Most common mistakes resulting in falls
Hi MTBers,
I've only been MTBing a month. I've fallen on trails 4 times. 2 times because I was going too slow to make steep short hill and couldn't unclip. 1 time because I was going too slow over a long narrow bridge, veered off bridge, and endoed. 1 time because I hit root at top of hill and wheelied over clipped in. Common mistake was going too slow (and afraid to go faster). I'm learning, hopefully, but confidence and skills need boost. What mistakes have you made, or see made, often by MTBers? |
Maybe you should try platform pedals, see what you like better for trails.
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Most common mistakes resulting in falls...
Saying, "Watch this!" :D |
Riding skinnies on clipless...deadly.
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Originally Posted by LordOpie
Most common mistakes resulting in falls...
Saying, "Watch this!" :D "this is my last run" |
I agree with Drunken Chicken, as a beginner to off-road, I'd ride w/o the clipless and then once you're comfortable go back to them.
Other beginner mistakes: 1. Locking your elbows and knees. Stay loose, use your body as suspension. 2. Death grip on the handlebars. If you are getting forearm pump, you're gripping too tightly. Keep your hands relaxed. Try resting your thumb on top of the grip instead of wrapping it around. 3. Not looking far enough ahead. Try to focus on the trail 10-12 feet in front of the tire, not 1-2 feet. Your brain will remember what it saw. 4. Look where you WANT to go, not where you DON'T want to go. If you stare at a rock in your path, you WILL hit it. Concentrate on your preferred line. 5. Drink plenty of fluids. Beginners usually don't stop to drink enough fluids and they get dehydrated and tire too quickly. 6. Do a quick once over of all your nuts, bolts and quick releases before you hit the trail. 7. Don't overinflate your tires. Max for off-road use should be 40 psi. I start at 45 psi and every time I stop I give my tires a quick little blurp of air until I find that "Sweet Spot" of tire pressure. It's usually in the low 30's for me. 8. Bring a buddy! Nothing better than sharing your experience. |
Originally Posted by a2psyklnut
2. Death grip on the handlebars. If you are getting forearm pump, you're gripping too tightly. Keep your hands relaxed. Try resting your thumb on top of the grip instead of wrapping it around.
. 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. |
Originally Posted by a2psyklnut
8. Bring a buddy! Nothing better than sharing your experience.
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Originally Posted by ravnhaus
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?
Originally Posted by ravnhaus
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.
Originally Posted by ravnhaus
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.
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Originally Posted by a2psyklnut
I agree with Drunken Chicken, as a beginner to off-road, I'd ride w/o the clipless and then once you're comfortable go back to them.
Other beginner mistakes: 1. Locking your elbows and knees. Stay loose, use your body as suspension. 2. Death grip on the handlebars. If you are getting forearm pump, you're gripping too tightly. Keep your hands relaxed. Try resting your thumb on top of the grip instead of wrapping it around. 3. Not looking far enough ahead. Try to focus on the trail 10-12 feet in front of the tire, not 1-2 feet. Your brain will remember what it saw. 4. Look where you WANT to go, not where you DON'T want to go. If you stare at a rock in your path, you WILL hit it. Concentrate on your preferred line. 5. Drink plenty of fluids. Beginners usually don't stop to drink enough fluids and they get dehydrated and tire too quickly. 6. Do a quick once over of all your nuts, bolts and quick releases before you hit the trail. 7. Don't overinflate your tires. Max for off-road use should be 40 psi. I start at 45 psi and every time I stop I give my tires a quick little blurp of air until I find that "Sweet Spot" of tire pressure. It's usually in the low 30's for me. 8. Bring a buddy! Nothing better than sharing your experience. PS: Al has went to platforms while I'm still using my eggbeaters. I am a little wacko, too many hits in the head. I will probably elect to go to Mallets. I have several bikes with eggbeaters on them. Jude |
Originally Posted by Raiyn
That's why I don't like twist shifters
I have also been riding with my thumb parallel with the back of the bars. Is that correct? |
Revnhaus...comfort...go for comfort. You have to find what works best for you with your setup. Death grip is a mental state not a pure physical problem :)
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- find the line. look ahead but not too much at anything in particular. finding where the line is will depend on the trail, your speed, lighting, etc.
- be intense, but relaxed. if you worry about something, it will usually bite you. if you're aware of it and just deal with it, things generally work out better. also, as above, no death grip. if your handlebars turned into a piano, you should be prepared to play it (or some BS like that) at an instant. - use your legs to balance you. shift your weight where you need it. don't laze out and stay on your seat all the time. practicing clipless pedals on non-technical trails will make you more comfortable. |
Watching the front wheel.
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Originally Posted by LordOpie
Most common mistakes resulting in falls...
Saying, "Watch this!" :D That's the one. hehe. I usually dont keep any fingers on the brakes until I need to stop, and I do grip fairly tightly when manuevring or anything, but for going straight I ease up on the gripping. |
Too much "Tequilya" before or during the ride.... :beer:
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Looking at a riding buddy fall behind you - you'll be next.
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Well, yeah, if you look behind you... :|
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Exactly what I said.
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The point is...who would do that?
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another one is putting to much pressure on your rear brake you dont want to slam on your front breaks and do another endo put just reamember that there ther'yre
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Originally Posted by Killer B
Too much "Tequilya" before or during the ride.... :beer:
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Stopping halfway. You either have to commit, or don't go at all. This is true in most of these adrenaline-heavy sports (surfing, skateboarding, etc).
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Learn how to read the trail and pick the safest line.
Use camber to your advantage. Look where you want to go. Get in the right gear before you run out of steam. Pick a line the commit to the move, don't faff around, do relax. Move your weight on the bike if you feel the rear rising. Save those clipless pedals for when you can ride better, switch to platforms for now. |
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? |
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