Hard obstacle- straight line pls!

Met an experienced biker today he told me this:

Try to cross an obstacle (up or down) in a straight line. Build a line in advance, turn and maneuver in advance so when it is crunch time (something hard to go over), you are traveling straight as an arrow! Build your lines so that you travel in straight lines as much as possible in general!

Cassette "surprise" meaning replace chain relpace cassette

In 90% of my riding I use the second biggest ring on my rear cassette.
As the chain wore out I obliged, payed $35 and bought a replacement.
With a new chain installed I went for a ride and the "teeth" slipped under load, very very annoying.
I spent some time tweaking shifting tension, shifting is great!
Key idea: I tried to climb using a different ring on the rear cassette, no skipping!

After 30 min of troubleshooting it occurred to me that I may have worn just one ring, the one that I use all the time on Bridal Path.

I stopped blaming rear derailleur, derailleur hanger, cage alignment (the potential absence of thereof) who knows what else... It is possible to destroy one single ring in a multi-speed cassette, what a bummer!

Brake pads "surprise"

Periodically check brake pads. I was checking them as lazy people do, I looked at them without removing the wheel.
The trouble is that by simply looking at the pads from a rider's vantage point not removing the wheel is trouble inviting. Pads may wear out unevenly. Without removing the wheel it may look that there is enough of braking material on the pads but in reality the pads may be completely worn out in the areas where you don't see.

Here comes a surprise. The end of the spring that spreads out the pads may not have enough of the "step" left to stay put as with newish pads and will simply escape, slide in the rotor area and will start making clicking noises. If this happens on a trail, you are in trouble.
Dislodged spring "whisker" is indicated by the arrow on the picture (of course this picture is an imitation and I placed the spring in a crooked way intentionally, to illustrate my point. Observe only the part of the spring indicated by the arrow, in the actual brake it will rub the rotor and the brake is compromised).

What is "BRAVE" when facing an obstacle?

My definition of being "BRAVE" when facing an obstacle is very specific:

1. You must allow the bike to roll.
2. Be brave by approaching an obstacle in neutral position (no matter how scary that might be) and then let the bike dictate how much back you will move as the bike TRAVELS OVER THE OBSTACLE

As to item one, let it roll, don't touch the brakes, the bike can roll some really steep terrain if you LET IT ROLL and DON'T INTERFERE with its TRAVEL.

As to item two, don't move back before the obstacle because it sounds safer to do so. Assume neutral LOW LOW LOW position as you approach an obstacle and AS YOU TRAVEL over the obstacle, let the bike DICTATE how much back IT WANTS YOU TO MOVE

How to acqure correct elbows position

Hand position determines correct elbow position while descending. Draw an imaginary straight line from index finger to the lower and opposite corner of your palm. Place this line on the handlebar.

Incorrect position:

Correct position (pay attention to the arrow and how it "sits" on the handlebar):

Such hand placement will also assure correct elbow position (as if doing a pushup or holding a basketball somewhere between the chest and belly button. Don't overdo it and don't protrude elbows too much forward. They will not be 90 degrees to the handlebar sticking out straight up. It would be too much). Do the same with the left hand.

Cornering (twist those hips, screw into the bike)

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!



Great Reference on cornering: TWIST THOSE HIPS, SCREW INTO THE BIKE!
Hey coach series:
http://www.nsmb.com/5214-hey-coach-ep-1/

0. Brake before the turn
1.  Drill:  standing practice turning the bike on flat terrain by TWISTING THE HIPS (1:20 in the clip)
ADD Dynamic pedal idea in this drill
2. Turn with all three eyes (belly button is the third eye, imagine laser shooting from it, point with it!)
     (2:15 in the clip)
3.  Angulate the bike into the turn, not the body (2:28 in the clip)
4.  Go screw yourself into the bike (2:37 in the clip)
BATHE :
 Brake before the corner
 Angulate the bike, not the body
 Twist the hips (screw yourself into the bike in the direction of the turn)
 Hand (I adjusted this from the original: outside hand is so that the outside elbow is high)
 Explosive exit (I can't do it yet: put pressure with feet on suspension as you are unscrewing yourself: as you untwist towards the end [quote] "try pushing yourself up to neutral position with a powerful push through the heels of your feet. This should drive more traction but also generate some momentum and bring you to the neutral position quickly, ready for the next corner or trail challenge."

Upper Body

When descending I need to remember to keep upper body calm. Legs and arms should move, absorb the shock but upper body should not feel any storm. It should rest calmly balanced on four shock absorbers that humans have.

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

Technique points I keep in my mind when riding these days

The key word on my mind on a downhill turn is ROTATE, just one word but occasionally also.....

1. Rotate the belly button and looking with "three eyes" when on downhill turn
2. Leaning the bike into the turn
3. Counterbalancing the leaning with the rear part as a result of belly button turn and resulting weight shift on the seat.
3. Having the outside turn elbow bent and high
4. Looking past the turn
5. Dynamic Pedal

Less immediately known to a biginner things that come loose

1. The bolt that hold rear derailleur (was very loose after a year of riding, I discovered it by accident)
2. The bolt that holds rear derailleur hanger (when I take the rear wheel off, I tend to check it)
3. The pivot bolt that is behind the bottom bracket (watch for this one!)

