PM'd me old mucker, but not sure whether the PM system is boogered or not.Mulger bill wrote: Will you take them rips in MP4 Drub? For some reason any attempt at AVI means, dross.
Dunlop Volleys are about the best MTBing shoe IMO. Comfortable, great grip when combined with the pins on the meat tenderisers and cheap enough to not upset you when the pedal has torn the sole apart before the uppers are worn out.Nobody wrote:However they will trash your shoes in a relatively short time, so not cheap to run.
Yet another time flats would be beneficial...trailgumby wrote:I do have the finger staged on the rear brake but nevertheless have managed to scare myself a few times, only just getting the foot out in time.
Thanks. Something to consider.apsilon wrote:Dunlop Volleys are about the best MTBing shoe IMO. Comfortable, great grip when combined with the pins on the meat tenderisers and cheap enough to not upset you when the pedal has torn the sole apart before the uppers are worn out.Nobody wrote:However they will trash your shoes in a relatively short time, so not cheap to run.
Try to get your chest closer to the handlebar as you pull up. Have a look at the video on the link below. Point 6 about chest and nose. A variation on this may help.crazycanuck wrote:Any tips for going over something uphill? I get to X place on X hill but lack the strength to get over X thing..I've picked the right line but stumble getting over x.
Log overs are finally beginning to love me..just not uphill...
Shouldn't this be in this thread?drubie wrote:Something I learned today...
Maybe we missed this as a given in the long list of things you should know. Yes, tyres make the single biggest difference of anything you put on a MTB. The hard part (financially mainly) is finding the best tyre for your particular terrain/conditions and riding style.drubie wrote:tyres matter!
True enough ... but not without shinguards!Nobody wrote:Yet another time flats would be beneficial...trailgumby wrote:I do have the finger staged on the rear brake but nevertheless have managed to scare myself a few times, only just getting the foot out in time.
Handling. More rubber=better grip.drubie wrote:Why a fatter tyre on the front trailgumby?
Not too bad in the mud. They don't completely clog. However don't use one on the front in the wet. They have a fairly hard compound and don't like wet hard surfaces like rocks, tree roots etc. I change to a Nevegal DTC on the front if I want to do a wet ride. Nevs don't roll well, but the grip is worth it in the wet. I hardly notice the difference between a good and bad roller on the front anyway.drubie wrote:How are the geax in the mud?
I believe in fatter tyres front and back for MTB as roll is considered to be 50% of your losses. Fatter tyres roll better for the same grip and comfort levels as the terrain gets rockier or softer. This is because you can run them at lower pressure. It is actually quite complex to figure out what combination of width plus tyre pressure is best for your average terrain as for most people the terrain is so varied. What makes you faster on hard pack smooth tracks will generally make you slower in soft or rough terrain. Working out the average and then taking comfort and grip into consideration as well makes in complex. Eventually you settle on a compromise you can be happy with.drubie wrote:Why a fatter tyre on the front
The front tyre is your control tyre. You can live with the rear moving around a bit (even a lot), so long as your front is planted and pointed in the direction you need to go. Lose traction on the front though and you can end up either eating dirt or needing to clean your knicks.drubie wrote:Why a fatter tyre on the front trailgumby?
Still getting used to relying more on the back brake than the front, especially on downhill, loose corners (I mean, it seems to work and the old mantra from most vehicles that goes "cornering grip or brakes, pick one" seems very apparent on the front wheel.I just got myself a MTB a few weeks back and have been riding a couple of fire trails around my area.trailgumby wrote:@Nobody: Ouch!
Bike setup:
1: Start out with flat pedals. They make it much easier to get away from the bike before it takes you with it when you're about to have an off.
2: Have your bars slightly higher than your seat.
3: Position your seat 1-2cm lower than you would on your road bike. In combination with the slightly higher handlebar position, this makes descending safer by enabling you to easily slide your hips off and behind the seat to keep your centre of gravity well behind the front axle when the bike is pointed down.
4: Set the preload on your fork so that when you are seated on a level surface in your normal riding position, your weight causes the suspension to sag by 25% of the available travel. On a 100mm fork, this means you would compress (sag) 25mm. Adjust the air pressure (air forks) or spring tension dial (coil forks) to achieve this. Sag allows the front wheel to drop into depressions on the trail, keeping your front tyre in contact with the track.
5: It is better to err on the fast side for rebound speed on the fork. Otherwise it will pack down over successive bumps, increasing the risk of an OTB.
6: On the rear, if you have a shock it is better to err on the slow side for rebound damping. This is so that a harsh landing won't see the bike seat kick you hard in the backside and send you OTB.
7: Start with your tyres at about 32psi front, 35psi rear for tubed tyres (80kg rider), or 28 and 32 psi for tubeless. For rocky terrain with lots of square-edged bumps you may need to increase this to stop pinch flats.
Safe riding tips
1: If you can't see how to ride the obstacle, walk it.
2: Always carry a mobile phone, and let someone know when you expect to be back
3: Ride in company, especially if the trail is unfamiliar, or you will be a long way from help
4: Carry enough water for the ride. A litre of water an hour isa For rides longer than an hour, ensure you carry enough nutrition as well.
4: If you baulk twice at an obstacle, walk it and try again another day.
5: Ride within your limits. If you're tired choose an easy trail.
6: Don't ride faster than your ability to read the trail.
7: If you're having an off day and aren't hitting your lines on the trail, stop riding and return when you're fresh.
Technique tips
1: Stay off the front brake over tree roots, rocks and obstacles
2: Look for smooth patches of dirt or rock to brake on with the front wheel
3: Try to hit roots and rock lips at 90 degrees. If you can't, lift the front wheel over them
4: Keep your pedals at the 9 and 3 position when coasting
5: On technical descents, drop your hips behind and below the rear of the saddle. Try lowering your seat.
6: Where you look is where you'll go. Focus on fiding the right path for your front wheel.
7: When you see a freaky obstacle that will hurt you if you hit it, focus on the path around it.
All you have to do is move your body forward rather than upward. It is natural to try and jump upwards to get the bike off the ground, but in actual fact you should be pushing forward on your handlebars and moving your bodyweight at an up/forward angle, not directly upwards. And remember, as with everything, focus on relaxing your body and mind and not being too tense. You will do everything better if you can keep yourself relaxed, and you will exert less energy and thus go longer without fatigue.drubie wrote:Gah, bunny hop fail - no matter how many videos I watch I just can't get the back wheel off the ground. Getting fairly adept at popping the front wheel up but I do that on the roadie to mitigate bigger bumps so it's not much of a stretch.
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