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Mountain Biking FAQ |
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Archive-name: bicycles-faq/mountain-bikes
Last-modified: Oct 10, 1997
Version 1.14
Subject: 1 A Guide to This FAQ
Subject: 1A. Contents
! means updated since last FAQ
+ means it is a new section
1. A Guide to this FAQ
A) Contents
B) A Few words from the author !
C) How to get this FAQ !
D) IMBA Rules of the Trail
E) Disclaimer
2. Riding Skills
A) Basic Riding Position !
B) Turning
C) Braking !
D) Shifting
E) Uphills !
F) Downhills
G) Front Wheel Wheelies
H) Small Logs !
I) Logs about 1' to 2'
J) Bunny Hopping
K) Water Riding
L) Mud Riding !
M) Loose Stuff !
N) Skidding
O) Singletracks
P) Switchbacks !
Q) Track Stand
R) Riding down stairs
3. Tech
A) Installing Grips
B) Clipless Pedals
C) How to increase braking power
D) Shifters
E) Improving Grip Shifters' rear shifting
F) Brake Squeaks
G) Aheadsets vs. Conventional Headsets
H) Bar Ends
I) Tire Info
J) Grease/Wax/Oil
K) Frame Material
L) Fork Upgrade
M) V Brake Info
4. Miscellaneous
A) Seinfeld's Bike
B) Race Tips
C) Mountain Biking Dictionary !
D) Mail order vs. Local Bike Shops
E) MTB Commuting
F) Weight Lifting
G) Knee Pain
H) What to Carry
I) Mountain Bike IRC Channel
J) MTB mailing list
------------------------------
Subject: 1B. A Few Words From the Author
Hi, my name is Vincent Cheng. I have been reading the rec.bicycles.*
newsgroups for a few years and have been participating on the mtb mailing
list for about 18 months now. Every week, I see the same questions about
mountain biking, however, no one has ever taken the time to write a FAQ
for mountain biking. Since I have nothing better to do, I have compiled
this little FAQ file.
Now, you might ask... How is this the official Mountain Biking FAQ? Did
someone gave me permission to make it official? Of course not! No one
else would take the time to do it, and I'm the first one to actually complete
the whole FAQ, therefore, this is the official one.
FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO USE THIS FAQ FOR THEIR OWN WEBPAGES, PLEASE
CONTACT ME FIRST. THIS IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND I HAVE 100% LEGAL
RIGHT TO THIS.
This FAQ is different from most FAQ's you have seen. Most FAQ's are a
compilation of articles posted regarding the topics. In this FAQ, most
of the material are written by myself. The articles are then later
published on the mtb mailing list for editing and revising. In the
following sections, the parts that were written by others will have their
names on them.
I am no expert in the area of mountain biking. I'm only 19 and I have
only mountain biked for about 3 years. However, I have been involved in
the technical side of cycling for over 6 years. I have worked in various
shops and jobs. Because of this, you will see, IMHO, better articles in
the tech section of this FAQ by me than in the riding section.
I should, however, list my biases about some topics. I ride an older
suspension fork. I ride without an expensive bike (relatively speaking).
I ride with top mount shifters and discontinued parts. I might not have
the latest info on products since I can never afford them, but I try to
gain as much info as possible by reading, testing, and listening to
others. Remember that this FAQ is not a product review. I try not to
list any specific products if I can, however, sometimes it is impossible
to do without. Please do not get offended if you are wishing for
something different.
This FAQ is not very complete. If you see a topic that you think should be
covered in this FAQ, please cross-check the rec.bicycles.* FAQ to make sure
that it's not covered there. If the article has never been covered, I will
try to get enough articles together to publish a FAQ section for it.
My e-mail address is: vccheng@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca Please include the
words--"FAQ" on your message. e.g. "FAQ--*** info". I have received
complaints about not replying to some mail, but please be understanding. I
get over 200 e-mails a day from various people/groups/lists. It is very hard
for me to fish out the FAQ mails without this "FAQ" subject heading.
Before I end this, I would like to thank Mike Iglesias
(iglesias@draco.acs.uci.edu) for helping me with the new text format of
this FAQ. He is the maintainer of the rec.bicycles.* FAQ and he has
agreed to lend me his wonderful format for me to use. Thanks Mike, I owe
you one! And to Brian Adams (adams@cs.unr.edu), who edited my FAQ
so that it is actually somewhat understandable. I would also like to thanks
all you folks out there in cyberspace who have commented on the FAQ.
