Justen

Okay, how the he** do you ride upstairs ?

I saw a couple of bike cops doing it when they were chasing some guy but I can't get it right.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Justen

a2psyklnut

Try chasing someone?

Honestly, I dunno.

I've never tried going up more that 2 or 3 steps, then it's just a momentum thingy.

L8R

Justen

There must be some kind of technique involved. I am sure it is a momentum thing but everytime I try it, I can't get up more than 2-3 stairs at once either.

I guess I need to watch more bike chases :-) the guy they were chasing was on foot. I was just surprised to see them suddenly go up the stairs behind him but I couldn't really see their position over the bike.

Justen

mtbkanata

Hey there...I ride up stairs all the time. You can view a small and very lame video here (I am the rider in blue), but you can see up stairs riding:

Please do a right-click, save Target as:
https://www.mtbkanata.com/realplayer/...sault_250K.wmv

Basically stairs are really easy. There are a few things to remember though...

1.) Make sure your tires are pumped up... stairs can flat you real fast.
2.) Lunge into the stairs... that way you're already up a few before you loose momentum
3.) Hit the stair perpendicular. This makes the journey the shortest ....

Hope that helps!!

Joe

Jim311

You can actually jump the stairs if you start getting good enough. I pull the front wheel up right as I'm hitting the stairs, and when the front wheel hits the stairs, it pops the front up. And then as my rear wheel comes to the stairs and hits at the same time, it pops me up in the air. Pretty cool.. just learned to do it. Just takes some trust.

rappa

Very cool vids MTBKanata! Looks like a helluvalotta fun!

bikeCOLORADO

Momentum is your friend. A fast walking pace is a good place to start.

Justen

Okay...so I should position myself more forward on the bike on my approach and ascent ? I must be too far forward now as that is what is causing me to get stuck on the stairs.

Justen

Jim311

If anything I'd say you should lean back as you pull the front wheel up, then transfer the weigh further forward as you come up the stairs.

Justen

Yes..sort of like going up a curb ..you let the front wheel come up but then to gain momentum, I lean forward a little more to get up the stairs.

I will try again today and see how it goes.
Not that this is going to be a major life
achievement when I figure it out but I love new challenges :-)

Thanks for the tips !

Justen

mer

this gives me a new idea when approaching stairs, b4 i never can't climb up more than 2 steps.

i wonder if it is possible to do this with my hard tail bike

Justen

I wouldn't think it would make a difference what kind of bike you're using right ?

Most of the cops here have hard tail bikes and they have no problem doing it.

Justen

Maelstrom 

On a dually it might be easier because you don't have to 'work' as much. When I go up stairs I REALLY have to focus on absorbing with my legs. If my legs are too dstiff I get stuck. Guys on dually just slam into them with as much momentum as possible and fly up them. It is possible on a ht but the technique is a little tighter

bikeCOLORADO

Weight more towards the rear...keeping the front end on the light side. Don't pick too low a gear...try to keep up the "fast walking" pace or u r toast.

I've ascended a 12 stair fairly steep set like this. If the stairs are more gradual - you can keep it up all day.

mjrohnso

Justen,

I'm glad you asked this. I used to try and could only do a few at a time. With these tips, i'll try it again.

Wait

The most stairs I have ridden up is about 12.. I was with a friend riding downtown St. Louis.. was only attempting 3-6 stairs all day. We came to a resting point on our ride. He looked over and laughed "try riding those". I said I was never able to. So I tried and the first time made it up them.. I didn't try again after that. I wanted to keep the glory.. lol


-Joe

iamlucky13

Hmmm, this kinda goes along with the thread on bikecops, except these cops sound like they knew how to ride. Good to know.

Great tips guys, I'm gonna have to try this stuff.

Rev.Chuck

I hop up. Three flights is my max.

totaletech

Three flights or 3 stairs??

A flight is usually 1 floor isnt it?

Jim311

The cops around here couldn't ride up a CURB much less a flight of stairs. And especially not chase you down in a sprint.

Rev.Chuck

Three floors, after that my upper body is cooked. I think it is a great trials workout. However based on my trials wins maybe not.

Maelstrom 

Rev wasn't there a guy who went up the eifel tower? I remember hearing something about that

Rev.Chuck

I don't know. At my last comp I fell down a flight of spiral stairs.

Maelstrom 

I think this is the same guy. Not sure though

[from ezine]
Javier Zapata of Colombia broke his own world record by hopping up 943 steps on a bike without touching the ground on May 20 last year.

Wait

Wouldn't he have to touch the ground while hopping.. or do they mean with his feet?

-Joe