Big Bike Thread

[booyaka]

Am I correct in thinking that its actually EASIER if you keep some decent speed up as opposed to going over it slowly as this allows the bike to land flat as opposed to the front wheel diving down?

Am I also correct in thinking that the bigger the drop then the more important to go off at a decent-ish speed is?


Edit: Kudos to the guy above for going without protection unlike some of these other lightweights j/k

coming from easily the "weakest" rider (me) there on Saturday - the quicker the better for sure as a beginner. 2nd time I did spooky wood run down the hill, I did all but the first drop off (because I didn't have enough speed) and lived to tell the tale!!

 

[kieranv]

If in doubt...flat out.

 

[ichabod crane]

If in doubt...flat out.

 

[mattyg]

If in doubt...flat out.

The late great Colin McRae

 

[Xinn]

So I'm a complete beginner to proper mountain biking and I will be looking to buy my first bike in around 2 weeks time.

I've decided on a hard tail and have around £500-£600 to spend but have no idea what is good or bad. I've seen a Cube Analogue 2011 with discs for around £550 again no idea if it's any good. Will also require a helmet of some description in the price range. Any recommendations?

 

[kieranv]

The late great Colin McRae

Came from my hometown

 

[RobotXander]

Thought I would post a pic of my bike:

Started off life as a Giant XTC 4 but not much in the way of stock components left
Rock Shox Tora 318 Solo Air
Wellgo MG1 Pedals (great with my Five TenFreeriders)
Avid Elixir 5 brakes
Raceface Diabolus DH bar with Lizard Skins "Peaty" grips
Raceface Ride XC Stem 70mm
Maxxiss High Rollers 2.25

I have just given if a clean after a 26 mile offroad charity cycle yesterday.
Does me nicely for now. It can handle the local Black and Red trails (Balblair, Carbisdale, Highland Wildcat etc) and hasn't missed a beat since I got it 18 months ago

 

[mattyg]

Thought I would post a pic of my bike:

Started off life as a Giant XTC 4 but not much in the way of stock components left
Rock Shox Tora 318 Solo Air
Wellgo MG1 Pedals (great with my Five TenFreeriders)
Avid Elixir 5 brakes
Raceface Diabolus DH bar with Lizard Skins "Peaty" grips
Raceface Ride XC Stem 70mm

I have just given if a clean after a 26 mile offroad charity cycle yesterday.
Does me nicely for now. It can handle the local Black and Red trails (Balblair, Carbisdale, Highland Wildcat etc) and hasn't missed a beat since I got it 18 months ago

Looks good just a little too blue for me

 

[RobotXander]

It came down to blue or red (other bike was a Spesh) and I liked the blue more.

I have a thing for green these days.....been eyeballing a Cove Stiffee lime green frame at my LBS...

 

[Street]

So I'm a complete beginner to proper mountain biking and I will be looking to buy my first bike in around 2 weeks time.

I've decided on a hard tail and have around £500-£600 to spend but have no idea what is good or bad. I've seen a Cube Analogue 2011 with discs for around £550 again no idea if it's any good. Will also require a helmet of some description in the price range. Any recommendations?

Definitely worth looking at second hand.. I was in a similar position to you with £500 to spend. Couldn't find much new that I liked so scouted around Ebay for a few weeks and watched everything until something I liked came up for a decent price. Ended up getting myself a 6 month old Rockhopper Pro 2010 for £500!

 

[VaderDSL]

Cheers for the advice

I'll probably need to get a lot, I have carbon fibre frames that get a bit of a hammering from being put on the bike carriers etc. already had some damage/rub.

I only got 7.5cm width last time and it was way to narrow for the downtube

This time I'd probably get some wider stuff and take my time a bit more, now that I have my bike stand I might have better luck

 

[booyaka]

Cheers for the advice

I'll probably need to get a lot, I have carbon fibre frames that get a bit of a hammering from being put on the bike carriers etc. already had some damage/rub.

I only got 7.5cm width last time and it was way to narrow for the downtube

This time I'd probably get some wider stuff and take my time a bit more, now that I have my bike stand I might have better luck

also watch the video on the biketart website about applying it - very good and goes on really well

 

[Richie]

Well, I just had my first official "off" on my bike

I went up to the wooded area near my home that I mentioned a few weeks back. It seems as if someone is actually making some effort at making some kind of trail as I noticed a newly built very high/steep jump (the actual ramp is near vertical at the top) which was off to the side as well as a newly formed berm on, what I will call, the main trail.

So I start off all ok and even go down bits I had avoided before with no real issues. The back wheel slid sideways slightly a few times on the wet rocks/roots on the steep bits but all ok. I get to the berm and went round it fine the first time.



