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Keep your feet on the pedals through technical downhill sections...don't try and put a foot down or there's a good chance you will ride your top tube to a painful ending.
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Dont push yourself stupidly hard on your first few rides
Stay loose Have fun |
Originally Posted by ravnhaus
I have been trying to find the proper way to grip.
Do you keep your fingers or a couple of fingers on the brake lever at all times or only when you are going to brake? If I wrap all my fingers around the grip I find I keep accidently shifting, usually in a tight situation where shifting is not called for. I guess I instinctively tighter my grip and inadvertently hit the shifter. Sometimes I find my hands getting numb only thirty minutes into a ride. Is that from too tight of a grip or maybe not enough flex in the arms? I wear padded gloves, but they don't really help much. If I'm hitting a really sketchy section of trail, I tend to squeeze the brakes a bit. I drag them slightly. That way, I can modulate my speed better. When I do enter these really technical sections I will drop my thumb around the bottom for more "grip". I've tried "one-finger" braking technique, but could never get comfortable with it. |
Just answered this in another thread, but another common beginner mistake is using too much rear brake.
The proper technique is to have about a 70/30 per cent front/back brake use ratio. Meaning you should be using more front brake to slow you down. If you use more back brake, your rear tire will start to skid. If you are skidding, you are out of control. Start using a 50/50 split and then gradually increase your front brake as you ride. Eventually you'll work up to a 70/30 ratio. I usually only use my back brake now to change direction. When I'm hauling butt and need to turn quickly, I 'pump' my rear brake as I shift my body weight. That kinda 'jerks' my bike into the direction I want to go. |
Originally Posted by a2psyklnut
Just answered this in another thread, but another common beginner mistake is using too much rear brake.
The proper technique is to have about a 70/30 per cent front/back brake use ratio. Meaning you should be using more front brake to slow you down. If you use more back brake, your rear tire will start to skid. If you are skidding, you are out of control. Start using a 50/50 split and then gradually increase your front brake as you ride. Eventually you'll work up to a 70/30 ratio. I usually only use my back brake now to change direction. When I'm hauling butt and need to turn quickly, I 'pump' my rear brake as I shift my body weight. That kinda 'jerks' my bike into the direction I want to go. Is it true that you should try and shift your weight over the rear tire more when you hit the front brake hard? |
Originally Posted by ckleps
Is it true that you should try and shift your weight over the rear tire more when you hit the front brake hard?
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relax. practice and have fun. stay off the front brake in turns. lose your speed before the turn then use the back to control the speed. nothing Ive tried will make me crash faster than front braking in a turn. when I first went clipless Id unclip before a hairy section and ride like I had platforms.you have an advantage over veterans... its all new and way cool. the first endo! the first strawberry on the knees! dont get pissedor think of being unable to get it right when you mess up or you will get in your own head and have trouble conquering the head part and you will not be concentrating and will crash more or just chicken out.as far as grip goes I change positions often, like when on flat I use pointer finger relaxed on the brake and the rest slightly pointed out on the grips. in turns I switch from 1 finger to 3 on the brakes. on climbs ,none on the brake lever. on descents I use 3 fingers on the brakes. the biggest reason for this is the shape of the Hayes levers doesnt let me brake hard with less than 3 fingers on the lever, but I squeeze only 1,usually the middle. change hand positions often and you will not get the death grip going in the first place. there are some obstacles that took me over 100 trys to get the right gear,speed,body angle, and timing down. have fun and enjoy. I also try to watch the lines those in front of me take and imitate that. I run sweeper in a new group so I can watch and learn
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iamtheass,
I recently got some grc moto x levers for hayes. Signifignantly stiffer and better grip to them. Aftermarket levers really do make a diff :) |
Originally Posted by Maelstrom
iamtheass
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iamtheass
^ that is too funny!!! true, but funny I will look into the aftermarkets. the ergonomics are my problem though, my fingers wont fit between the lever and bar |
Oops....I was just drinking my coffee...damn I hate sleeping in
The grc have a more defined sweep. Instead of a casual sweep which interferes with the first finger it sweeps a little more and 'fit' in between the fingers better. |
Did the grc's go public or are they still only available to those who are "in the know"?
I've got a set of Dangerboy's on my short list of upcoming upgrades. Got any info on the grc's? Maybe I'll reconsider and go with those. BTW, I would still love to get some NOS small parts for my Razor Rock Levers. If you know of anyone who knows of anyone....etc., let me know. |
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