help with drops please1
03-05-06 | 02:01 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Mullet Boy!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 690
Likes: 0
From: Adelaide
Bikes: a giant upland 03, old europia road bike or something and soon to be getting a Norco Bigfoot or something of the sort
help with drops please1
ok, I did a 3 ft drop a few days ago and I seem tobe getting my front tire hitting the ground way too fast, should I be wheelie-ing of the drop or something?
03-05-06 | 02:12 AM
#2
Perpetual n00b
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,918
Likes: 2
From: Farmington, NM
Bikes: '18 Kona Explosif, '18 Sunday Primer BMX, Giant Roam (ss converted), Old Peugeot (SS converted, broken)
Don't wheelie off the drop, but pull back so you land rear first. Front first is harsh, and it's bad for your bike if you do it too much.
Don't pull back so far you loop out before you hit the ground either, though. Just try and land with the back a little lower than the front, then touch the front down.
Don't pull back so far you loop out before you hit the ground either, though. Just try and land with the back a little lower than the front, then touch the front down.
03-05-06 | 02:28 AM
#3
Long haired freak.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 6,281
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From: Still stuck in hell.
Bikes: 2011 SE Old Man Flyer.
Ride up to the drop, when your about 1-3 feet from the lip, pull up. Then while dropping use your legs to push the back of the bike down while standing.
To find the right distance to pull up before the drop, practice on curbs.
To find the right distance to pull up before the drop, practice on curbs.
__________________
"the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began...there was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never-ever land."
"the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began...there was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never-ever land."
03-05-06 | 02:30 AM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 50
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From: Houston
My experience seems to be "just relax" and lean back just a tad and put your weigh over the back end of your seat. Don't sit, but your privates should be over the back of the seat, not the front of it.
When you tense up and do the "grip of death" on your bars, your front end seems to nose dive.
When you tense up and do the "grip of death" on your bars, your front end seems to nose dive.
03-05-06 | 03:02 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Mullet Boy!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 690
Likes: 0
From: Adelaide
Bikes: a giant upland 03, old europia road bike or something and soon to be getting a Norco Bigfoot or something of the sort
it dosnt help that my forks are screwed either, but thanks guys, I'll try some little ones tomorrow
03-05-06 | 09:55 AM
#6
Te mortuo heres tibi sim?
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,486
Likes: 0
From: East coast
Bikes: hardtail, squishy, fixed roadie, fixed crosser
depends on speed. if going slowly, wheelie up. if fast, pull up the front as the others have said. don't want to loop it. preferable to land rear wheel down first.
practicing.
practicing.
03-05-06 | 09:57 AM
#7
Aut Vincere Aut Mori
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,166
Likes: 1
From: Chapel Hill, NC
Bikes: Irish Cycles Tir na Nog, Jack Kane Team Racing, Fuji Aloha 1.0, GT Karakoram, Motobecane Fly Team
Originally Posted by wethepeople
To find the right distance to pull up before the drop, practice on curbs.
03-05-06 | 10:14 AM
#8
Banned.
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 0
From: Moncton NB
Bikes: Trek Jack...trials bike soon.
If you learn to bunny hop and manual it'll be like instinct. Practice landing flat going off curbs, speed is a good thing to have when going off drops, but not a lot of it.
03-05-06 | 10:42 AM
#10
Wood Licker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 16,966
Likes: 2
From: Whistler,BC
Bikes: Trek Fuel EX 8 27.5 +, 2002 Transition Dirtbag, Kona Roast 2002
Originally Posted by scrublover
depends on speed. if going slowly, wheelie up. if fast, pull up the front as the others have said. don't want to loop it. preferable to land rear wheel down first.
practicing.
practicing.
03-07-06 | 04:35 PM
#12
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 680
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I bunnyhop off drops and shift my weight backwards so I land on my back first though I tend to land on both at the same time too often (what are the disadvantages of doing that).
