wheelhot

Yesterday, was the closing MTB event held in Malaysia. Its called Kayuh Lasak because you can expect to use all your mtb skills, jumping dropoff, fast downhill, sharp turns, rocks, dreadfull uphill and so on. Anyway this is the first year I joined Kayuh Lasak and its tough. You practically must cycle about 15km uphill on this course and mostly all the hills are steep, you either walk or cycle up if you can (most cant). The downhill is scaryyyy. It could be fast, drop offs, stairs and so on. Somehow during the race even pushing your bike could be exhausting because some of the trail is unrideable. There is a lot of carrying your bike and so on.

And for the first time I never know that going downhill could be soo exhausting, there was a 30-40 switchback turns, very exhausting for your hands to keep on holding the brake levers while steering the bike properly. My goal this year is to finish in the 100's out of 500 racers and finish the race by 12.00pm but at the last downhill I fell and injured my leg (deep cut), so I instead need to push my bike downhill and then cycle back to the finish line. I end up finishing the race 1pm and I got 100-150 placing afterwards I am sent to hospital to get my cut fixed.

Anyway can someone tell me how to cycle off a drop off because I always tend to lose control after dropping off (thats how I fell)

Roxter

How big are the drop offs?

wheelhot

3-5foots, maybe more not sure but the lowest dropoff are 3 foots, I think the drop off that I fell is around 6 foot

LowCel 

Only way I know is to practice. By the way, do you have any idea how large a six foot drop is? You wouldn't be doing them on your bike for very long before snapping the frame. Downhills can definitely be exhausting. I've done downhills in races where they made my hands cramp up so bad I couldn't even shift gears for five minutes after them and my forearms felt like they were going to fall off.

In other words......welcome to racing. If it were easy what would be the point, it's supposed to hurt.

Anyway, congratulations on the finish. Very respectable.

wheelhot

actually I choose the wrong lane XD, the other guy went towards the right side, I think its a 2-4foot drop while mine is higher (never notice that). Anyway any tips on how to train your dropping off skills? I was wondering how do you actually land on the back of the bike instead of the front? Because of I lack of these skills which made me walking downhill instead

LowCel 

Start off on smaller drop offs and work your way up. However, if you are going to start doing drop offs bigger than a couple of feet I recommend getting rid of your anthem and buy another bike. The anthem will take small drop offs occasionally but not on a regular basis.

wheelhot

yeah, thank goodness during the race there is only 1 dropoff which is that height, there are more but I walk down it, nvr expect that too be 5foot drop. Anyway I shall keep an eye next time and walk down the drop off if it looks high. Anyway how do you drop off? My MTB book says keep your weight at the back and pull your handlebars and lift your front wheel by pedaling 1 stroke, but I always have this problem for bringing my bike up ( I cant even do a wheelie

LowCel 

Don't know, I don't do drops higher than a foot or two. I just do the one pedal stroke and lift the front wheel. It's actually a pretty natural movement. If you need more advice on doing drops I suggest you post a thread in the general mountain bike forum. Most of the guys that can help you don't even look at this forum.

wheelhot

the 30 to 40 switchback turns was wonderfull and stressfull while the other downhills are just plain scary.

Little Leo

What else dose your book say?

When you say your in Malaysia is it really Asia Malaysia?

free_pizza

wheelhot, post some pics of your bike

wheelhot

yeah, its really in Asia Malaysia, why you ask? But my MTB book is from Australia, anyway which pic of my bike you want me to post free_pizza? The bike I used at Kayuh Lasak or my Anthem and you want me to post it here or the Mountain Biking site?

free_pizza

you didnt use your anthem for the race?

Dannihilator

It's too heavy.

LowCel 

Not only that it has shimano on it to boot. On top of that it would have probably gotten scratched up.

Dannihilator

Yeah it is such crap, I wouldn't trust it.

wheelhot

nah, did not use my Anthem because the brakes hasnt brake in yet and my Anthem is my first bike that uses Discs. My hardtail is heavier then my Anthem, its around 14-15kg. My anthem only weights 12-13kg . Anyway which bike pic you want? Im posting it here, Anthem or the bike I used during the competition?

free_pizza

the anthem, preferably a dirty pic

free_pizza

awwwwww c'mon man, thats a poor poor excuse!!

wheelhot

sorry, havent sent my Anthem into the woods yet, planning to do today but I fell so my plan has been delayed for a week maybe. Anyway here are the reasons why I didn use my Anthem for the race:
1. Never use it in the woods yet especially downhill
2. Brakes havent brake in yet
3. Seatpost is shorter then my current bike
4. Havent calibrated the correct fork and shock air pressure yet

free_pizza

never use it in the woods?! what the deuce?

how long have you had the anthem?

if i got that bike brand new, i would have had #'s 1 and 2 fixed within an hour (actually only 10 minutes... well, maybe even 5) and #3 would have been fixed as soon as i could get to my bike shop (an hour)

jeez man, get that bike out and get it dirty (in the woods)

wheelhot

well im 16 and my mom wont allow me to venture into the woods alone and sorry guys, I cant post my still dirty bike photo because its too big, it seems my sis digi cam, Sony CyberShot N2 save the picture in big formats, even 2MegaPixel is over 100kb unlike my SonyEricsson K750i, anyway this race the bikes is not sooo dirty, just dirt all over, the sprocked and all, the dirty one is my previous race, now that was dirty, It was muddy and all so the bike got a total make over.

wheelhot

Oh yeah btw, a guy asked me if I want to become a racer and there will be a program I must follow but the way he said it makes me feel offended and now I dont think I want to be a racer. The schedule is very tight and Im not too comfortable with it.

Furthermore he says there are 2 kind of riders, adventure and racing kind of rider, he says that adventure riders when they see steep uphill or downhill they will walk instead, while racer will know what to expect from the track or whatsoever. I am offended when he say that, yeah my cycling group might not be fast but we never push our bike uphill unless its dangerous and we always try going downhill.

My group always put safety as first priority, fun is second. He asked me to leave my group to cycle with them instead but I dont feel like wanting to join with em because my passion will be a work instead, I love cycling fast but not to be burdened to cycle fast.

He says that adventure rider cycle to be fit and not fast but in my group I cycle fast because I like it but I dont expect anything for it, the guy who is fastest in my group ended the race at no.30 something and he doenst get any special training. The track record holder for kayuh lasak also is not under him, so I have decided not to be under this special programme.

Just want to tell you guys about this and see whats your opinion

LowCel 

My opinion is I don't really understand anything you just said. Other than that if a reputable coach offered you free training that sounds like one heck of a deal. I pay $150 a month for my coach to tell me what to do.

wheelhot

a month? Yikes that a lot, but I dont want to leave my current cycling group because they are the peoples who teach me how to MTB, safety guidelines and everything and I got a government exam next year so I think Its too late for me to be racing. Im getting a bike trainer by early next year (after I get enough money from working at McDonalds) and I will study while training so I guess its better then cycling far although I might be lacking of cycling experience. Anyway it would be nicer if I could beat those cyclist with coaches