I would especially like to thank the people on the mtb-mailing list
(mtb@cycling.org, for subcribing info, please see http://www.cycling.org
and look under mailing lists. read on for more info) The people on the
list are very helpful to my "quest" for a better FAQ.
Note to foreign readers, I believe the FAQ has been translated into
French, Finnish, and German. If you would like to translate the FAQ into
other languages, feel free, but please tell me so that I can keep track.
Please do not ask me where these FAQ's are located, because I really have
no idea.
Well...that's all.
Have fun and ride hard.
------------------------------
Subject: 1C. How to get this FAQ
Obviously, if you are reading this, you are getting this FAQ. But if you
would like to receive this FAQ in another format, you can get it by:
a) e-mail
E-mail me with the subject "Give me FAQ" and I will e-mail you a copy as
soon as I get to it. I have no robots for this job, so it's all manual.
b) www
I have put this FAQ on my homepage on
http://gpu.srv.ualberta.ca/~vccheng/
or
http://www.ualberta.ca/~vccheng/
or
http://www.srv.ualberta.ca/~vccheng/
All three servers are mirrors of each other, but sometimes one is faster
than the other.
c) newsgroup
I will try to post this FAQ once every month on rec.bicycles.off-road,
and alt.mountain-bike. Just got approved, and the FAQ should be posted
also in rec.answers, news.anwers and alt.answers.
d) ftp
Again, I would like to thank big Mike over at the rec.bicycles.* FAQ for
providing me a space on his server for this FAQ.
ftp://draco.acs.uci.edu/pub/rec.bicycles/mtb.faq
and also, for you European readers, Joern Yngve Dahl-Stamnes of
Norway has setup a ftp site at:
ftp://ftp.unit.no/local/biking/mtb.faq.txt
this might provide faster service for you. BTW, thanks Joern.
For the most updated version, go to:
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/bicycles-faq/mountain-bikes
------------------------------
Subject: 1D. IMBA Rules of the Trail
International Mountain Bicycling Association has set up a list of rules
that mountain bikers should follow. Please respect these rules as they
are what many mountain bikers live by.
IMBA Rules of the Trail
1. Ride on open trails only. Respect trail and road closures (ask
if not sure), avoid possible trespass on private land, obtain
permits and authorizations as may be required. Federal and
State wilderness areas are closed to cycling.
2. Leave no trace. Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you. Even on
open trails, you should not ride under conditions where you
will leave evidence of your passing, such as on certain soils
shortly after a rain. Observe the different types of soils and
trail construction; practice low-impact cycling. This also
means staying on the trail and not creating any new ones. Be
sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in.
3. Control your bicycle! Inattention for even a second can cause
problems. Obey all speed laws.
4. Always yield the trail. Make known your approach well in
advance. A friendly greeting (or a bell) is considerate and
works well; don't startle others. Show your respect when
passing others by slowing to a walk or even stopping.
Anticipate that other trail users may be around corners or in
blind spots.
5. Never spook animals. All animals are startled by an unannounced
approach, a sudden movement, or a loud noise. This can be
dangerous for you, for others, and for the animals. Give
animals extra room and time to adjust to you. In passing, use
special care and follow the directions of the horseback riders
(ask if uncertain). Running cattle and disturbing wild animals
is a serious offense. Leave gates as you found them, or as
marked.
6. Plan ahead. Know your equipment, your ability, and the area in
which you are riding - and prepare accordingly. Be
self-sufficient at all times. Wear a helmet, keep your machine
in good condition, and carry necessary supplies for changes in
weather or other conditions. A well-executed trip is a
satisfaction to you and not a burden or offense to others.
------------------------------
Subject: 1E. Disclamier
------------------------------
The content of this FAQ is given out as reference material only. Specific
component design and mechanical procedure and the qualification of
individual readers are beyond the control of the authors. Therefore, the
authors disclaim all liability for use of the information given in this
FAQ. All risk for its use is entirely assumed by the user. In no event
will the authors be held liable for personal injuries or any other damages.
------------------------------
Subject: 2. Riding Skills
------------------------------
Subject: 2A. Basic riding position
-Elbows relaxed, bend at about 90 degrees.
-Grip the bar firmly, but not too hard. If you see white knuckles, then
you are gripping too tight.
-Keep your back straight, at about 45 degrees from the ground surface.
-Try to "stand" on the pedals. You still sit on the seat, but you
don't place all your weight on it.
-When not pedalling, always keep your pedals level.
