Going over log piles

[manual63]

There are several ways of doing this and most depend on speed.

At slower speeds it is fairly easy to just ride over them, but sometimes you hit the large chainring. Try doing a little wheelie before the log and set the front wheel down on the top log. As your rear wheel approaches the logs pop up the back wheel (used to be called a Polish Wheelie) and that should clear your chain rings of any logs at the top. At slower speeds, make sure you are in a lower gear so you can pedal out of this if you stall.

At faster speeds there are two options I know of. The first is to just bunnyhop the whole front side of the log pile landing on the back side with the front wheel first followed by the back wheel (BMX term is called downsiding). Sometimes I am too tired to hop the whole bike or the log pile is too big to hop. In these cases, I use the nose bonk method. Basically I wheelie the bike before the log pile and actually slam or bonk the front wheel on the top log (works best with front suspension). By doing this I can actually bounce the rear wheel and whole bike over the log pile completely in most cases. You push down on your front wheel and pick up the rear wheel and kind of use the fork to spring off the top log and over. You need to be going fairly fast to do this one.

For beginners, take one foot off the pedal and as you approach the logs, ride up the front and put the one foot on the top log. Then just use your foot to guide you and lift the bike if needed over the logs and down the back side. Leave foot out to catch yourself if you become unstable. This way you can get comfortable with logs and still go over them rather quickly.

[Trevize1138]

Nose bonks are the best. Last night I managed to nose bonk the 2nd log "pile." I call it a log pile and not a log roll because it's one of the two piles of logs that have 6 or 7 logs in a row making a short, bumpy tabletop. There's one at the beginning of the expert loop and the 2nd one after a couple fun dowhill log jumps :).

Anyway, I nose bonked the first log in the pile and cleared it, landing my rear tire on top of either the last or 2nd-to-last log. That felt sweet, and a hell-of-a-lot smoother.

I also enjoy watching Shad do his Polish wheelies over log piles. I once asked him if there was any benefit to that or if it was just showmanship. :crazy:

[manual63]

Showmanship.....naw....it's to make sure my big sprocket clears and allows me more force to push down the back side of the pile to gain more speed.

The nose bonk rules because it takes little effort to clear things. I am usually too worn out to fully hop things, so the nose bonk just makes things flow with ease.

[stoneage]

Speed is your friend on that kind of obstruction. I like to come in hot and then just lift the nose and almost immediately stand and lift the tail (lot easier with clips of course). I can almost clear the whole thing that way. Even if I don't the ride is a lot smoother. Kind of like a front/back bunny hop. It's a lot easier and safer than a true bunny hop.

[socrates]

Originally posted by stoneage
Speed is your friend on that kind of obstruction. I like to come in hot and then just lift the nose and almost immediately stand and lift the tail (lot easier with clips of course). I can almost clear the whole thing that way. Even if I don't the ride is a lot smoother. Kind of like a front/back bunny hop. It's a lot easier and safer than a true bunny hop.

That's exactly what I do...

[funky-funky-chicken]

I like to go right at 'em, get the front tire over and then flip a$$ over tea kettle. Crude but effective. Sure, it might not be the most graceful method, but after several laps on Saturday morning that seemed to be all that was working later on Saturday morning.

I managed a couple of good bruises and some nice scrapes on my face and leg. I finally had to retire from the day when I broke my saddle of all things.

[manual63]

The reason you go over the bars is most likely due to the fact you don't lean back over your rear wheel when your back wheel gets near the top of the log pile.

Once you get you front wheel over, lean back to keep the rear wheel from literally boucing off the logs and sending you over.

Try it, I bet you will have less bruises next ride.

[Trevize1138]

That, and stay off the front brake! A friend of mine realized after a while that he was gripping his front brake over every log pile and once he let go of that they were far easier to do.

P.S. Where'd you get Internet access, Shad?

[funky-funky-chicken]

I think somehow on each post, we should be able to have a sarcasm index value. I was of course kidding when I posted that I just crash over log piles head first.

Sometimes after riding for a long period of time, the bike seems to get heavy, the arms fatigued and there is just no grace left.

I do like the challenge having something to keep the course interesting. The more that I ride the XX loop, the more that I enjoy it.

I tuned in this moring and was surprised to see the number of posts. Then I realized Shad was back. Shad has something to say about everything... again there is more life back on the MORC forum.

[socrates]

Originally posted by Trevize1138
That, and stay off the front brake! A friend of mine realized after a while that he was gripping his front brake over every log pile and once he let go of that they were far easier to do.

P.S. Where'd you get Internet access, Shad? You mean I shouldn't be using my brakes while pedal'n? Wow!

Seriously I have found it more fun to take log piles with as much speed as possible/reasonable

[Trevize1138]

Remember kids, the front brake is your friend ... EXCEPT while going over log rolls! :hit: