Froride1 and I had a talk about this yesterday, and my theory is that many MTB'ers are looking at the climbing/fitness/endurance aspect of the sport - sticking to fireroads and killing KOM's and such. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you lose sight of a very important aspect of riding.
I have a lot of work to do on my climbing speed (at least I'm not dead last like before), but I really enjoy having the bike handling skills - makes up for what I'm not so good at.
There is a lot of truth to this.
Most people are not racing, but focus on the "racing" part of their riding.
As Dion said, there is nothing wrong with that, but it sure presents a limitation on the variety of the sport.
I got myself a trial bike today, just for the kicks. Somehow I am quite sure that's gonna be a lot of fun. It has no purpose, I am never going to compete, and most likely never going to hit world class skills either.....but the fun that will bring, ooh yes!
Had he been my son, I would have gone with whatever he thought was fun, and let him evolve over the years.
After all, it's a lot nicer that he finds bikes interesting, no matter what type, than that he ends up being bored with it.
if you don't find the info you are looking for, just like any other forum, just ask with a legitimate question and you will get responses. we have quite the knowledgeable bunch there. some kooks too, but they're everywhere...
One thing that's popular is the Wed. night rides at Stanford (???). I had a trials bike, but realized, I can ride trials on my BMX bike (front + back brake, gyro and 4 pegs), which I rode trials on BITD. We rode trials and didn't even realize we were riding trials - we were just "freestyling".
I have changed my attitude about riding a lot in the last few months, really relating it to the passion I had for BMX when I was younger. We just rode, no rhyme, no reason... just point your bike out the front door and start pedaling. I'm less about doing hill intervals and more about riding to ride, and not riding because I'm going to be pro.
I will never be pro. I will never podium races, nor will I ever be the fastest climber nor downhiller - but I will always have fun.
On Saturday, a bunch of my friends from Hayward did a 40 mile ride on their BMX bikes - 40 friggin' miles. They stopped and sessioned embankments, parking lots and planter boxes. They jumped curbs and bunnyhopped stuff. These guys are my age, and it took like 12 hours.
Puts things in perspective for me.
Newton - stop over-thinking it. You're putting too much mathematics into the equation - just ride. Less reading - more riding. I can teach you some basic bike handling stuff like rock-walks, pedal-offs and such. They're easy to do.
If you get a dirt jump or BMX, we'll go session - I have a group of BMX buddies in our age group that are cool and have some cool spots to session. Nobody judges and everybody has fun - I'll take you to my old street session spots in Santa Cruz. If all you want to do is learn how to ride off planter boxes, do it. Next time we go to Demo, 2' - 3' drops will be nothing.
Newton - stop over-thinking it. You're putting too much mathematics into the equation - just ride. Less reading - more riding. I can teach you some basic bike handling stuff like rock-walks, pedal-offs and such. They're easy to do.
Kinda hard for me. I'm an engineer. Everything I do runs through a thousand calculations in my mind, I mean *everything*. Sometimes the thoughts don't happen fast enough when I'm riding and I mess up. When I go along a trail, I see trail length, endurance capacity, angles off every object, speed, thrust, momentum, plotting out a trajectory. It's OCD. I have a hard time just "flowing" unless I've ridden there a dozen times.
Sure, I'll go for lessons by Dion. I just don't session stuff. I'll buy a proper BMX bike first. 20" wheels.
Sure, I'll go for lessons by Dion. I just don't session stuff. I'll buy a proper BMX bike first. 20" wheels.
When I was a kid, the Rite of Passage was being able to bunnyhop up the quad stage at Santa Cruz High. Back in those days, it was much taller, about the height of a top tube of a BMX bike standing up. Once you could make it up that, you were "a man".
I wanted to work myself up to it, so, like any kid I learned how to bunnyhop up a curb. After that, we stack skateboards and bunnyhopped those... but then I got this idea of building a "bunnyhop measuring thing" and we made saw horse type stands that had a piece of PVC pipe that would fall off if we didn't clear it.
Once I got to the SCHS quad stage, it was a piece of cake. Then, I realized that picnic tables were only 6" higher than the stage, so I started bunnyhopping that. Harbor Highschool had a crazy high stage (the height of my grips on my BMX bike standing up), and we were able to bunnyhop up that, soon after. But it all started with a curb.
Same thing with 360º's. Once I learned them off curbs, I started doing them off 2' high planter boxes, then the SCHS stage, then picnic tables. Then we started clearing stairs. First two stairs, then 3, then 4... and on.
You kinda have to work incrementally. Start with curbs and work your way up. It's all about feeling, so you're gonna have to let your OCD go, man. Bruce Lee understands BMX for old dudes.
wide bars, thin pedals. definitely a front brake for a beginner. I run gears because I want to be able to do light trail riding and choose the perfect gear at the park but it does add significant weight to the back of a bike that is made specifically to be in the air.
for dirt tires the sb8 is good and intense micro knobbies are popular too. on more mixed terrain theres the maxxis holy roller which I didn't like much in the dirt, the kenda k-rad, and schwalbe table top if you like spending a lot
Yup, I have learned more about bike handling in the last 6 months compared to my last 12 years of riding. Most mountain bikers like me have never had a bike handling lesson. Most never get advice, seek advice on how to corner or do a drop.
