Which area is your nemesis?

[bikingbruise]

I was wondering what areas are hard for other people. I bought my first bike this year and love this sport. I've probably bike Lebanon 30 times this year. I keep chipping away at the things that I have not been able to do, or have just been too chicken. Today I got the guts up to do the second bridge. I thought that the log would cause a problem; no big deal. I wish I would have tried that earlier.

The only section that I have not even made it once is the new log. I can't get my tire up high enough with speed. I gotta look at the skills, clearing a big obstacle section again. I have not even tried the large rock on the left detour in the beginning. I should look to see how high it is.

I have pretty serious trouble with the XX rock garden up the hill. I keep cheating to the inside and hitting a crank on a rock, which stops my momentum, and any chance of finishing.

I also have trouble with the XX skinny over the log on the top of the hill. (Steep up, slight curve). I did do it today, so perhaps that will not be a problem anymore.

I can only make it about 25% of the time on the difficult section, the rock garden that requires a hard right. The section before with a large rock, deep rut and small tree gives me fits as well.

[jeffgude]

The only section that I have not even made it once is the new log. I can't get my tire up high enough with speed. I gotta look at the skills, clearing a big obstacle section again. I have not even tried the large rock on the left detour in the beginning. I should look to see how high it is.... I can only make it about 25% of the time on the difficult section, the rock garden that requires a hard right. The section before with a large rock, deep rut and small tree gives me fits as well.

The big rock near the beginning of the trail is not nearly as difficult as it looks, just build a little momentum, pop up your wheel and you roll over.

To clean the X rock garden with the sharp right, take the left hand side of the garden, it looks harder, but it puts you in a much better spot to make the turn.

I have trouble with the "new" log too, also the log drop off on the XX trail, I usually take the smaller drop on the right side, I also avoid the double jump.

With the uphill rock garden, you have to be aware of where your cranks are at all times, sitting vs standing, depends on the bike. The line through the rocks is pretty clear in the dirt.

[destrago]

My Nemisis is the uphill at the end of XX. Typically I push it really hard through any section of trail not covered in stunts. I sprint up the stairway and go as hard as I can to the double jump and the teeter. Then when I clear the rock garden and it's time to ascend I'm tired. That last ascent right after you've gone under the tree where the gnome used to reside can sometimes get me to dismount because I either screw up my rhythm and dump a pedal into one of the rocks or fail to get my tires around the rocks. (Or one time, just ride straight into the tree right next to the trail). I can usually make the climb, but on lap 2 it typically hurts. My one consolation is that I get to rest on an easier section (either the lowlands of X or the bypass to dream) once I get done with it.

-Tony

[E36/5]

The camelback gets me every once-in-a-while. ;)

[nigel]

The parking lot...........just about everytime i pull into Leb i dont wanna ride when i get out of the truck. Then i change into the spandex (yes no baggies for this guy) and ride the lot once, feel all crappy, hit the beginner for a warm up, proceed up the hill and i feel great!

[manual63]

I used to not like the log step climbs in the XX Loop. But ever since I started riding singlespeed, I have no issues with any part of Leb. I just hammer over those now....much better way to do them than granny it.

[mcarples]

The only thing that really gets me is the skinny coming off the side of the camelback. I get my front wheel on it fine but because my back wheel dog tracks (or whatever its is called), my back wheel always falls off inside the turn. Is there a way to dot his skinny without stopping in a trackstand and trials hopping your way onto it?

[dave t]

Is there a way to dot his skinny without stopping in a trackstand and trials hopping your way onto it?

Yes. Just come over the arch really hot and lock up the back brake. Steer your front end out onto the skinny and let the back fishtail out. Time the release of the back brake so it grabs when your lined up and rid'er right down the line and drop off the end with a big wheelie for style points.:D

But seriously.

Approach the Y junction wide to the left and steer as big an arc onto the far side of the plank as you can. Your rear will follow closer to the front's path and should clear the corner. A bit of confidence helps and if the back does drop off, the big tree is always there to grab.

[manual63]

Approach the Y junction wide to the left and steer as big an arc onto the far side of the plank as you can. Your rear will follow closer to the front's path and should clear the corner. A bit of confidence helps and if the back does drop off, the big tree is always there to grab.

