Mountain Biking

MassiveJim · 29 Aug 2018 at 18:20

TallPaul_S said:
Tried some bunny hops for the first time ever today, started out barely being able to clear a 10cm/4inch log, then found a perfect location for practice - a few minutes away, deserted on Sundays, perfect. Managed to clear some blocks of wood at 18cm/7inches high, which for me was a big deal

I need to work on the getting the rear wheel up, I know I'm not standing up enough and I'm trying to pull up with my legs too much. Manualling I'm fine with, and getting the front wheel up - OK I can't hold a manual but I can get it up there for long enough Just need more practice, and some more blocks soon!

Cant really tell from the vid as camera is too close but it looks like you are just pulling up on the bike.
With suspension bikes you need to load up the suspension before the hop, I was taught if you are using your strength to lift the bike you are doing it wrong, push down on the suspension first (need to time it right obviously) so that your suspension springs up before said object, then pull up when suspension reaches the top of the travel.

You might already be doing this I don't know, as I said its quite hard to tell from your video

TallPaul_S · 29 Aug 2018 at 21:10

MassiveJim said:
Cant really tell from the vid as camera is too close but it looks like you are just pulling up on the bike.
With suspension bikes you need to load up the suspension before the hop, I was taught if you are using your strength to lift the bike you are doing it wrong, push down on the suspension first (need to time it right obviously) so that your suspension springs up before said object, then pull up when suspension reaches the top of the travel.

You might already be doing this I don't know, as I said its quite hard to tell from your video

Cheers - yeah I know it's hard to tell from that video, I am definitely pre-loading - see here from some earlier attempts that day:

I'm at about 80% fork and shock travel there

Not sure if you're describing the English bunny hop, I can do them - it's the american hop I want to do.

I'm also doing the manual part OK, maybe not as low and far back as I should be. However where I'm failing is standing straight up after the front wheel has come up, I'm still trying to lift too much with my legs.

Compress, arse to the seat then back in one motion = front wheel up
Stand straight up, bring bars to the the thighs/waist
push bars forward at same time as bending the knees bringing the wheel up beneath me.

I know the theory but getting my brain to do it is another thing!!

This video seems excellent, and is it me does the coach remind me of Bubbles from trailer park boys?

Hedge · 29 Aug 2018 at 21:25

What do you have your rebound set to?

TallPaul_S · 29 Aug 2018 at 22:20

Front or rear? Rear I think is a few clicks out from fastest - did the 'ride off a kerb and adjust it so it just bounces slightly at the top of the travel' trick - front is all the way out I think, fully open compression and rebound.

Hedge · 29 Aug 2018 at 22:29

Have you tried many settings while practicing your hops? I was riding a hard tail until last month and my bunny hops were great. Then when I moved to full suspension I seemed to lose all ability.

Ive had a bit of a play with my rebound and it seemed to help a little.

TallPaul_S · 29 Aug 2018 at 22:40

Not really, I tried some with the shock/forks locked out and it felt strange...

You'd think that faster rebound would help with the pop. TBH it's all technique related for me

Just need more practice!

Hedge · 1 Sep 2018 at 20:42

Heading to Scotland on Monday morning. Glentress area for two days then over to Nevis range. Top chief looks amazing.

Anyone got any tips? Just picked up my Fox proframe today so my face survives my expected crashes!

SpudMaster · 5 Sep 2018 at 21:58

So on 25th August I ordered the new YT Tues frame, everything seemed to be going well. On the 3rd Sept a nice big box turns up. Open it up have a flick through the manual, pictures of the new Tues looked very nice. Lift the frame out of the box and WTF! They've sent me the old Tues frame which is currently selling for half the price of what I paid!

Problem I have now is that YT don't seem to want to respond to any contact I've tried to make. I emailed them through their website, sent them and message on their Facebook page and today spent 20 mins on the phone to Germany trying to get to speak to someone before I had to go back to work.

At what stage should I put in a PayPal complaint in a hope to get their attention?

touch · 6 Sep 2018 at 10:20

Assuming you sent them the first emails on the 3rd, I'd just go straight in with the paypal claim now.

It's just going to send them a message and give them 7 days to respond before anybody at paypal will look at it anyway.

SpudMaster · 6 Sep 2018 at 11:04

touch said:
Assuming you sent them the first emails on the 3rd, I'd just go straight in with the paypal claim now.

It's just going to send them a message and give them 7 days to respond before anybody at paypal will look at it anyway.

Yeah i sent them the first email on the 3rd, then a message on facebook on the 4th. Tried ringing them on the 5th and then tried ringing them again this morning as soon as they opened. Same story, no luck, so sent them another email today explaining all the ways I've tried to contact them and if they don't reply soon I'll be opening a PayPal dispute.

Shortly after this I received a message from YT on facebook telling me to send an email to YT customer services! :mad:

I told them I already have and now they say they are going to contact customer services directly for me.

So lets see what happens now....

kefkef · 6 Sep 2018 at 13:05

With the nights closing in what do folks use for illumination. I’ve been looking at Hope R4 or R8, any others to consider?

Begbie · 7 Sep 2018 at 07:53

Hedge said:
Heading to Scotland on Monday morning. Glentress area for two days then over to Nevis range. Top chief looks amazing.

Anyone got any tips? Just picked up my Fox proframe today so my face survives my expected crashes!

Bit late, but install trail forks and get down the old EWS trails. They're awesome. So greasy and rooty! Or speak to the guys in the shop.

Sadly all the new black stuff was about 4ft in snow when I was last there

toprock · 7 Sep 2018 at 11:01

kefkef said:
With the nights closing in what do folks use for illumination. I’ve been looking at Hope R4 or R8, any others to consider?

Solarstorm XT40, Solarstorm battery box, x4 Torchy the battery boy 18650, and an Xtar VP2 charger = £70 ish total cost, lasts 3-4 night rides on a mixture of medium/full beam, and is literally like a second sun, 2000 claimed lumens. (x4 cree LEDs)

Hedge · 8 Sep 2018 at 14:47

Glentress was good. Innerleithen was probably better. And then Top Chief at Nevis range on a clear day was just epic. My skills definitely got put to the test.

Great week of riding!

Hedge · 8 Sep 2018 at 14:51

Glentress was good. Innerleithen was probably better. And then Top Chief at Nevis range on a clear day was just epic. My skills definitely got put to the test.

Great week of riding!

Lethal` · 9 Sep 2018 at 09:13

Dusted off my MTB (usually a roadie!) last weekend in preparation for yesterday's ride. Hampton -> Thames towpath to Weybridge -> River Wey Navigation to Guildford -> Joined the Downs Link to Shoreham area and then hopped on the South Downs Way to Eastbourne.

Downs Link was kinda boring as it's just flat and as a result no real view points unless you're a railway enthusiast. I made good progress along there at least. South Downs Way provided the real challenge from 60 miles in. I knew it was going to be up/down but hadn't quite accounted for the surfaces. Pretty rough in places but fun nonetheless. Traction became the real problem on the short steep stuff. Overall, a fun day out but I'd probably not repeat the Downs Link stuff... that would be more fun on a cross bike. I'll have to checkout Winchester to Shoreham on the SDW some day.

I bumped into a guy coming the other way and we chatted briefly and I asked how far he's going. "I'm in the pain cave. There and back". It took me a moment to realise, after he'd gone, that potentially he was talking about doing the double. Crazy. I rode 110 miles yesterday over less bumpy ground and that was more than enough. 200 miles is insane. I've heard about the record attempts for the double though and turns out someone has done the double double!

Begbie · 9 Sep 2018 at 09:20

Hedge said:
Glentress was good. Innerleithen was probably better. And then Top Chief at Nevis range on a clear day was just epic. My skills definitely got put to the test.

Great week of riding!

Did you do the route? Or the off piste/dh stuff?

Only ever done the route there, need to get back for the good stuff asap.

Hedge · 9 Sep 2018 at 11:17

Begbie said:
Did you do the route? Or the off piste/dh stuff?

Only ever done the route there, need to get back for the good stuff asap.

Just did the routes from trail forks. Wanted to go and do the Golfie at Innerleithen but I was damn tired from getting to the peak of the red run at inner. The climb was damn long.

Weather was perfect all week. The views were stunning.

6thElement · 10 Sep 2018 at 01:38

31miles, 5000ft of climbing, topped out at 11,400ft on todays ride with the wife.

MassiveJim · 10 Sep 2018 at 14:01

toprock said:
Solarstorm XT40, Solarstorm battery box, x4 Torchy the battery boy 18650, and an Xtar VP2 charger = £70 ish total cost, lasts 3-4 night rides on a mixture of medium/full beam, and is literally like a second sun, 2000 claimed lumens. (x4 cree LEDs)

very interested in this but seems they have discontinued it, don't suppose you know what they replaced it with ?