Level pedals and cranks

[manual63]

I hear that some riders don't keep their pedals and cranks level (parallel to the ground) when going over logs and such. I was kind of shocked to hear this and realized I didn't mention it in any of my How To stuff I wrote.

Here are some simple guidelines. Your pedals should be level when you are pumping, jumping, rolling logs, and doing most technical moves. The only time you should have one pedal (crank) up and one down is during a sharp turn. It is best to have the inside pedal up and outside pedal down during a turn to avoid digging the inside pedal into the ground. On not so sharp of turns, like some quick s turns, you can leave them level and actually pump (body motion to pick up speed) through the turns. You can even pedal your way around some turns if the bike is not leaned very far.

One issue is figuring out which pedal to have forward when you have your pedals level to the ground. I like my right foot forward, but others like their left foot forward sometimes. You need to see what's more comfortable for you. Like skateboarding or snowboarding, you can stand Regular or Goofy. If I have my left foot forward, I can't control the bike as well. It's weird feeling to me.

[gopherhockey]

One thing I've struggled with is riding over large logs. Not log piles, but large logs that are more than just chainring grabbers...

I have had a number of people try explain how this is done, often mentioning pedal position. (which is why I'm posting this here)

I ride up to these larger logs fairly slow and hop my front wheel up and over the log. That seems to work, but what happens next is where I fail.

My chainring digs into the log with a THUD! Bang, I lost all my momentum and now its a matter of cliping out before I fall onto the log itself.

Sometimes if they are just the right size I can pull my back tire over, but if they are large I don't seem to be in the right position to get over.

Do you keep pedals even and crank down when you hit your chainring, or do you keep them uneven to get more of a downward push to help over the log...

I think I'm more scared to sheer my bike in half hitting the chainring so hard rather than worrying about getting hurt or something like that. I usually hit wish such a force that it simply cannot be good for the bike.

[manual63]

I am not sure what you do wrong, but you might want to land your front wheel right at the top log and push down on the bars and pull up the back wheel at the same time. This works well with a suspension fork and by setting the front wheel on the top log, it helps leverage your bike so you can pick up the back wheel easier. It's a timing thing and takes some practice.

I don't have to do this often because I can pretty much pull my back wheel over most logs. Basically, if I can get my front wheel there, I can get my rear wheel there. What gets me is when I am just too tired to throw my bike around. That is when I use moves like I explained above. I never pedal over logs with the chainring, but some people must do this to get over. I would be interested and seeing what it does to the chainring.

[viv]

Ive heard of, but never tried, people riding over a large log by pulling front wheel over and hitting with a pedal down as if you are stepping on the log then continue to rotate crank and bike until that foot needs to come up then the rear wheel should contact and continue over.... Me If I cant hop it I walk it

[grizzly adam]

We just rode at the River Bottoms last night and did this very thing, twice, so I feel like a pro now and qualified to help with this! :)

If you're encountering a BIG log, like gopherhockey is talking about, where the chainring is for sure going to hit the log, you need to have some speed. Even more than you might think you need. What you want to do is get the front wheel up first and then let the chainring hit the log like a lion grabbing a zebra's juggular. You then shift your weight forward and pedal at the same time. The shifting of your weight may be the hardest part, as you just kinda stopped abrubtly, but that's why you need to carry some speed....to help keep the momentum going.

Since your chainring has been firmly planted in the log, any motion that you input to the pedals, will ultimately move your mass up and over the log.

You need to have the speed to get a good bite on the log. You need to shift you weight up and forward and pedal at the same time to keep the momentum going forward, so that you can go over the log. If you approach the log too slow, you lose the momentum and start looking frantically for a safe landing.

Depending on the log, sometimes I will just wheelie up to the log and just plant the chainring in the log. This works, but often times is harder to shift your weight forward as you have to start from further back on the bike.

I hope this made sense....

[grizzly adam]

Probably the worst thing that could happen to your bike out of all this is that you would bend a couple teeth cuz the log is super tough. It sounds like it's wrecking havoc on your bike, but it's a mountain bike and should be more than capable of handling something like this.
unless you do it ALL the time, or got your bike at Wal-Mart.

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by grizzly adam

unless you do it ALL the time.

This was one of my issues as well. The log I am talking about is in the XX loop. (which now has an alternate log ride over as well)

Since I ride there about every other day, and do multiple laps - that would be like 10 or so heavy log hits a week. I think in the back of my mind I'm thinking about that too each time I smack into it...

Yes, I know it is silly to worry so much about a bike... but.. dang, something has to give somewhere along the line. (I believe this log is a white oak as well, not a lot of give - even to the teeth)

Maybe tonight I'll stop out there and watch some of you guys ride over it... show me how its done! ;)

[Trevize1138]

OK, here's my recommendation:

Get up a lot of speed, just like Adam suggested. The closer you get to the log, the more tense your body should be. Then, at the very last minute, lock up your rear brake and drag that tire!

If done right, your front tire will hit the log just enough to send you over the bars, sliding on the trail hands first like you're trying to seal home plate.

:crazy:

[manual63]

Chainrings into logs just don't seem right.....ugh!!

My P2 has no outer ring and in place of it is a bash ring. I never use the big ring anyway. I think they also make bash rings to protect the large ring, if you must run one so you can brag about having 27 speeds.

I have not taken my Schwinn Moab 1 on the XX Loop, but when I do, I might have to rethink how to treat the bike and the rings, if I hit them on logs that is.

Another quickie suggestion if you want a fast, using one foot, way over. Take one foot off your pedal before you get to the log. As you approach, just plant that foot on the top of the log, attacking at a slight angle helps, and lift the whole bike over the log. Try to spring off of your foot that is on the log to kind of jump up and over the log clearing the rear wheel. Practice this and you can do it with a lot of speed.

[grizzly adam]

ya I don't like the idea of chainrings into logs either, but if there's a log there that's how I would try it. Unless you're awesome at bike handling skills and can stop, hop the front wheel up and then hop up and over and get your back wheel to land on the log.

...or slide into home plate!

[smeulebroe]

circus music helps me :laugh:

[Maverick]

So your saying that superman slides is ok to do? And to think, all this time I get up feeling like a idiot when I do them, I should get up and be proud :banana:

I geuss I'm going to have problems on the XX Loop. For some reason that last log in the Advanced trail I still have problems with. And to be honest I haven't done that superman move yet, even though it could get YOU over the log the quickest, just not the bike...

[Trevize1138]

Originally posted by Maverick
And to be honest I haven't done that superman move yet, even though it could get YOU over the log the quickest, just not the bike...

That's exactly right! See, if I'm timing myself for a lap I stop the clock right after I land from a Superman just to get an accurate measure of how fast *I'm* moving along the trail ...

... then I start the clock up again oh ... maybe 1/4 mile ... ok, 1 mile ... down the trail.

The other day I did a full loop at Lebannon in just under 3 minutes! I was in the zone.

[Trevize1138]

Hey, Shad, what do you think of Adam's technique below of jamming his chainring into big logs to clear them? Got any vein-popping photo series to disprove that technique? :)

[manual63]

The log I cleared and posted about last week required the use of my bashguard. If you don't have a bashguard, guess you will have to bend the teeth.

Hey, "Look at my veins in my arms.....I am anti girly man!"

:scream::scream:

That was a funny post I did....so I had to leave it there.....:p