Others added:
dmerson@ksu.ksu.edu
-You may want to add that your grips should be about shoulder length apart,
but that would only really affect small/large people.
-You could mention that you can (or may have to) ride with pedals
vertical
(&/or with one foot loose) in tight turns.
richard@prl.research.philips.com
Many people spin their pedals slower than is optimum. Faster feet in a
lower gear will often give you more speed and less fatigue, although it
can take some time to get used to spinning your legs ar 90+ rpm.
------------------------------
Subject: 2B. Turning
-Brake before going into the turn, using both brakes.
If you have a lot of traction:
-Push the outside foot down and lean to the inside (if you have traction).
-Enter the corner wide, hit the apex with the bike near the inside edge
and leave the corner wide.
-Do not use the front brake if you are turning at the bike's limit. The
front tire is using all its traction for turning. If you use your front
brake, it will lose its grip and wash out. A front wheel slide is almost
impossible to recover. A back end slide is easier to recover. Also, the
brake tire is doing less work than the front, therefore, you can use some
of its "spare" traction for braking.
If you are turning on loose surfaces, keep this in mind:
-This technique involves keeping the bike relatively upright; instead, the
body is leaned in the direction of the turn.
-Transfer weight slightly forward. Push down on the outside pedal.
-Twist your upper body to face the trail. Align your upper body so
that your upper body is slightly leaning toward the inside of the turn.
-Push down on handlebar on the outside and pull up on the inside.
Others have pointed out:
Dave Blake [dblake@eureka.wbme.jhu.edu]
In loose stuff, steering is definitely the preferred way to turn. This
is the reason many roadies with good bike skills cannot handle
tight singletrack very well.
To steer, put your weight on the inside of the turn. Turn your front wheel
toward the turn, and hold your bike upright. Even if one or both of your
wheels begin to skid you can easily recover. In contrast, if you lean hard
through a turn on loose material and either wheel loses traction, you will
be picking gravel out of your leg.
You almost always want your weight centered between your wheels.
This means you move your butt further back as the terrain gets
steeper. Learn to feather your front brake. Let off on the brake
when your wheel hits an obstacle, and hit it harder when you have
a smooth even braking surface. Many people do not learn to feather the
brake, so they put their weight too far towards the rear to keep from
endoing. This rear weight shift results in too little weight being placed
on the front wheel, so that you cannot easily steer.
lrtredwa@rdyne.rockwell.com
I find that the most consistent mistake that I make when turning on
downhills is to shift too much weight to the rear. This causes the
front wheel to become too light causing it to wash out :-( If my
weight is more evenly distributed on the bike, I find that I am also
in a position to recover if the front starts to wash out (if I'm not
going too fast) although it is not often I can reover from a front wheel
washout.
John Stevenson [johnstev@world.net]
Look at the inside of the turn, not the outside. Your body tends to
subconsciously point in the same direction as your eyes, so this keeps you
focused on staying tight in the curve, not straying to the outer edge.
Blaine Bauer [bbauer@cisco.com]
One thing that I've learned through hard knocks is sharp turning -
especially in loose soil. We have some trails that constantly wind through
the woods, and have little room on each side (re: trees).
I've found that negotiating sharp turns at some reasonable speed is easier
when the seat is an inch or so lower than normal. The trick is to lean the
bike (but not the rider). This is really just a variation of normal turning.
- Point the inside leg in the direction of the turn (knee away from the
frame), putting all weight on the outside pedal.
- Push down on the inside handlebar. At this point almost all weight
should be distributed between the inside grip and the outside pedal. This
is much easier with a rigid fork - with a suspension fork, you really
have to bear down on the handlebar (a grunt may be required!).
- At this point the bike is leaning under the rider, with the seat
anywhere from under the thigh to just under the knee. The rider's
weight is centered over the point where the two wheels are in contact with
the ground, so there isn't a washout problem even in loose conditions.
This method will feel very uncomfortable at first. Pushing the handlebars
away from oneself is...well, disquieting. The best way to practice this is
to do figure-8 turns in a driveway. When you've got it down, hose down the
driveway and then try it. If you can make sharp turns on wet concrete you
can do it in loose soil.
------------------------------
Subject: 2C. Braking
-Most of the braking power is in the front brake because when you apply
the brake, your weight shifts forward and that gives the front wheel more
traction.
-To maximize braking power, shift your weight back when braking.
-In loose terrain, use more back brake than the front. The front has
less traction because it is being "plowed".
