Mountain Biking - Log Pyramid

On my last ride there was an obnoxious amount of log pyramids. I was able to get over most of them, but I usually smashed my chain rings into the log. I even splintered an old rotten log (not a pyrimid, but....)

Anyway, I'm fine until I get to the top of the pyramid, then I A) Smash my Cranks or B) Endo Over the end. (Fact: I endo's in front of a guy who looked like he raced semi. Embarrasing.) What's the correct technique to make it through a log pyramid? I tried lifting up my rear wheel, but that landed me on my head.

Sorry for the horrible orginization of my post. :D

The right way usually to attack them is to count on chainring contact and set your pedals at the right position to give a short crank at the apex to 'grind' up and over the obstacle without pedal contact (which has a tendency to tip you over one way or the other). Shifting your weight forward over the bars at the apex simultaneously unweights the rear wheel and helps it follow up and over instead of hanging up.

Of course, it's helpful to be running some sort of bash guard so that this does not foul your chainring.

Wow you must be pro.

^^Naw, just a pro-zeur.

I just run a bashguard and don't worry about hitting them. You tend just to slide over the tops of logs that you hit with a bash and I just don't think about it.

I'd definitely agree with dminor on the weight-shift thing. I approach pyramids in much the same way that I approach a regular log - weight back a bit, pop the front tire up, stay neutral over the top and unweight the rear a bit on the other side. I don't run bash guards, as most of the trails I like to ride are sans stunts/built features.

^^ Naw, just a pro-zeur.

Isn't that the same kid who totes his Mongoose as the most core thing on earth while he degrades other bikes? :D

or you can learn how to do it without needing a bashguard and without using the teeth of your chainring (makes me shiver just thinking about it) to move yourself over it, but this generally is just a little more in depth of what was posted above

Start by knowing that there are log piles and pyramids that just can not be done cleanly without endoing. If there is a large hole in the backside your wheel will get stuck and stop foward momentum, or if the backside is too steep, you will just run your front end straight into the ground.

Assuming the logs dont pose either of these problems, it really is quite simple. It takes alot of practice and probably bent chainrings in the process, but if you focus on learing it right you wont have a problem.

First, make sure you keep your weight centered from left to right so that when you do hit the chainring, it will be less likely to bend badly. Most things on a bike can be done more smoothly with a little extra speed because the momentum is going to help you and this is not an exception. You dont need to be flying at the pile, but you need enough speed that you will get carried over it, it takes some time to figure that out, but generally, if you think your going to slow, faster is a little better if you are comfortable with it. if you are going to slowly, you'll know in a second anyway.

Just before you get to the pile you want to lift or "yank" (as we called it in BMX) your front wheel up with the intent on getting it over the top and placing it down just on the otherside of the top of the pile. This sometimes can't work because it is too high. generally try to match the angle of the logs with your bike and get your front whell over as soon as possible.

As soon as your front tire hits the backside you need to commit to doing two things, push your weight foward while tucking your back end underneath you. If you rode into it with enough speed, the middle of your bike will miss the pile in the process, it sort of just pops over.

Then practice makes the last part work smoothly, it is hard not to smack your back wheel on the top of the pile. you need to judge when the back tire has cleared the top, it usually is pretty quick. once the tire is clear, shift your weight to the rear end, so that you ride out and off the pile on your back wheel. the sooner you are on your back wheel the better.

It is a skill and takes practice, i am in no way the perfect and eat sh1t every so often, but it is more because you need to fully commit and every so often it just does not work, mostly because of on of the first two problems i proposed. there are other ways to do this, it is just how i do it.