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03-13-2004, 09:00 PM
Riding across rooty sections of trail can be sketchy and unpredictable at the best of times. Throw in some bad weather and a few steep downhills and roots become greasy rails that test the riding skills of the best among us.
Here are some riding tips that can help beginners better deal with these tricky situations.
Pause and Plot
Take a pause before attempting the worst of the roots. Plot a line through the section. If the section is steep, lower your saddle. This will free up your body to move around the bike.
Concentrate on Your Brakes
As you begin your ride, concentrate on the roots ahead instead of what you are rolling over. Be careful not to lock up the front brake while rolling over roots; this can cause the front tire to wash out. Instead, feather your front brake to grab on sections in between the roots. Use the rear brake to produce most of the stopping power.
Keep It Square
Hit the roots as square as possible. Keep your weight to the rear of the bike so as to have a light front end. When approaching roots that you can't just roll over, pop the front end over and around obstacles. Hitting your front tire on large obstacles may endo or jackknife your bike.
Roll With It
Keep your tires rolling. When pedalling a full rotation of the crankset becomes impossible because of obstacles hitting the pedals, ratchet your pedals to keep things moving. Only use power strike pedal rotations when pedals are clear of obstacles. Stand to Control
A standing position is best for control over roots. When on a steep slope, hang your rear end over your rear tire. This keeps the front end light and allows you to roll over obstacles with balanced control.
Here are some riding tips that can help beginners better deal with these tricky situations.
Pause and Plot
Take a pause before attempting the worst of the roots. Plot a line through the section. If the section is steep, lower your saddle. This will free up your body to move around the bike.
Concentrate on Your Brakes
As you begin your ride, concentrate on the roots ahead instead of what you are rolling over. Be careful not to lock up the front brake while rolling over roots; this can cause the front tire to wash out. Instead, feather your front brake to grab on sections in between the roots. Use the rear brake to produce most of the stopping power.
Keep It Square
Hit the roots as square as possible. Keep your weight to the rear of the bike so as to have a light front end. When approaching roots that you can't just roll over, pop the front end over and around obstacles. Hitting your front tire on large obstacles may endo or jackknife your bike.
Roll With It
Keep your tires rolling. When pedalling a full rotation of the crankset becomes impossible because of obstacles hitting the pedals, ratchet your pedals to keep things moving. Only use power strike pedal rotations when pedals are clear of obstacles. Stand to Control
A standing position is best for control over roots. When on a steep slope, hang your rear end over your rear tire. This keeps the front end light and allows you to roll over obstacles with balanced control.