I either do this, which is tough because you are already on a skinny, now you have to be on the far left of the skinny, or I hop the rear end to the left. I will try to take the left side of the camelback and make the turn, but usually I end up too far to the right, so I just give the rear wheel a quick little tiny hop to the left. As my rear tire get near the Y. The thing is, you only need to get the back tire over an inch or so, not too far. The first few times I did this, I kicked the rear tire to the left too far. Just barely hop it to the left, don't slow down too much as you do this, do it in one smooth motion. Sometimes I give the inside tree a little elbow to stay on track, but I almost always make the turn now.

[Danimal]

Any uphill climbs kill me. No matter if it's the intermediate or the X or XX. My pedaling endurance sucks still.

I manage to navigate through just about all the technical stuff though. Go figure???? Occasionally the rock gardens get me, momentum and finding the smoothest line is key there.

Have fun and remember, if it's intimidating, plow through it. Momentum is your biggest ally.

[At the Gates 2121]

[QUOTE=manual63 or I hop the rear end to the left.


this is how I approach it with about a 50% acheivement level by far my mortal enemy at leb is the 45 degree turn on the camelback other than that I have a problem with the teeter toter I never let the thing go down I just jump off the end.

[Uncle Leo]

Any uphill climbs kill me. No matter if it's the intermediate or the X or XX.
Yeah, but the downhill climbs are really a b^&%h. :p


I have yet to attempt: the camelback, the teeter, and Jan's rock.
I'm pretty happy with that as my short list since last August I considered most of the X unridable.

Took me a long time to do the 2 long straight bridges in the XX because a bad crash on the X bridge shot my confidence.

[noise_is_life]

Beginner Loop.

[gopherhockey]

The new log is my new nemesis. I haven't missed it yet, but its going to happen... I tend to scrape the ring when I go over and almost always feel like I don't have the front wheel up high enough. Its one of those obstacles I start thinking about before I even get to the XX loop. I used to think that way about other obstacles, so in time hopefully that will pass and we'll add something even harder to worry about.

[At the Gates 2121]

[QUOTE=gopherhockey] my new nemesis is having John blinding me during night rides at leb

[RedSquirrel]

[QUOTE=dave t]Approach the Y junction wide to the left and steer as big an arc onto the far side of the plank as you can. QUOTE]

Today my 10 yr old did the camelback, so I decided to try the right "Y" section. I made it on my 4th try. The key was the quote above. I did hop the back about an inch. My disc is still straight too, even after a few misses. I have a video of of it but not sure how to post here. 7meg.

[XSsithi]

I have to say I tried everything except Jan's rock and did everything but the camelback my first time on the trail. Haha, I gotta say that hasn't happened again yet, I invariably mess up at least twice on the trail since I know whats coming. :)

[Hathor]

My new nemesis is the uphill before you get to the rock garden in the X. You come around a turn to the right, then there is a rock on the left that sticks up, then the uphill has a rock where the dirt has eroded on either side of it, making little pits for my wheels to get stuck in. I fell and had a bruise on my thigh the size of an apple a couple weeks ago. The worst nemesis is one that gave you no problem for years and years and now you can't get past it to save you life. If you know where I am talking about, what line do you take for success?

[bigwheel]

My new nemesis is the uphill before you get to the rock garden in the X. You come around a turn to the right, then there is a rock on the left that sticks up, then the uphill has a rock where the dirt has eroded on either side of it, making little pits for my wheels to get stuck in. I fell and had a bruise on my thigh the size of an apple a couple weeks ago. The worst nemesis is one that gave you no problem for years and years and now you can't get past it to save you life. If you know where I am talking about, what line do you take for success?

The key is to keep a little bit of speed (at least walking speed) through the area, so that you roll over the hang-ups.

Here's what works for me:
1: When you get near the rock, get your pedals ready to go, with the right one pointed forward and ready for power. Then your first pedal stroke will clear the rock.
2: Let your front wheel tap the rock. The rock will push you back onto the trail.
3: Start pedaling just before your front wheel taps the rock. If you lose momentum, you will spin out and stall. If your pedals are lined up (#1), you will be past the rock before your left pedal gets low enough to hang up.


We will probably eventually need to work on that erosion, but the roots seem to be holding the dirt for now.

[bikingbruise]

gets me fairly often as well. It seems like the times I make it are when I've got myself going fairly straight into it and keep my balance better. I basically stall and pedal through it. Not exactly a fool proof method.

The big log, I'm nowhere near completing. I need to learn to do a bigger wheelie. I'm sick of smacking into it and going head over.

I went over to Jan's rock. It's at an angle so there are different degree's of "making it". That obstacle will not be part of my successes very soon.