-In very steep downhill, move your weight way back, almost sitting right
on the back tire.
-A skidding tire will give you no control. Therefore, skidding is a
very bad practice.
-There are situation where you don't want to brake
-Never brake when flying. If you are flying in the air (off a
jump, drop off, ruts), do not touch the front brake. If you land
with your front tire stopped, you can expect a huge endo.
-Don't use the front brake in curves (read turning).
-When going down hill, don't keep the brakes on. Instead,
feather the brakes.
Others have added:
rdexter@xylan.com (Robert Dexter)
You might also add that the momentum of the spinning wheel can cause the bike
to pitch if the wheel is stopped by the brakes.
Bill Rod [smts!brod@msss.attmail.com]
I don't agree completely. I think this will induce skidding. The front
brake is the best tool for slowing down under any circumstances. This
excludes an induced skid in a turn during a race. I do agree that a
little more pressure should be exerted on the rear brake tho'.
Robert Dexter [rdexter@earthlink.net]
My comment applies to stopping the front wheel while in the air
on a jump. Stopping the rotating wheel while in the air would
cause the bike to pitch forward a little.
Bill Rod's comment about not agreeing asumes I mean braking
while on the ground. You may want to clear that up. My comment
*only* applies while in the air.
richard@prl.research.philips.com
-Sometimes consider not braking on a short, technical downhill. If there
is a safe run out, you will have more control letting the bike run, and
going too slow on really gnarly stuff can cause more problems than
floating over it. Save the speed loss for where you have control.
Of course, if the descent is too long or there is no run out, you can do
real damage to yourself this way.
-Environmentally it sucks, yes, but a rear wheel skid can provide rear
wheel steering, setting you up for a better line into the next bit.
Note:- most of my riding is done on tracks that are thoroughly churned
up by horses - the bikes smooth out the mud and _improve_ the condition
much of the time.
(Author's note. I highly discourage this, but I'm not here to censor, so
I must publish this)
------------------------------
Subject: 2D. Shifting
-You must pedal in order to change gears. When changing gear, pedal
lightly. It will save your drivetrain from wear and tear.
-If you have "numbers" on your shifter, don't use them. Instead,
calculate the gear inches and use that as your shifting guide. You
should be able to locate a program for this from the rec.bicycle.* FAQ.
-Shift before you think you have to, e.g. climbing. When you have to
shift, it might be too late.
-Do not cross your gears, it will kill it. This means that you do not
run a big chain ring with the large cog or the small chain ring with the
small cog.
-Shift lightly on the levers. There is no reason why you need to press
the shifters real hard to shift.
-To save the drive train from wear and tear, make sure it is clean and
well lubed.
Some added:
Graham Barnes [barnesg@tierfon.hao.ucar.edu]
I agree about not using the "numbers", but I'm not so sure that calculating
gear inches is worthwhile. I've been mtbing for ]5 years, and I've never
bothered to work out the gear inches for any of the bikes I've ridden, except
when I was thinking about changing cassettes. Maybe I'm missing
something, but I always went with the philosophy that, if it's hard to
pedal, shift down, and if I'm spinning madly, shift up.
John Stevenson [johnstev@world.net]
It's very unlikely that anything but water and crud are major factors in
wear of MTB drivetrains. Sure, in theory careful shifting and avoiding
extreme gear ratios will prolong drivetrain life, but in practice I suspect
that the damage prevented by these practices is insignificant.
[in regard to gear numbers]
I go along with Graham here. A better reason for avoiding use of those
silly shifter windows is that if you're looking at them, you're not looking
at the trail, which is where your eyes *should* be.
[in regard to shifting before you have to]
I think this can be better expressed:
Shift before you have to. For example, when you're climbing, shift into a
very low gear as you approach and start the climb. If you wait until you
are about to stall it may be too late to shift.
------------------------------
Subject: 2E. Uphills
-Shift before you hit the climb. The only way to know which gear is best
for your terrain is from practice. It is very hard on your drivetrain if
you shift in the middle of your climb.
-Seated is better for long distance and/or loose conditions. Standing
is good for hammering up a short steep section with good traction.
-If you find you are in too easy a gear, upshift once in the back. Do
not dump a bunch of gear at once.
Seated Climbing:
-If you are going to stay seated, move slightly forward on the saddle.
-Move your head close to the stem to keep the front from coming up.
-Don't pull up on the handlebar, instead, pull backward with every stroke.
-Keep your body relaxed, and shoulders square to the trail.
-Put the bike in a low gear and spin.
Standing Climbing:
-If you decide to stand up, put the bike in a higher gear. You can't
spin as fast, but you can apply more power per stroke.
-Crouch down so that your butt is right in front of the saddle. Your
elbows should be bent and the chest should be just above the stem.
-For both methods, try to look for the smoothest line and look for slight
dips on the climb. These will offer you a great opportunity to rest for
a bit.
Others added:
Bill Rod [smts!brod@msss.attmail.com]
I agree in general, but IMHO I would recommend using the middle or big ring
when standing. I've found standing while using the granny gear causes
overtorqueing (sic) and hence wheelspin.
Medek@aol.com
On longer climbs, alternate the position (standing, sitting) for a short
period of time. Each position uses a different set of muscles and altering
the position will give you an opportunity to rest different muscle groups.
John Stevenson [johnstev@world.net]
Tim Gould's maxim always seems relevant here: "Start easy, finish hard". In
other words, start a climb in the very lowest gear you have, and shift up
as you get comfortable. That way you can gauge your fitness and the
severity of the slope, rather than getting commited to trying to stomp up a
1km 20 per cent grade in 36/28.
Long climbs, particularly at high altitude, are places where a stupidly low
gear will come in useful. I'm talking 20/28 *or lower* here. Here's the
scenario: you're happily plodding uphill in, say, the 22/28 that is now a
typical low gear on a Shimano equipped bike. You come to a slightly steeper
technical section that requires an increase in your effort level. You power
over the problem, sending your heart hammering into the upper end of your
anaerobic range. What you could really do with now is an even lower gear to
allow you to recover, but the idiots who spec most off-the-peg bikes don't
seem to realise this=8A IMNAAHO 20/28 is the maximum sensible bottom gear
for a mountain bike that is used in real mountains, and I know people who
have gone to the current technical limit, 20/32.
Brian Adams [adams@cs.unr.edu]
-Pull your elbows in on very steep, slow climbs. It helps to keep your front
wheel from wandering.
Tom Hewitt [hewitt@crayalb.cray.com]
I'm 44years old, and while slower than most riders, can usually clean hills
that younger riders more fit don't. In my case the key for climbing really
nasty long technical hills, is to practice going as slow as practical on those
sections of lessor technical difficulty. This conserves energy for the
difficult sections, where all-out effort is required. In addition
balance in an extreme climbing situation is different from balance in
a level ground situation, and can only be learned by spending lots of time
fighting to keep your balance.
Rik Allen [richard@prl.research.philips.com]
-Standing is better on very technical/slimey climbs. You can move your
weight around much more to hop wheels over obstacles that they would bog
down on otherwise. Bunnyhopping sideways out of ruts is almost
impossible seated. Plan ahead. Keep your body moving smoothly up the
hill, and make the bike move under you.
-On climbs with obstacles (wet tree routes) these gears cause their own
problems. Seriously low gears require too many pedal revs to get over
whatever is in your way, and you end up moving so slowly that balance
becomes harder, with more risk of wheelspin or flipping over backwards.
IMHO, anyway. Less than 24 inches becomes a problem for me getting over
tree roots.
------------------------------
Subject: 2F. Downhills
-Keep your pedals level (3 and 9 o'clock)
-Get your weight back. The steeper it is, the more you move your
weight. It is not uncommon to see someone riding down a hill almost
sitting on their back tire.
-Think positive. I had the problem of thinking I'm always out of
control, but in reality, I'm not even riding close to my limits.
-Shift to the middle/large chain rings. This will increase tension on
the chain and you won't have so much chain slap.
-Brake with mostly your rear brake. You will still need to use your
front, but the back is used more often and harder.
-Braking the wheel until it almost stops spinning is good. Skidding is bad.
-Steer with your shoulders perpendicular to the path you want to move.
-Sometimes if you can't ride down some section because it's too bumpy, you
might want to add some speed.
Others have also said:
Dave Blake [dblake@eureka.wbme.jhu.edu]
NO NO NO ! ! !. Your front brake always has more power than your back.
Endoing is not a real problem if you learn to modulate your front brake
with the terrain. Less brake over obstacles, and more brake when the
braking surface is smooth and clean.
lrtredwa@rdyne.rockwell.com
Always be looking for your line. Identify those spots in the descent where
it flattens out a little, allowing you to brake harder and "get it back".
This gives you the ability to "let it go" in the more difficult parts for
control because your line will take you to the part where you can "get it
back."
