logs recently. One was dislodged and half assed put back by someone so I removed it since it was pointless and not secure. Other was made into a kicker by me, got washed out, will be built bigger and better when I get back.
    1 point
  4. We were actually talking about the logs a couple pages ago. I had built a little kicker with one of the logs before the storm. Then the rain came washed everything away leaving just the log. When I get back from Bentonville I plan on putting one of the logs back and using cedar on the sides to hold dirt in better.
    1 point
  5. Lots of great info here, much thanks!! This is something I've been wondering... I see a lot of people sitting when riding around Walnut Creek, but I rarely sit when on a trail. My first couple of weeks I was sitting a ton and using my legs to power over everything. Once I had more endurance and started standing I realized that I could go faster and smoother by 'sucking up' the bumps and compressing down the dips. Now I'm way faster with much less effort. It feels great to ride with the terrain instead of power against it. My biggest takeaway from everyone's feedback is that I need to start riding with people before I take on harder terrain. I feel like I'm progressing fairly quickly, but Its probably smart to get some hands on advice before pushing it too far solo.
    1 point
  6. Go ride Thumper several times a week.
    1 point
  7. Haha this is the method I used - school of hard knocks and near death. Totally agree with @Charlie193 that if you're second guessing yourself on something, save it for another day. I learned that the hard way. Progression is definitely the key to staying safe and there is no shame in getting off your bike to avoid doing something outside your comfort zone. To the OP's point though about not knowing what to be afraid of, my advice would be to 1) keep your wheels on the ground until you're able to carefully progress on drops / jumps, 2) keep your speed within the limits of your balance / control of the bike, avoiding scenarios where you're unable to control your speed, such as steep, gnarly descents, and 3) avoid going up steep, technical obstacles that could leave you and your bike tipping over backwards. Also know that being seated in the saddle leaves you very vulnerable in many situations you'll encounter on the trail. The quicker you get comfortable being out of the saddle and balanced between your pedals and handlebars, the less likely you are to get hurt.
    1 point
  8. Who’s the BADASS in this Strava profile pic? Damn, he FINE!
    1 point
  9. Tunnels under MOPAC are reason enough to bring lights on every ride.
    1 point
  10. I was a roof rat, and Tomcat fixer. There were rarely survivors unless they punched out.
    1 point
  11. Lots of good advice above, but I'd also add that there are tons of good tutorial videos on YouTube. I'm not saying that watching a video is a replacement for physically attempting to do something, but sometimes it's good to watch somebody who really knows what they are doing break down a particular skill or technique. I particularly like the way Kyle Warner explains things and he has a YouTube channel where he works with his girlfriend (a relative noob to mountain biking) on lots of essential skills. Of course, you have to be aware that there are also videos out there that may give questionable advice so don't take everything you see/hear on YouTube as gospel. https://www.youtube.com/c/KyleAprilRideMtb/featured I also like this guy a lot: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCucbPdaUiex4Atyl2XCP18Q
    1 point
  12. If/when you find yourself considering a feature that pushes what you’re comfortable with, decide whether you’re going to go for it, then do it or don’t do it- avoid heading into something feeling hesitant, then trying to back out when it’s too late to turn back your decision. Those crashes tend to hurt.
    1 point
  13. I'm not going to say "you're wrong", but I'd wager to say that 99% of us have used the "usual advice" to good success. 1. Ride with better riders. Yes, of course. See what they are doing. Notice where they are being cautious and where they are taking risks. Not saying you should try to follow a pro DH rider down the hill, but having someone push you slightly above your limits is beneficial. Just be aware that they are better than you and there is never any shame in walking an obstacle. 2. Ride more. Practice, practice, practice. I can't see how that is bad advice. The best riding tips I've gotten: Steer with your belly button. (aka "point with your pecker") Don't turn the bar or your head to steer. The bike will follow your hips. This works on all turn. It works on fast downhill sections, but it works especially well (and its impossible to over do it) on slow uphill switchbacks. Learn to feel and hear when your tires start to slide. There is a moment in between full traction and washing out. It sounds like scratching. You can feel the scratch too. mack_turtle makes an excellent point about tire pressure. It makes a big difference. Braking is really only effective when you are not skidding. Skidding is lack of control. Plus it tears up the the trail. Use both brakes. Most beginners won't use their front brakes enough. Bring post ride beers.
    1 point
  14. I got my hubs over to DT Swiss last Wed, and the new hoops arrived at my doorstep yesterday, laced to my original hubs and complete with tubeless rim tape and valves. The $690 replacement cost ($345 per wheel) wasn't too hard to swallow considering that I had beat the shit out of the original rims for 4.5 years. There were no questions asked and DT Swiss didn't even ask for the old rims back, which saved me considerably on shipping the hubs to them. Given that the $690 also included rebuilding the wheels and shipping them to me, I figure the actual rim replacements came at a cost of around $225 per rim vs. their $800 retail value. Hoping to get another 5 years or so out of these, but I did order some inserts from Rimpact that I'll install before I get crazy on them. Oh and yes - graphics are laser etched for some additional bling factor!
    1 point
  15. Well if we are gonna brag about EBs and tires, the best EBs are the ones you do on your own because you are not going to be there on the day. Then it gets canceled because of weather. And, *technically* you end up in second place. But, arguably, you also came in last place because only two people did it that year. And the guy that beat you beat you by several hours. On a singlespeed. But, the tires were Ardent 2.4's.
    1 point
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