The less force you hit the object with, the less effect it will have on your traction. If you get too far back, though, your front end will want to float on top and push through the turns. Getting your weight in the right spot is key and just takes time in practice to master.
Speed control is important as well. Generally you want to keep your weight fairly centered on the bike. If someone is on a downhill bike or longer-travel, all-mountain-type bike, I always tell him to start out by learning how to bunny-hop first. You want to be able to compress the suspension in the face of a jump and then lift slightly.
Like I said before, though, jumping is all about being comfortable and knowing what to expect, and that comes mainly through practice. One of the best ways to practice this is by setting up six to eight cones in a paved parking lot, each one about feet apart. You can practice going in and out of them like slalom poles. While doing this, you can start to get a feel for leaning the bike way down while keeping your head and chest as upright as possible.
I also recommend keeping your outside pedal down; this weights the outside of the bike and will give you more traction. Going left to right, pedal a half crank between each cone to keep the outside foot down. Remember to keep your weight centered and eyes up! If you make a mistake or have a problem with certain techniques or obstacles, practicing those things is a must.
Remember to be patient. It will be hard at first, but the more you practice, the easier it will get. One of the biggest mistakes for beginners is breaking too hard or too abruptly. I always find the earlier you can brake into a corner, the earlier it allows you to get off the brakes and accelerate out.
Momentum is the name of the game in gravity racing. Start a subscription by clicking here or calling Last but not least, Google Play offers the mag for your Android device. Contact us via email at [email protected]. How to Make the Upgrades That Matter. I hope nobody's racing for tenth.
I'm seriously committed to winning. I want to get there and stay there for a while. Technically, Gwin's close. Top eight in his first year of riding World Cup? Gwin admits he doesn't have everything dialed. I have to pedal more. Look at the top guys--they pedal every little section; that's about fitness. I didn't feel fit enough to do that until the very last race. Look at our times within tenths of a second.
It's how fit you are for a very short period of time, and what's between your ears. And maybe Gwin has a final edge, because although he likes hanging out at parties, he doesn't like to drink: "[Teammate] Justin [Leov] handed me a bottle in Austria and said something like, 'It's time to celebrate,'" Gwin recalls. I'm not judging anyone--it's just not for me. Anyway, this was whiskey or something. By the Zone I mean extreme confidence. Not some mythical thing.
Was it the book guy who commented a body language expert could spot the top competitors in some sport just by body language? I don't think anyone's going to match nico. Records created early in the sport are usually extremely hard to beat because with the sport progressing people catch up to each other faster.
WAKIdesigns Jun 14, at Just as no one is going to match Schumacher - I still prefer Senna I think comparisons to old times are plain stupid, those things are uncomparable, different tracks, different bikes under people with different attitude to their training. Yet it is still bloody impressive that Nico came 5th on his one time comeback at histericaly historical first WC in Champery.
Nevermind, the "Talent is overrated" is an amazing book, I am looking for some mental skills training but it is so bloody hard to find anything trustworthy. Even meditation, mindfullness - Jon Kabat Zinn, Matthieu Ricard - sweet, but in general it is "how to achieve success in business" mentality infected, deep, wide sea of bullshit.
Anybody having any good tips? Whoinventeduphill Jun 14, at WAKIdesigns-- what you're talking about is a 'flow' state. Not really true is it? As the second best rider of that generation has only just dropped out of the top ten. Nico still had a good ten years at the top regardless who joined after him. Why on earth would anyone neg prop that. Shame on you neg propper. I have a good friend who grew up racing moto for 5 years touring the summer amateur circuit nationwide in a winibago til he was about He eventually lost interest and his dad sold his bikes.
He was the young kid in the neighborhood and always loved my Dh bikes. So when he was 15 and wanted to ride bikes with my buds, we lent him a hardtail DJer. He had amazing DJ skills out of the gate and NO fear of big jumps. His reason was that he was used to clearing 30 and 40 foot doubles in competition. His first weekend out with his moto helmet on He was skipping through steep technical DH sections and launching off huge ledge drops that made the older more experience riders wilt and he was talking me through sections that previously had given me pause.