I never learned to drop off drops by lifting the front wheel only like my friends do but whatever, bunnyhopping works for me.
I never learned to drop off drops by lifting the front wheel only like my friends do but whatever, bunnyhopping works for me.
03-07-06 | 05:51 PM
#13
Dances With Cars
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,527
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Canada
Bikes: TBL Onyx Pro(ss converted), Pake SS (starting to look kinda pimped)
I always hit a drop at speed....been doing that since skating in the 80's. Only works at speed....lol Then I barely need to anything to the front except keep my cool and ride it out. Granted my drops aren't too too big anymore. Three feet... I'd just ride off the edge with maybe a slight bump up on the front. You mean all these years and I'm supposedly to land on the back? D'oh.....
03-07-06 | 06:00 PM
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,063
Likes: 1
From: Toronto
Generally the newer full-suspension bikes land best when they are pretty much level. Too far on the back wheel and the angle you hit the ground at doesn't match the fork compression stroke, and the fork binds. Strictly speaking, some of the slacker-angle DH bikes would perform best in a slight nose-dive.
Rigid and short-travel bikes land best trials-style, with a nice high front wheel to help the rider absorb the impact over a slightly longer time period.
I think generally drops to flat are best avoided.
Rigid and short-travel bikes land best trials-style, with a nice high front wheel to help the rider absorb the impact over a slightly longer time period.
I think generally drops to flat are best avoided.
03-07-06 | 07:58 PM
#16
close to 2000
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,856
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From: ontario, canada
Bikes: 05 Brodie Diablo - 06 Norco 416
Originally Posted by TRaffic Jammer
I'd love to try a DH setup on a staircase launch. Flat landings on a DH look hellish. Seen a couple go splat.
03-07-06 | 11:15 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Mullet Boy!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 690
Likes: 0
From: Adelaide
Bikes: a giant upland 03, old europia road bike or something and soon to be getting a Norco Bigfoot or something of the sort
Originally Posted by Jason222
You'd better not be getting a bigfoot, get the sasquatch!
03-08-06 | 03:21 AM
#18
Ride bike or bike ride?
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,447
Likes: 0
From: Adelaide, Australia
Bikes: MongoosePro DH, Dart custom road bike, .243 Racing FR street bike
Here is my generic response, I have posted it many times so next time try a search.
Hope this helps
Originally Posted by Hopper
Dunno. What kind of bike do you have?
For both HArdtails and Dualies the faster you are moving the smoother the it will feel, but don't over shoot the landing.
OK if it is a hardtail to flat there are a couple of methods.
1) Roll up to landing and lean back as going over the lip. keep front wheel LEVEL with back wheel. As your rear wheel goes off the drop push your back wheel down so it hits the ground way first. As it hits compress legs and lean back and down and GENTLY lower front end down. This method will feel very harsh if the front end slaps down first.
2)Hit drop (the faster the better) as above have body weight back on the bike and keep front wheel level with rear wheel. Keep weight backwards on the bike but land both wheels first. This method is best done with speed, DO NOT DO SLOWLY TO FLAT
3) Do the same as above but land front wheel a little bit before rear wheel. Lots of people will say no this is bad, but damn what is that suspension on the front for? When I say slightly before I mean an angle of no 10 or 15 degrees with the ground, also only do this method if going fast.
Hardtail to down ramp
1) Hit drop with weight to the rear of the bike. As taking off keep wheels level but once in the air lean back a tad and keep bike level in the air (level with horizon not ground below) doing this will make the rear land a bit before the front, but on steeper landings you will need to allow the front to drop a bit.
2) Hit drop with weight towards the rear of the bike, keep front wheel level with back wheel. Once the rear wheel is off the drop let the font wheel start to drop, but keep control by keeping weight backwards. Allow it so that both wheel land at the same time. ie ride of drop normally with arse over the rear and allow the front to drop slowly and match the angle of the ground.