Brian Adams [adams@cs.unr.edu]
-On long descents, consider temporarily lowering the saddle, making it easier
to get your butt low (or behind the seat) on steep sections.
------------------------------
Subject: 2G. Front wheel wheelie
-Practice on level ground with no obstacles.
-Sit down and have weight slightly forward.
-Shift to a low gear.
-Push down hard on the pedal and shift your body weight back and pull
hard on the handlebar.
-Spread your knees out and try to keep your weight back. Keep pedaling.
-If you feel you are going to far back, touch the back brake and you will
fall back down.
Some added:
toadhall@echo-on.net (SLEW)
The trick to performing the front wheel wheelie is in finding the balance
point where you are able to ride on one wheel, and you have pulled back too
far and will land on your butt. One way to find this threshold point is to
literally pull back TOO far...and don't worry you won't land on your butt.
Just make sure your feet are out of all manner of locking devices (toe
clips, clipless pedals, et al), and when you are ready to do the wheelie,
pull back as far as you can until you literally fall out of the bicycle...be
prepared to put your feet down so you don't hurt yourself, and instead just
run with bike still holding onto the handlebars. It might help to lower the
seat a bit so the bike can slip through the legs. One of the hardest things
to do when starting out doing the wheelie is overcoming the fear that you
will pull too far back. The best way to overcome this is to pull too far
back then CATCH YOURSELF, then you will have a better idea of where that
threshold point is where you can balance and ride.
------------------------------
Subject: 2H. Small Logs
-Pop a front wheelie and land so that your front tire clears the log.
-Quickly level the pedals and shift your weight forward.
-Your back wheel should roll right over the log.
Rik Allen [richard@prl.research.philips.com]
Or, when riding fast with toe clips, just hop the whole thing, bike
level. Works at speed, up to about 1' depending on ability. Make sure
you have space to comtrol the speed after the jump. Get it wrong and
your wheels might be history though.
When racing, if the log is too big to cross with 2H, you might be better
off getting off the bike. A good cyclocross rider will unclip before the
obstacle, swing one leg over behind the other, then when you get to the
obstacle, one or two strides will get you over it. Then a controlled
lunge back into the saddle (practise this _slowly_ first) and you are
off again, never having dropped below 15mph.
(author's note:read teh disclaimer again before doing any of this, I'm not
responsible for your injuries or damage to your equipment)
------------------------------
Subject: 2I. Logs about 1' to 2'
-Pop a front wheelie and land the large chain ring on the log.
-You should land with the power foot forward, about 70 degrees.
-Shift your weight forward and pedal. Not too far, or you might crash.
For both H) and I), some added:
Bill Rod [smts!brod@msss.attmail.com]
I think you should add "When clearing/climbing logs of any size, momentum is
critical. This is what gives you the oomph to get over an object"
Dave Blake [dblake@eureka.wbme.jhu.edu]
-Do a front wheelie.
-Land your front tire squarely on the offending log.
-At the same time, move your weight forward and crouch down.
-When the tire hits the log, jump forward and throw your handlebars
forward and down. You jump off your front wheel mainly, but the back
as well.
-Your chainring should clear the log, and your front wheel should land
on the ground as your rear hits the log. As long as your chainring clears
the log you will have no problem landing if you go too far forward or
too far back.
-Practice on small logs first - this skill does not happen overnight.
-Author's blab:
-before trying this technique, please read the disclaimer!
------------------------------
Subject: 2J. Bunny hopping
Two ways to do this:
The real way:
-Level the pedals
-Compress your body down and also the tires by pushing down and bending
your knees and arms.
-When you want to take off, pull the handlebar to your chest and move
your weight back. This will give you a small wheelie.
-When you are going up, push the bar up and forward, twisting the grip
at the same time. While you are doing this, unweight the back end of the
bike by leaning forward and really extend your arms. The saddle might
hit your chest, but that's ok.
-Relax your body before hitting the ground.
-Land with some weight in the back so that the back wheel hits the ground
first. Make sure your front wheel is straight before you land.
The SPD/toe-clip way:
-Again, preload your body by coiling down and pressing real hard down.
-Instead of doing all the weight shifting, just jump and yank up real hard.
-Landing is the same.
------------------------------
Subject: 2K. Water riding
-Never ride into something that you can't see the bottom of.
-If there are not too many obstacles, you can ride through the water as
usual.
-Instead of cranking in a high gear, try spinning in a low gear if the
water is too deep.
-If the water is real deep, try ratcheting your pedals by doing quarter
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