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

Vertical Manual Drops

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

Manual is done by me without pedaling and in two steps:
 1. Staying low preloading down suspension the last moment before the drop pushing down on the pedals
 2. Pushing with the front foot towards the hub of the front wheel (such motion will MOVE THE BIKE FORWARD UNDER YOU and as a consequence will shift your body  back extending forward arms and legs. Do not pull up on the handlebars, the leg force towards the front hub in this step will prevent the front part of the bike from dipping). KEEP THE FRONT HEEL BENT DOWN in this step!

 Start returning to the ready position while in the air so when landed you landed low in ready position and not shifted back.

Match the bike traveling in the air with the angle of the landing area (angled the same way to match)

Pedal several bike lengths before the manual maneuver area. COAST before, during and after doing the manual.
Speed will help doing the manual and will prevent dipping of the front wheel.

PRACTICE UNTIL YOU CAN DO IT AT A VERY LOW SPEED


Manual summary: don't pedal when you are about to manual, preload suspension pushing down, push with the front foot with the dropped heel towards the front hub of the bike. This will move the bike forward and you will naturally extend arms and legs and the rear part of the body will be moved back. Don't move your body back, let it happen as a result of pushing the pedals towards the hub of the front wheel.

Cornering- lean the bike into the corner- NOT your body

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

When cornering I try to do this:
Lean the bike into the corner
but DO NOT lean your body into the corner, keep it VERTICAL
Keep your body straight up.
What helps in achieving it:
PUT MOST WEIGHT on the OUTSIDE pedal and keep that OUTSIDE heal DOWN (lowered outside heal lowers your center of gravity and applies max pressure on the outer knobs of the tires)
Put OUTSIDE knee against the frame if needed
Keep OUTSIDE ELBOW HIGH (VERY IMPORTANT it helps keeping your body vertical, it is a good thing to use as a conscious mental check
LOOK to the corner exit point
USE Dynamic pedal idea

Elbow position on steep climbs

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

When I have to muscle up a very steep section this is what works well for me:

Imagine someone attached ropes to your elbows and pulling on them up so they are parallel to the chest line (or armpit to armpit line). Elbows are bent and are pointing up.

This prevents the front wheel from going up in the air and puts more weight slightly forward.

May 12, 2012 update:
Do NOT keep elbows in this extreme forward position when descending.
Correct descending  elbow position is as if doing a pushup or holding a basketball at chest level

Deceptively easy climb- Bridal Path going East

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!


This small climb is tricky as it involves several small turns and one needs to calculate them so pedals don't hit the side roots and the log.

Successful for me gear combination: GRANNY and SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back. Did it is sitting position.

I used to do it with the MIDDLE ring and the BIGGEST ring in the back but it is less smooth and most likely I will need to stand. Too much available torque (the use of the MIDDLE ring up front) I find on such stretch is not necessarily good.

Granny ring vs Middle ring

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!


By trial and error I came up with the following:

Granny chain ring- good for climbing steep terrain where one is likely to sit all the time. This gear does not provide "torque on demand" if you stand up and it is ideal for obstacles of the type "if you stand you rear wheel will spin".

Great to use on a very steep terrain with the SECOND biggest ring in the back! You would likely to sit or hover over your seat.

Middle chain ring- good with tall obstacles where one will coordinate pedal push with a partial or full standing up motion. Also ideal for moment where short "torque on demand" burst is needed (e.g. to roll over a tall rock or root on otherwise relatively flat terrain).

Great with the BIGGEST or SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back.

WET CONDITIONS:

If the obstacle is not super steep and it is WET, I use the middle ring up front and SECOND BIGGEST in the back to avoid back wheel spinning. (during dry conditions, the BIGGEST ring in the back can be used).

For greater cardio-use middle ring up front (except for very steep terrain) and the BIGGEST or SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back.

For smooth (no bursts of energy) riding and a bit less cardio- use the granny ring up front and the BIGGEST or SECOND BIGGEST ring in the back.

Welcome to IgorBikingTheMountain blog!

Disclaimer: These tips are for the blog author, pls seek professional instruction as this sport may be dangerous!

Hello,

I am a MTB novice. Just like many of us out there and who are a bit shy to ask experienced people for some advice....
It is great that there is such opportunity as learning XC Mountain biking on North Shore, probably the best place on earth to do it.


Why create this blog? I have felt intimidated for a while by seeing all those expert bikers who look like gatekeepers of very useful insider information about this sport.

In this blog I will try to share bit by bit what I learned about riding, bike setup, obstacles, etc, providing some information that may be interesting for other beginners (and myself too!)
The information (often anecdotal in nature) is gathered from conversation in bike stores, my own trial and error experiments and from often serendipitous conversations on the trail with other bikers.

Take it with the grain of salt and seek professional advice as what works for me may not work for you! This sport can be dangerous so always use professional help!
All information is based on the author's personal experience and therefore is subjective in nature!