This summer I was humbled and roughed-up by some steep, rocky, exposed switchbacks on a ride in Central Oregon. I'm admittedly a weekend warrior and don't log nearly the time some of you folks do in a saddle.
However, I tried several approaches to clearing these bogies. The first few I managed to creep through, but I was almost at a dead stop and it felt too darned precarious. I tried with what I thought was average speed, and usually the front tire kicked out as I cornered. Probably a little heavy on the brakes, drat my cowardly nature. I also tried slow speed and hopping the rear wheel around the corner. I still have the scars from that little fiasco.
Anybody got a FAQ on switchback tips, or some suggestions on techniques to help out? If they happen to be legit, so much the better ;-)
LOL! I hate them! My tip: Get off and walk.
I'll be off and back on riding before you even turn the wheel around one.
This summer I was humbled and roughed-up by some steep, rocky, exposed switchbacks on a ride in Central Oregon. I'm admittedly a weekend warrior and don't log nearly the time some of you folks do in a saddle.
However, I tried several approaches to clearing these bogies. The first few I managed to creep through, but I was almost at a dead stop and it felt too darned precarious. I tried with what I thought was average speed, and usually the front tire kicked out as I cornered. Probably a little heavy on the brakes, drat my cowardly nature. I also tried slow speed and hopping the rear wheel around the corner. I still have the scars from that little fiasco.
Anybody got a FAQ on switchback tips, or some suggestions on techniques to help out? If they happen to be legit, so much the better ;-)
This summer I was humbled and roughed-up by some steep, rocky, exposed switchbacks on a ride in Central Oregon. I'm admittedly a weekend warrior and don't log nearly the time some of you folks do in a saddle.
However, I tried several approaches to clearing these bogies. The first few I managed to creep through, but I was almost at a dead stop and it felt too darned precarious. I tried with what I thought was average speed, and usually the front tire kicked out as I cornered. Probably a little heavy on the brakes, drat my cowardly nature. I also tried slow speed and hopping the rear wheel around the corner. I still have the scars from that little fiasco.
Anybody got a FAQ on switchback tips, or some suggestions on techniques to help out? If they happen to be legit, so much the better ;-)
Here's what works for me, most of the time. Downhill - ass out of the saddle, body starting from the neutral position, move butt back as grade steepens. I extend my legs and move back as needed. Control speed with front and back brake, finesse the front. Rachet pedals if you need to. Enter the turn wide, cut in just past the apex, look around the corner out PAST the exit. I exagerate the body postion probably more than I need to. Uphills are easier, just use the same kind of line.
"GWood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
This summer I was humbled and roughed-up by some steep, rocky, exposed switchbacks on a ride in Central Oregon. I'm admittedly a weekend warrior and don't log nearly the time some of you folks do in a saddle.
However, I tried several approaches to clearing these bogies. The first few I managed to creep through, but I was almost at a dead stop and it felt too darned precarious. I tried with what I thought was average speed, and usually the front tire kicked out as I cornered. Probably a little heavy on the brakes, drat my cowardly nature. I also tried slow speed and hopping the rear wheel around the corner. I still have the scars from that little fiasco.
Anybody got a FAQ on switchback tips, or some suggestions on techniques to help out? If they happen to be legit, so much the better ;-)
Prayer and finesse. Use more of whichever works best for you.
This summer I was humbled and roughed-up by some steep, rocky, exposed switchbacks on a ride in Central Oregon. I'm admittedly a weekend warrior and don't log nearly the time some of you folks do in a saddle.
However, I tried several approaches to clearing these bogies. The first few I managed to creep through, but I was almost at a dead stop and it felt too darned precarious. I tried with what I thought was average speed, and usually the front tire kicked out as I cornered. Probably a little heavy on the brakes, drat my cowardly nature. I also tried slow speed and hopping the rear wheel around the corner. I still have the scars from that little fiasco.
Anybody got a FAQ on switchback tips, or some suggestions on techniques to help out? If they happen to be legit, so much the better ;-)
Here's what works for me, most of the time. Downhill - ass out of the saddle, body starting from the neutral position, move butt back as grade steepens. I extend my legs and move back as needed. Control speed with front and back brake, finesse the front. Rachet pedals if you need to. Enter the turn wide, cut in just past the apex, look around the corner out PAST the exit. I exagerate the body postion probably more than I need to. Uphills are easier, just use the same kind of line.
Penny
All good suggestions. In addition I like to make my front wheel make a nice wide, round arc if possible. If it's really tight hopping the rear wheel out to get straightened up can help.
This summer I was humbled and roughed-up by some steep, rocky, exposed switchbacks on a ride in Central Oregon. I'm admittedly a weekend warrior and don't log nearly the time some of you folks do in a saddle.
However, I tried several approaches to clearing these bogies. The first few I managed to creep through, but I was almost at a dead stop and it felt too darned precarious. I tried with what I thought was average speed, and usually the front tire kicked out as I cornered. Probably a little heavy on the brakes, drat my cowardly nature. I also tried slow speed and hopping the rear wheel around the corner. I still have the scars from that little fiasco.
Anybody got a FAQ on switchback tips, or some suggestions on techniques to help out? If they happen to be legit, so much the better ;-)
The rear wheel hop works well for me. Don't try swinging the back around 120 degrees either. 45 degrees goes a long way toward completing a switchback you can't quite roll. You don't need to launch it two feet in the air either. :-o As for learning how; find a fairly steep wide grassy hill and just practice. Much kinder than learning on a rocky trail.
As for learning how; find a fairly steep wide grassy hill and just practice. Much kinder than learning on a rocky trail.