I then go back up for a 2nd run and decide that, this time, I will go up the berm slightly and use it to corner as opposed to just riding round the corner normally. What I didnt account for was that:

a) the berm had just been built so the soil was that granually kind of way as opposed to packed really hard yet (lack of traffic hadn't "firmed it up")

b) The crappy tyres on my bike (god damn those Specialized Fastrak tyres )


Anyway, as I enter the berm (I am well off the brakes), I deliberately take it wide to climb up the side and the back tyre slides out about 2 inches on the slippy earth. Before I know it, the front tyre is sitting nearly perpendicular to the bike, before digging into the soft earth and I end up over the bars


Thankfully as the ground was soft I didnt do much personal damage as I hit the ground with the left side of my chin and my left knee. Also thankful that the bike didn't carry on and land on me


Guess it had to happen at some point. Don't think you can class yourself a proper MTB'er if you haven't had a proper tumble

 

[Andelusion]

Sounds like a good crash

It's probably a good idea not to ride the berm if it's still wet/not packed down properly yet as it could damage it.

 

[Supercow]

Sorry to be pedant, but that's so small you can't call it a "drop off"
Its a tiny little step, if anything. plopping off a pavement is about the same as this

As a rule of thumb, yes it's always better doing any obstacle at speed, be it
gap/table/jump/drop/roots etc. I've hurt myself a helluva lot more bottling it/braking than hammering it. Besides, most of us are going a helluva lot faster "in our heads" than we actually are riding.

On a side note, what are everyone's ways/methods of "just getting over yourself" or pushying your skills limit?
I've been riding like a right wobbler and I'm getting very frustrated with my riding. Ive been getting slower and slower in the last year, possibly due to all the niggling injuries Ive sustained and I really have a mental struggle with it.
Any idea/suggestions?

I guess it's not sport specific as I'm sure a lot of sportsmen run into similar issues?

 

[Andelusion]

SC - set yourself achievable, realistic targets with a specific date to reach the target by.

edit: I've made a crap attempt at explaining this but the March edition of Singletrack mag had a good article on 'SMART' targets (sports psychology).

Or if we're talking about huge hucks, take a looksie first (you're familiar with the importance of this ) and don't spend too long thinking about it, just send it

I would have chickened out of doing the middle drop at Glentress freeride park (which I'm sure is tiny by even a noob-DH'ers estimation) but after giving it a look over I just went for it and wish I'd tried the biggest one now like Kieran.

 

[robj20]

Im the same, since i came off a year or so ago and destroyed my arms and face i just cant do big stuff anymore, im thinking of doing a skills course soon to try get my balls back.

 

[Supercow]

Unfortunately it's not the "big stuff" that's my problem. I've never been a hucker and never will be, but I wont shy away from a drop or a jump as they dont actually take much skill to do. It's just riding my bike fast that I just can't do at the moment. I'm always braking, not hitting my lines, coming to near dead stops in tight corners, look right at my front wheel in stead of ahead of me... all the bad things!

robj20, I'm considering the same.
Andelusion, yea I reckon I'm going to get myself a timer and start doing timed runs

 

[Richie]

On a side note, what are everyone's ways/methods of "just getting over yourself" or pushying your skills limit?
I've been riding like a right wobbler and I'm getting very frustrated with my riding. Ive been getting slower and slower in the last year, possibly due to all the niggling injuries Ive sustained and I really have a mental struggle with it.
Any idea/suggestions?

Although I am a beginner I guess doing anything "dodgy" is even harder for someone like me who has/had no real bike skills to speak of so even "easy" obstacles can be daunting.

I just do what Ande mentions:

....and don't spend too long thinking about it, just send it

I have spent many a time sitting at the top of steep obstacles wondering whether to do them or not. In the end I suck it up, send the bike and myself on its way and just hope for the best which usually ends up in this kind of thing - ...........

Im the same, since i came off a year or so ago and destroyed my arms and face i just cant do big stuff anymore, im thinking of doing a skills course soon to try get my balls back.

I have been looking at these Dirtschool courses as they run them at Glentress/Inverleithen which is near me and they have expanded recently to include Wales (Afan etc). Might be worth the £85.00 for 6 hours tuition. It looks like its restriced to 6 riders per course as well which would be good

 

[Andelusion]

Just had a call from bike shop and my new frame isn't going to be here for another 2 weeks I had an estimated delivery date of the end of last week.

Apparently the US have taken all of the first batch of orders (Transition bikes) and this hasn't happened before.

Not happy