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I'm Getting Too Cocky - Knock Me Down a Notch or 2

3K views 36 replies 18 participants last post by  .WestCoastHucker. 
#1 ·
My fitness is still not up to par, but my skilz seemed to have advanced this season.
I have gone after some different terrain, and changed my approach somewhat: My common sense still keeps me a little shy as the speeds increase, but I have otherwise been taking some creative chances pretty often and they have been paying off. I am finding myself coasting while others are pedaling, and I'm braking when others are coasting. On the flats and the climbs, I can hang but I'm not in front, so I know my fitness has a little ways to go. But throw in some turns, roots, rocks, logs, and jumps and suddenly my smoothness factor is at unprecedented levels. I like how this is going.
Just trying not to screw myself up. :)

-F
 
#9 ·
My fitness is still not up to par, but my skilz seemed to have advanced this season.
I have gone after some different terrain, and changed my approach somewhat: My common sense still keeps me a little shy as the speeds increase, but I have otherwise been taking some creative chances pretty often and they have been paying off. I am finding myself coasting while others are pedaling, and I'm braking when others are coasting. On the flats and the climbs, I can hang but I'm not in front, so I know my fitness has a little ways to go. But throw in some turns, roots, rocks, logs, and jumps and suddenly my smoothness factor is at unprecedented levels. I like how this is going.
Just trying not to screw myself up.

-F
Uhh, leave Ohio?? Haha. Maybe you travel a lot to ride, but if not big brutal climbs followed by technical downhills might do the trick.
 
#12 ·
I hear that! I used to get down to GA and TN once a year or so. It was always a good test. More recently we get over to PA. At the beginning of June it was Blue Knob SP. There are some solid 700 ft. climbs there (and 700 ft. descents!). That's some real work for us flat-landers, but that's when things seemed to start going right in the smooveness dept.

-F
 
#13 ·
Well, you guys failed.

I was hitting the corners pretty well yesterday. The exit of one determines how fast you can hit a potential jump. It's not even really a jump - just a small roller. But if you're really moving, you can catch some decent air.
Like so...
Nature Natural environment Tree Forest Old-growth forest


Well I was really moving, and having such a fun ride, that, upon negotiating said turn so fluidly, I decided to go for the gusto... ring the bell... grab the brass ring...

The front wheel came up too high and I was in danger of looping out of it so I grabbed the rear brake. When the rear tire touched down the front end slammed so hard my left hand came off the grip. The bike turned instantly to the right. I decided to just get off but the trajectory had already been determined and the whole mess nailed a tree head on. It caught me across both shoulders in front, and just nicked my jaw (the tree was vertical, I was horizontal going in).
I just layed there yelling in pain.
After I calmed down, I took a picture (of course, right?)
Bicycle tire Tire Bicycle wheel rim Wheel Mode of transport


A guy stopped with me for a little while to make sure I was mobile, then I made my way at about 3 mph back to the road and then to my truck.

At the road, I noticed this:
Purple Lavender Violet Iron Musical instrument accessory

Scrap one Popeye carbon fork.

Back at the truck, a guy helped me load up my bike. Hopefully there's nothing really bad, but my right shoulder feels messed up. Hospital later, or maybe tomorrow.

-F
 
#15 ·
Hope you are doing ok!

I am overly cautious myself. I have been riding a year and a half and I progressed very slow only because I am not in any rush to be the best. After a year of riding, my skills are well rounded and still developing as I go. I learned a few hard lessons myself and were taught some good ones by my friends and family.

After my relentless approach to ride 2-3 days a week, my riding endurance is so much better and I started to like XC riding. I am in the process of losing weight and I feel compelled to sign up for some local XC races in my area in the near future.

I used to average 5 mph (or less) at my local bike park (according to strava) and now I am up to 7.2 mph. I can definitely see some progress over the course of a year.
 
#16 ·
Bummer. Hope the Dr. visit goes ok and your just a little soar. Sounds like it could have been much worse, not that "tree to the grill" is ever fun. Sorry about the fork too. It's probably a good idea to check your headtube welds and make sure the frame survived, once you've determined your body is in tact…

Good luck, let us know how it works out.
 
#17 ·
Bummer. Hope the Dr. visit goes ok and your just a little soar. Sounds like it could have been much worse, not that "tree to the grill" is ever fun. Sorry about the fork too. It's probably a good idea to check your headtube welds and make sure the frame survived, once you've determined your body is in tact…

Good luck, let us know how it works out.
It's good you walked away from that one and hope everything is OK with your body. Please, please, please check that bike out thoroughly. You can see where you took bark off the tree in the above photo. If it survived with nothing more than a sacrificial fork you are very fortunate.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
 
#18 ·
Hey, thanks everyone for the concerns and well wishes!