The last time I checked, traction on sandstone was much better than grass. You gotta escape the banana belt more often.
No [censored]. I haven't ridden outside the Upper Ark Valley much at all since moving here 3 years ago. My own private hell. ;-) Practicing in a park isn't "real world" just a benign learning environment to get familiar with the move. After flailing and falling on the trail, I tried a grassy hill and got it down pretty well with a few painless falls in the process. The move was easy (er) after that.
As for learning how; find a fairly steep wide grassy hill and just practice. Much kinder than learning on a rocky trail.
The last time I checked, traction on sandstone was much better than grass. You gotta escape the banana belt more often.
JD
Depends on your tyres - ive got a set of knobblies that will dig into grass but slide over stone so i'd disagree. My set of slicks would agree with you though.
My method is to lean into the bend and stay more or less central on the bike, allowing me to shift weight whichever way seems to have the most traction, usually forwards a little. Take the racing line, start at the outside, cut the apex and go back out to the outside. If its pretty smooth i find the best method is to shift forward and modulate the front brake well enough to lift the rear clean of the ground entirely, letting it swing round to where i want it placing. IF its rutted and rooty i take it wide and slower and just let the rear do its thing.
J
GWood said:
This summer I was humbled and roughed-up by some steep, rocky, exposed switchbacks on a ride in Central Oregon. I'm admittedly a weekend warrior and don't log nearly the time some of you folks do in a saddle.
However, I tried several approaches to clearing these bogies. The first few I managed to creep through, but I was almost at a dead stop and it felt too darned precarious. I tried with what I thought was average speed, and usually the front tire kicked out as I cornered. Probably a little heavy on the brakes, drat my cowardly nature. I also tried slow speed and hopping the rear wheel around the corner. I still have the scars from that little fiasco.
Anybody got a FAQ on switchback tips, or some suggestions on techniques to help out? If they happen to be legit, so much the better ;-)
As for learning how; find a fairly steep wide grassy hill and just practice. Much kinder than learning on a rocky trail.
The last time I checked, traction on sandstone was much better than grass. You gotta escape the banana belt more often.
JD
Depends on your tyres - ive got a set of knobblies that will dig into grass but slide over stone so i'd disagree. My set of slicks would agree with you though.
Tell us all clyde, when was the last time you rode your bicycle on sandstone? Look beyond the pond, friend.
Depends on your tyres - ive got a set of knobblies that will dig into grass but slide over stone so i'd disagree. My set of slicks would agree with you though.
Tell us all clyde, when was the last time you rode your bicycle on sandstone? Look beyond the pond, friend.
JD
Now im completely confused. Why am i clyde? And the last time i rode my bike n sandstone, some time last year...why? And WTF? ponds? Eh? Your posts are making less and less sense these days!
Well, these were extremely (for me) steep, tight, narrow, some rocky, and some had serious drop-offs as a reward for failure. The concepts of taking a "racing" line or cutting the apex weren't always options. Interesting that some folks suggest weight back and some weight neutral. I think I had my weight back all the time. Might try a more centered position.
One buddy suggested I do it without being clipped in, so the ability to do a quick step for stability is an option... not sure if I like this idea or not.
Cheers
"Coyoteboy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
My method is to lean into the bend and stay more or less central on the bike, allowing me to shift weight whichever way seems to have the most traction, usually forwards a little. Take the racing line, start at the outside, cut the apex and go back out to the outside. If its pretty smooth i find the best method is to shift forward and modulate the front brake well enough to lift the rear clean of the ground entirely, letting it swing round to where i want it placing. IF its rutted and rooty i take it wide and slower and just let the rear do its thing.
Depends on your tyres - ive got a set of knobblies that will dig into grass but slide over stone so i'd disagree. My set of slicks would agree with you though.
Tell us all clyde, when was the last time you rode your bicycle on sandstone? Look beyond the pond, friend.
JD
Now im completely confused. Why am i clyde? And the last time i rode my bike n sandstone, some time last year...why? And WTF? ponds? Eh? Your posts are making less and less sense these days!
J
Rubber grips sandstone, especially the large slabs of it on the Colorado Plateau. You may have seen photos of what I'm referring to. It's unbelievably tacky, even with knobby tyres and allows one with skill and strength to climb it much more easily than grass at the same pitch, even when it has a few bumps in it: http://www.spokejunkies.com/forum/uploads/1129662744/gallery_35_32_10322.jpg
If I'm not making sense to a 2 watt bulb, then I know that I'm doing alright.
Speaking of switchbacks... Is there a term or name for a switchback that has a small creek or brook running across it? Most of these are where the trail goes into a small reveen where the water runs down the hill (or maybe dried up in summer)and the switchback is a dip going down then back up the other side. There seems to be more of these where I ride ride rather than the usual switchback of the trail winding up and down a hill side.
Rubber grips sandstone, especially the large slabs of it on the Colorado Plateau. You may have seen photos of what I'm referring to. It's unbelievably tacky, even with knobby tyres and allows one with skill and strength to climb it much more easily than grass at the same pitch, even when it has a few bumps in it: http://www.spokejunkies.com/forum/uploads/1129662744/gallery_35_32_10322.jpg
I disagree, sandstone surface wears off under tyre load and crumbles, or around here it does. Plus proper knobbly tyres with squirrel on their knobbles on solid ground.
Quoted message said:
If I'm not making sense to a 2 watt bulb, then I know that I'm doing alright.
I think you could class me as at least 10w, having a masters degree in engineering and a PhD in robotics. So maybe you arent doing so well and are just confusing?