It's true. After a few hours and some fresh hops in the FC man cave I came away with advice that made me faster on my next ride. (descending that is)
I need to log some on a pump track. I figure pump track stuff and some general playing on some urban stuff can't do anything but help with skills... One of the days i'll make it back to Calabazas park. Spend an afternoon fooling around on the Chameleon... hopefully not breaking my self.
To those of you looking for jumping instruction and just overall DH handling skills instruction (cornering, drops, braking), I'd highly recommend this video. Fluidride » Fluidride: Like a Pro – DVD
I'm sure taking a course could be helpful as well, but much more expensive and there's only so much they can show you. I took one skills instruction session a few years back (not jumping) and found it a bit nerve wracking. You watch the guy do it the right way and then everybody gets to watch you demonstrate your lacking skills. Too much pressure.
I think the video route is perfect because you can watch it repeatedly in between practice sessions. They really break down all the movements and use alot of slowmo to help visualize what's happening. And the intro trail riding segment is really cool. It always got me pumped to improve my skills so that hopefully I could ride like that someday. I made alot of progress, but I'll never be Lars .
Francois,
I have a 2010 We The People Zodiak (grey/blue) that your son might love. It has barely been used. I'll sell it to you/him cheap or trade for MTB gear :-) PM me if you're interested.
Frame:
Full 4130 CroMo 20.8" top tube
Fork:
Full 4130 CroMo
Chainset:
Salt Expert
Chainrings:
Salt CNC 6061 T6 Alloy 25 tooth
Bottom Bracket:
Sealed mid
Cassette:
1 piece sealed 9 tooth driver
Chain:
Salt pro
Pedals:
Eclat Surge PC
Front Brake:
Caliper
Rear Brake:
Salt Moto ubrake
Brake Levers:
Salt Moto alloy
Handlebars:
Full 4130 CroMo
Stem:
Salt Pro full CNC'd
Headset:
Salt Internal sealed
Grips:
WeThePeople OD grips
Rims:
Salt double wall 36 hole
Front Hub:
Salt pro bolt, female axle
Rear Hub:
Salt sealed cassette
Front Tyre:
WTP Feelin 2.25
Rear Tyre:
WTP Feelin 2.1
Saddle:
Eclat Gonzo Pivotal
Seatpost:
integrated into frame, but possible to cut off and run normal seatpost
Weight:
23.8lbs
The jumps and pump track in Elk Grove are fun, I bring my full suspension out to practice every now and again.............and, my daughter likes to stand at the top and watch!
Master of Nothing, but dammit if I don't try..............
Ok, major setback. We snuck in a session at the park yesterday to get a feel for the bike. It's really light and fast. Moments after I took this video Miguel with new Spank bike at Calabazas - YouTube
he dropped in to the big side without brake checking. On the first jump, he endoed and crashed into the next jump. He was crumpled into the ground and was dazed. Nothing can really prepare a dad for that scene and I'm still having a hard time with it.
I thought he shattered his clavicle as we took him to the ER. Verdict is the outer tip of the clavicle is broken and the clavicle is stretched up a bit. No surgery for now as we'll let it heal on its own and do physical therapy.
He is now at home recovering with meds. Family is by his side and friends are coming over. Thank you for all the kind words in Facebook.
This is a setback for sure. Hope he comes out of it ok.
Ah, major bummer, but a natural progression for a mountain biker. I'm sure he'll be itching to ride again before the doc even clears him. I know a few people who've even had casts formed around their handlebar...it's a mountain biker thing I guess.
Oh no! Poor Miguel - I ate it the exact same way on those same little jumps and was pulling gravel out of my elbows for months.
The worst head injury I ever had was at Cali many years ago, when I wasn't much older than Miguel. Heal up, kid! We spilled the same blood in the same mud
Sorry to hear man. A similar thing happened to me a few months back at Z's, and I thought I broke some ribs or the sternum and my jaw. I did not get any confidence for descending, for a long time. I'm just finally getting my confidence back. Though, I won't take a jump now until I get the basics down.
I hope he gets better.
So, truth time....did the mrs. really lay into you? Just curious, I wouldn't hear the end of it, if it was my son, or worse my daughter. Fortunately, for me, it was just me and the mrs. didn't care that much, just another one of my billion crashes.
Ok, major setback. We snuck in a session at the park yesterday to get a feel for the bike. It's really light and fast. Moments after I took this video Miguel with new Spank bike at Calabazas - YouTube
he dropped in to the big side without brake checking. On the first jump, he endoed and crashed into the next jump. He was crumpled into the ground and was dazed. Nothing can really prepare a dad for that scene and I'm still having a hard time with it.
I thought he shattered his clavicle as we took him to the ER. Verdict is the outer tip of the clavicle is broken and the clavicle is stretched up a bit. No surgery for now as we'll let it heal on its own and do physical therapy.
He is now at home recovering with meds. Family is by his side and friends are coming over. Thank you for all the kind words in Facebook.
This is a setback for sure. Hope he comes out of it ok.
fc
Man, healing vibes to your grom.
How's he doing? Sounds like physically he's gonna be fine. How's his mindset coming out of something like that?
Hopefully he'll be back riding again in a few months. He looks awesome in the video.
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Originally Posted by IAmHolland
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When I go along a trail, I see trail length, endurance capacity, angles off every object, speed, thrust, momentum, plotting out a trajectory. It's OCD. I have a hard time just "flowing" unless I've ridden there a dozen times.
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