Moto had obviously given him control and confidence at greater "scarier" speeds and heights. He was able to manage his fear better than anyone in the group. He unfortunately has since lost interest in biking and surfs now. Riding with him made all of us better riders, though. DrSanchez Jun 12, at He's a motocrosser who places that mentality into bike set up, and that set up involves running stiff suspension.
I've been preaching this for many years but most dh'ers run their suspension too soft on rough or steep courses. You look at Gwin - his bike is dancing over the top and not diving into holes. Sure it feels horrible because the only way for your fork to move is if you are really plowing pushing it hard. The other guys' forks are getting swallowed up in the ruts and that in turn costs time. Every single MX racer knows that the more you are pushing it the firmer your suspension should be. Its nice to see that a MTB'er has finally adopted the same mentality.
He's also trained by the best coach, John Tomac. The best thing he ever did was to drop that last guy and his whacky ideas. While that is technically true, very few people, especially us mortals who don't get paid to train, can physically withstand riding a rough track or trail with super stiff suspension. Totally agree, its no coincidence that Eli tomac is amazing too! I was never a fast dh racer but one thing that made my speed increase greatly was to stiffen up my fork.
I'm not talking about twisting your compression knob all the way, but actually going up a spring rate first. It makes to go hard into stuff because you have to. PainShow Jun 12, at Full rigid is the way of the futur!!!!!!! Sanchez is right. I run no sag and no one understands it. It's because when you're pushing it THAT hard, you create sag, in a sense I love my stiff suspension.
DrSanchez Jun 13, at You have to run sag and lots of it. In fact, you can run lots of sag but have your spring rate be very stiff at the same time. Trust, don't mess with sag! Arse-Bandit Jun 13, at You are exactly right there. Ive noticed myself since I stiffend my suspenion my times have been faster. WAKIdesigns Jun 17, at Dr Sanchez I read your comment with approving noding unless I came upon last line Im not sayin J Wilson is the best guy ever but at least he shares his knowledge openly.
J Tomac is all good to you, you wont get shit from him. Actualy I train according to James program and no other purchase has ever made so fast Even hard spring Now You know George Carlin? And his classification of people? Stupid, full of sht and nuts. I agree with that, there's lot of true in it. James is often said to be full of sht, so you better be nuts DrSanchez Jun 18, at WAKIdesigns Jun 18, at No he never said that, he said that clipless mask bad skills and flat pedals will increase the chance of getting rid of them, eventually make you a better rider.
Some people I know can't even do a bunny hop, they call it to be any lifting of both wheels off the ground. And James is hating mostly on people who tell beginners to clip in what I second. He has nothing to top racers clipping in, as he obviously knows that they have no probs with fundamentals, unlike us. Even Brian Lopes rides flats in off season to cultivate skills, including pedalling He directly said that riders had no pedalling advantage riding spd's.
He also said that clipped in riders use bad technique and that its impossible to ride spd's like the advantages he claimed flats have which there are none. Yes you can ride clipped in exactly the same as if you were on flats, but he couldn't see that.
One of the dumbest things I have ever heard from an 'educated' person. He even said road racers would benefit from riding flats!!!! The fact that Gwin went from being a top ten placer to miles ahead of the circuit in one year tells you that its mostly coaching.
I would put money down that Tomac is the leading factor in Gwin's success. Any downhiller that's out there that's saying 'Oh, this course doesn't really suit me,' then they're in the wrong sport. Pininator Jun 12, at That quote likely rang loudly to those he was describing How come Gwin so fast? Why are rainbows beautiful?
They just are. I am sure his moto back ground helps a lot. Try heaving around a lb dirt bike then get on a DH rig, feels like a scooter.
You got to have serious bike skills and reaction speeds to ride SX well Gwin is definitely a breath of inspiring fresh air from riders from the past. He's not drinking after his race Peaty , doing drugs Palmer or being a jerk. Just a humble man giving his all to a sport and not taking anything for granted. Stella isn't beer- it's rocket fuel! FRDH is bang on!! Peaty can drink tho, he's sheffield steel! I-SmacK-I Jun 13, at Yeah I suppose he is taking a proper professional attitude to the sport.
Still love the amateur side DH has where racers are able to have a few brews and the odd line. Who cares what they drink, its upto them, peaty knows and he had a drink due to his injury, so just lay of it! Aaron seems like such a nice guy, especially when you compare him to certain other riders on the circuit.