3) Same as above, but again a little front wheel first.
Dually to flat
1) Again the faster the smoother. Keep bike level as you take off. Try to land both wheels at the same time.
2) Same as above but land slightly front wheel first.
NOTE... DO NOT LAND REAR FIRST like the trials style or #1 HT to flat. This will cause rear suspension to compress, slacken head angle and cause forks to slap the ground and not want to compress. End result stuffed bushings or cracked crowns or sheered headtubes.
Dually to Down ramp
1) Keep wheels level as you take off and land both wheels at same time.
2) Keep wheels level as take off and land front wheel slightly first.
Remember do not always depend on a bikes suspension to soften the landing, to ease the shock on your bike and you, use arms and legs as suspension with your bikes. Also there will be some situations where you need to use different methods, this is just a guideline, do not take it as gospel and find a method you think suits you best.
Also with duallies different people have different opinions on landing. Some say rear a bit first, but I come form a racing background and hate that. Together is barely ok, front first is best. On a DH or Fr rig you have 7inches up front to make up for it... USE IT. Also when the front is on the ground you have the ability to turn, and the rear wheel will go where the front one goes and in racing/ high speed situations, every microsecond of turning capabilities count.
For both HArdtails and Dualies the faster you are moving the smoother the it will feel, but don't over shoot the landing.
OK if it is a hardtail to flat there are a couple of methods.
1) Roll up to landing and lean back as going over the lip. keep front wheel LEVEL with back wheel. As your rear wheel goes off the drop push your back wheel down so it hits the ground way first. As it hits compress legs and lean back and down and GENTLY lower front end down. This method will feel very harsh if the front end slaps down first.
2)Hit drop (the faster the better) as above have body weight back on the bike and keep front wheel level with rear wheel. Keep weight backwards on the bike but land both wheels first. This method is best done with speed, DO NOT DO SLOWLY TO FLAT
3) Do the same as above but land front wheel a little bit before rear wheel. Lots of people will say no this is bad, but damn what is that suspension on the front for? When I say slightly before I mean an angle of no 10 or 15 degrees with the ground, also only do this method if going fast.
Hardtail to down ramp
1) Hit drop with weight to the rear of the bike. As taking off keep wheels level but once in the air lean back a tad and keep bike level in the air (level with horizon not ground below) doing this will make the rear land a bit before the front, but on steeper landings you will need to allow the front to drop a bit.
2) Hit drop with weight towards the rear of the bike, keep front wheel level with back wheel. Once the rear wheel is off the drop let the font wheel start to drop, but keep control by keeping weight backwards. Allow it so that both wheel land at the same time. ie ride of drop normally with arse over the rear and allow the front to drop slowly and match the angle of the ground.
3) Same as above, but again a little front wheel first.
Dually to flat
1) Again the faster the smoother. Keep bike level as you take off. Try to land both wheels at the same time.
2) Same as above but land slightly front wheel first.
NOTE... DO NOT LAND REAR FIRST like the trials style or #1 HT to flat. This will cause rear suspension to compress, slacken head angle and cause forks to slap the ground and not want to compress. End result stuffed bushings or cracked crowns or sheered headtubes.
Dually to Down ramp
1) Keep wheels level as you take off and land both wheels at same time.
2) Keep wheels level as take off and land front wheel slightly first.
Remember do not always depend on a bikes suspension to soften the landing, to ease the shock on your bike and you, use arms and legs as suspension with your bikes. Also there will be some situations where you need to use different methods, this is just a guideline, do not take it as gospel and find a method you think suits you best.
Also with duallies different people have different opinions on landing. Some say rear a bit first, but I come form a racing background and hate that. Together is barely ok, front first is best. On a DH or Fr rig you have 7inches up front to make up for it... USE IT. Also when the front is on the ground you have the ability to turn, and the rear wheel will go where the front one goes and in racing/ high speed situations, every microsecond of turning capabilities count.
