How to ride a skinny raised platform/bridge

[k1rider]

What's the ideal form for hitting and riding a narrow bridge/rail/etc that runs for +40 feet? A great example is the raised narrow rail/bridge on an expert spur at Murphy.

Should you hit it seated and stay seated, attack position throughout or stand high.

Seems sitting is weighting your back too much, standing is putting your center of gravity too high, so attack position?

Thanks for any/all advice!

[Steven W.]

What's the ideal form for hitting and riding a narrow bridge/rail/etc that runs for +40 feet? A great example is the raised narrow rail/bridge on an expert spur at Murphy.

Should you hit it seated and stay seated, attack position throughout or stand high.

Seems sitting is weighting your back too much, standing is putting your center of gravity too high, so attack position?

Thanks for any/all advice!

I have ridden that feature both sitting and standing and like it both ways. I would say standing gives you a better position for quick changes in balance, but that all comes down to personal preference. The only thing I make sure I do is "attack" the first 8 feet to get past the 6" skinny part and then worry about the rest after that.

[Hetter]

once your on and moving along....look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go!!

[Tjorning]

Like Chris said, look at the very end of the skinny, and in a second or two you'll be there. lately I've been practicing by riding on top of curbs anytime I'
m on little streets.

[RRasmussen]

i do the skinny at murphy sitting , but the main thing isto just go into it confidant

[Wolfchimp]

As the saying goes....'commit or eat sh*t' :D:D:D

[guest_s]

I prefer to stand, but I do pinch my seat a little when standing. Keep your eyes out front about 15 to 20 feet (always do this even when not on a skinny). Be relaxed (it's hard to when learning) because as soon as you tense up.....you loose control of balance and the small corrections you need to do. Take a big deep breath before you start, focus, and keep breathing all the way through to help stay relaxed. Also, pedal lightly and consistently.....don't push hard and hammer as those can throw off your balance. Keep your speed up.....more speed means better balance. But don't go so fast that you will get hurt if accidentally slip off.

If a skinny is any higher than 1 foot or so off the ground, don't try it if you can't bunny hop or wheelie drop. Learn those two things first so when you do feel you will slip or fall off the side, just bunnyhop or wheelie drop and ride away. If you can't do this, you will endo (go over the bars) if your front wheel comes off.....and endoing is about the most unsafe thing to do.

Start with a 2 by 4 on the ground or a curb and practice balance and looking forward. Then move up to the real stuff.

[Rick Shaw]

endoing is about the most unsafe thing to do.




I proven that one! Ask Jodi or Steve about it.:laugh:


I think the biggest thing is keeping your eyes on your line. If you are looking at that tree you could hit if you fall off you are most likely going to fall off and hit that tree. Personally I am most comfortable standing but for straight sections I'll sit down.

[k1rider]

Thanks for all the advice. Have been laying out 40' of old fence posts (lashed together for 8" width) and found that hitting them in an attack position gives me the best ability to adjust and balance. Completely sitting or standing seems to commit me more to one line and doesn't allow me the flexibility to adjust as quickly.

Manual63 great advice on practicing the bunny hop. Had never thought about it, but that will be a key skill when I take this backyard show on the road at Murphy and have some height under me.

[dschiltz]

Funny thing happened on the skinny last night. After two years of near flawless riding of this thing, last night my front wheel slips off and I do an endo to face plant on the boardwalk. Now for what went down I'm pretty happy with a shiner and a few other minor bruises, but d@mn, when this thing has it's revenge it don't play! :hit:

[k1rider]

As the saying goes....'commit or eat sh*t' :D:D:D

Commited tonight on Murphy and rode the long skinny bridge feature/spur. After working on 4x8's in the backyard all last summer and hitting rollers every other week (yes, I was lazy) over the winter I was able to master the bridge on my 4th try ever.

Pretty happy given I'm sick as a dog and have a cough like a 90 yr old smoker right now.

Practice, patience and COMMITTING do work!

[treeguy]

lay down a 12 or 14 foot 1x4 in the street and practice balancing on that

put two or three together and make your bike stick to the line:banana:

this is a risk free practice method

[treeguy]

i started practicing on some 20+ feet of 1x4, laid out on the street

this way i can ride on a skinny plank to develop my balance
making my bike stick to a specific line, in hopes that i will be ready to take on the ramps ive seen at various courses

[Wolfchimp]

commited tonight on murphy and rode the long skinny bridge feature/spur. After working on 4x8's in the backyard all last summer and hitting rollers every other week (yes, i was lazy) over the winter i was able to master the bridge on my 4th try ever.

Pretty happy given i'm sick as a dog and have a cough like a 90 yr old smoker right now.

Practice, patience and committing do work!


nice work!

[griffinjay]

Guest wrote:


If a skinny is any higher than 1 foot or so off the ground, don't try it if you can't bunny hop or wheelie drop. Learn those two things first so when you do feel you will slip or fall off the side, just bunnyhop or wheelie drop and ride away. If you can't do this, you will endo (go over the bars) if your front wheel comes off.....and endoing is about the most unsafe thing to do.

Ahhhh, I've been wondering about to fall/get off a high skinny and this answers it. I'm confident on skinnies the width of the high one at Murphy but as Dustin noted, **** happens.

[fnkmstr67]

Guest wrote:



Ahhhh, I've been wondering about to fall/get off a high skinny and this answers it. I'm confident on skinnies the width of the high one at Murphy but as Dustin noted, **** happens.

Practice practice practice. Griff...I built some features in my backyard that you are welcome to come over and give them a try.

633663376338

[Wolfchimp]

Practice practice practice. Griff...I built some features in my backyard that you are welcome to come over and give them a try.

633663376338

Dan- That is a sweet set up! I wish I had enough room to build some stuff like that to play on. Maybe I will have to make some additions to Mammoth..... Hmmmmm..... :D

[cglasford]

Dude that is so sick! I love the set up! I also wish I had enough room to build that in my yard! or I wish there was a skills park that had things like that

[griffinjay]

Ooh, I'll take you up on your offer, Dan.

As for putting something similar in my backyard, I'll have to think up a good reason to explain it to the townhouse association.

"Um, oh, those are going to display some new style raised flower beds that we have on order. Should be here Real Soon Now."

[fnkmstr67]

This guy needs to practice getting the front wheel up.
http://www.keepbusy.net/play.php?id=mountain-bike-vs-log

[demonale]

That made me laugh out loud...am I sick in the head? Glad he seemed okay though and I'll bet he's more careful next time. Pain is an excellent teacher!!