Mart Jun 12, at Compare to who for example? You're right. Mellow and stable with a grounded outlook. Goes a long way witht the fans. Which after seeing this I am. AlecMann Jun 13, at Below Threshold show comment. With all these guys saying that "Aaron seems like such a nice guy", Im starting to think you are all gay. Do you hang out with these guys? So who gives a shit if he is a nice guy?
In my eyes he just an amazing rider. If i wanted to date the guy then I would worry about him being a nice guy. Grow some balls. CFOxtrot Jun 13, at I'm guessing AlecMann is talking about the strange intrusiveness of people's desire to feel as though they are Gwin's friend merely from being his "fan" or whatever.
Hollywood gossip column stuff. Weird to me. A person can be an amazing rider and a nice person, and people can comment on it and not be gay all at the same time. If you think that's impossible, then you need to get out more.
You paranoid, dude? Dont overanalyze people on the internet, its not cool. Me and Gwin are not friends i was just making an observation. But pretty sure anyone who's a member can comment on anything they want. Anyways, have fun with the rest of your conversation. Most threaded discussions I've been in, if you respond directly below a poster it looks like you're responding to that person -- unless you say specifically that you're responding to someone else.
Like with an or some other sign. Guess that doesn't apply here. My mistake. I mean it's not like you just used the or anything. AlecMann Jun 14, at Gwin seems like such a nice guy and Gee has been known to be an ass at times. I think they ride like demons therefore Im a fan of both but because I see so many videos of Gwin being a nice guy on camera that makes him such a such a nice guy off the camera I think I will be more supportive of Gwin.
Gwin for the win. On a serious note i like Gwin more than Gee because I think he is a better rider. Gees cool i have meet him maybe five times as my friends live near him and at races. Steve peats was a rude when i spoke to him when i was about 9 but i was being an annoying kid. Over all thought the pros are just people like you and me, some of them get along other don't. What he doesn't tell you is that he's a robot sent from outer space by an advanced race of beings to destroy all competitors on the DH mtb circuit.
Rich-Downhill28 Jun 12, at He just goes for it I guess, got a bit of 6th sense for precision and timing and massive balls! Hertz32 Jun 12, at He is a distant relative of Chuck Norris.. He knows what he is good at and rides what he is good at very fast.
It would not surprise me if he understands his suspension, so when something does not work he knows exactly what to change to sort it out. Gee struggled in the woods in practice, changes were made to his bike at the bottom, but for the worst, as he was slow through the woods, nearly crashing twice. If he had made the changes on track and pushed back up to test them on that section he may have not last vital time in the woods.
Hard work is the correct answer. It worked for Tim Tebow. Maybe Gwin just needs a 'Gwinning pose'. Togeone Jun 12, at Gwin's secret formula: 1 'Two-wheel genetics 2 Drug and alcohol free but does chew it looks like 3 Spiritual practice 4 Focused training and practice 5 Support family and team It's boring, but it works. Patsplit Jun 12, at I remember an interview with him where he said it has nothing to do with how he races.
It is what he does in between races that makes the difference. If you add up the total time spent WC racing, it adds up to about an hour a year. There is hours left in the year and it's what you do with these hours, when no one is watching, that makes the difference.
Especially in the depths of winter when the race season seems so far away and racing is the last thing on your mind. Yep pretty fast lol I think coming off motor cross speeds and having tomac as a trainer plays a part, anyone that's raced desert or rode in the desert here in the sw usually has a fair bit of advantage to start with Just a thought I'm sure he'd smoke most of us down the hill on a hardtail!
Gwin is cool as a cucumber, has moto skill and tomac as a trainer.. I wish l could be around him for a day just to bathe in his inspiration. Im, mean hes so positive and fearless because he knows everything will work out and be okay no matter the outcome. Its amazing. DBomberMan Jun 12, at I think Gwin has found a nitch between the old guard and the young up and comers who havnt quite met their full potential. That combined with his drive to win and his training program make for a lot of wins.
Though i believe he will remain dominant, I think in a couple of years youre going to see a lot more tough competition. He has elevated the standard for DH and its only natural for the rest of the scene to follow. It's a vicious cycle! SimonH Jun 12, at His fast because he has red hair.
VTsingletrack Jun 12, at
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