Dr. said x-rays showed nothing broken, nothing separated. Lots of bruising, and prob'ly many strained muscles around my shoulders and neck, and a little down into my chest.

Also, Carver does, in fact, provide crash replacements at wholesale, so the fork won't be as painful. I did like that fork (the "Popeye" - you know, to swap for a Bluto).

Almost able to get a full breath today, and taking ibuprofen to keep the swelling down. So I guess, as usual, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself - including knocking your own cocky a55 down a notch or 2... ;)
(ow...it hurts when I laugh)

-F
 
#21 · (Edited)
Hey, thanks everyone for the concerns and well wishes!

Dr. said x-rays showed nothing broken, nothing separated. Lots of bruising, and prob'ly many strained muscles around my shoulders and neck, and a little down into my chest.

Also, Carver does, in fact, provide crash replacements at wholesale, so the fork won't be as painful. I did like that fork (the "Popeye" - you know, to swap for a Bluto).

Almost able to get a full breath today, and taking ibuprofen to keep the swelling down. So I guess, as usual, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself - including knocking your own cocky a55 down a notch or 2... ;)
(ow...it hurts when I laugh)

-F
Glad to hear you came out the other end with the main bruise being your ego. ;)

I hope you learned at least one lesson here. That your brakes are your enemy while airborne. On a motorcycle I've used them to control flight level but on a bike and not catching long enough hang time I doubt grabbing a hand full would help matters. Unless of course you are a pro launching great distances.
 
#20 ·
I'm glad to hear your injuries aren't any worse, Fleas, but still, ouch. That looks like a hard impact judging from the dent in the tree. Also, what you'd call a little jump is about as high as I go on a full squish, so respect for having at it on a fully rigid.
 
#24 ·
On that you needed to have it lightly feathered. If the rear is locked at all when it touches the front is coming down hard.

Same goes for the front but that would probably result in a wash out instead of an OTB unless you were going OTB already from being bucked.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
 
#25 ·
Almost had a moment myself today >.<

Had a really sold ride, hit some new features & cleaned em all.

Maybe 1.5km's from ride conclusion & I started thinking I was Aaron Gwin o_0

Bombed down one steep roller, a good 40 metres - something that cannot be ridden up ^^ was hooting & hollering at the top of the next rise.

So I shoot off all full of bravado, hit this wee booter - grabbing some air, then I land - leading into a greasy rut.

I try to get my front wheel out of said rut. The front wheel starts to slide down the inside - so my balance point had tipped to the left & I put my legs out to regain my center. Pedal slams into top of rut, bucking bike up and forward. I grabbed the bar with a death grip, pushed myself backward back onto the saddle, leveling out my trusty steed.

I was fully expecting than one to go South, so much so - I was actually scanning for a suitable place to have my impending yard sale... whilst it was actually happening.

The last 850m of the ride was a bit more subdued, to say the least.

Still don't know how I didn't wear that one or end up with a bent spindle/loose crank arm.

Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk
 
#26 ·
Almost had a moment myself today >.<

Had a really sold ride, hit some new features & cleaned em all.

Maybe 1.5km's from ride conclusion & I started thinking I was Aaron Gwin o_0

Bombed down one steep roller, a good 40 metres - something that cannot be ridden up ^^ was hooting & hollering at the top of the next rise.

So I shoot off all full of bravado, hit this wee booter - grabbing some air, then I land - leading into a greasy rut.

I try to get my front wheel out of said rut. The front wheel starts to slide down the inside - so my balance point had tipped to the left & I put my legs out to regain my center. Pedal slams into top of rut, bucking bike up and forward. I grabbed the bar with a death grip, pushed myself backward back onto the saddle, leveling out my trusty steed.

I was fully expecting than one to go South, so much so - I was actually scanning for a suitable place to have my impending yard sale... whilst it was actually happening.

The last 850m of the ride was a bit more subdued, to say the least.

Still don't know how I didn't wear that one or end up with a bent spindle/loose crank arm.

Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk
Lemme tell you, those kinda saves are my undoing. It enables my ego, leading to moments of reckless abandon and impugnity. ...and we all know how that ended. Glad you prevailed.

-F
 
#28 ·
Well since it got bumped, I had one today. Buddy and I were hitting some drop lines, probably 6'-8'. On the middle drop there is a slight turn to hit the drop instead of the boardwalk down. Well my rear slipped out and it was too near the edge to recover. I wasn't about to go off a 8' drop in squirrelly handling mode so I panic braked. Ended up going OTB right at the edge but somehow managed to kick clear and land on my feet and slide/tumble to a stop. Despite wearing some armored Alpinestars shorts my right hip is hamburger, some genius had littered the transition with glass, and my left shoulder is turning blue. Happy to say we finished out the line though.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
 
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