Switchbacks

[D Mobile]

Hello. I just discovered this forum today (and am thrilled about it!) I suspect ya'll have addressed my questions before, but I tried searching under "switchbacks" and "cornering" and a couple other things without a lot of success.

So, am wondering if anyone can direct me to any old threads on techniques/skill building for riding switchbacks - specifically, switchback-climb/descent-obstacle combos! I guess you could say I'm at an "intermediate" level with this stuff. Am just starting to feel mastery of the basics (look ahead, apex stuff, etc) but am really struggling on the more challenging turns.

I have lots of specific questions, but thought it might make sense for me to read what's already been written here before I ask you to read all my questions!

Thanks for your help.

[Irulan]

I cover switchbacks to a certain degree on my bike tips page. (see my sig)

I think the hardest thing is just committing to the turn. If I think it looks too hard, I'll just bail, which becomes a self fulfilling prophecy at times.

There is a trail around here with 50+ switch backs... most of them are really nice rounded ones. Some of them are tight and a few of them are a bit technical so you have to power up them.

I find really technical ones... rock, boulder and roots combined with a turn to be the hardest. That and the V=shaped ones.

irulan

[D Mobile]

Hi, Irulan! I had actually stumbled onto your site earlier today, and found it to be really inspiring. Great energy and humor. I looked at the Utah Mountainbiking link and that will certainly give me some food for thought for a good while.

I like the tip on your site about stopping to practice something repeatedly with a group. To me that kind of takes me back to childhood, when we had the time to just "hang out" in one spot and weren't always rushing to get where we need to be.

I know what you mean about the commitment/bailing thing. I think the key for me personally is probably just to be patient and keep trying and not getting so mad at myself when I bail.

Many thanks for your reply and your website.

[bounceswoosh]

I would have replied if I had an answer =/ Switchbacks are tough. I cleaned a particular one for the first time Sunday, but today I ended up dabbing through it again. I thought for sure I would keep cleaning it now that I've done it ... apparently not.

[Irulan]

Lesson learned today. I didn't say I got it but I'm learning.
On my ride today, we stopped and worked on the only switch back on the trail. The gal I was with is really good at them. We decided that my failing to commit can be distilled down to this:
Really, and I mean really looking around the corner. Not just your eyes, but that subtle turn of the head that will help to bring your body around.

I worked on it, but I didn't get it. I wish I had two switchbacks in my yard to work on, one left and one right.

Irulan

[spazzdog]

Same as on a motorcycle... look where you want to go throught the end of the turn, not with just your eyes; you have to move your head.

A guy at a motorcycle track day told me that the turn of your head actually helps get your body into the right position for the turn... you're starting that lean. Also getting far enough into the apex before leaning over and accelerating.

I rememeber taking some of the motorcycle advice out onto my road bike; really works well.

[MomOnBike]

"A guy at a motorcycle track day told me that the turn of your head actually helps get your body into the right position for the turn..."

My family always says that your body WILL go in the direction your nose is pointing. I thought it was a balance/weight shift thing until the day I noticed that I turn my head even in the car. Hmmm, I guess my Dad was a Very Persuasive Coach.

My latest theory is that you are committing to the turn both physically and mentally if you turn your head. Sounds good tonight.

[RitaG]

Last night, I tried the trick of turing your head to look through your turn, and it works! By looking (with your eyes AND head) the direction you want to turn, it is much smoother. I went faster, and I used my brakes less.

It's still difficult to do this on tight swithbacks with rocks, roots and loose dirt.... but it will come, hopefully. This is a great suggestion.

Thanks!

[kimba]

When I was watching the Olympic mountain biking, I noticed an interesting thing- when the guys were doing sharp turns on a downhill- at the bottomn of the hill, they hit the front brake just hard enough to almost stop the bike, and cause the rear wheel to come up- then they shifted their weight, and brought the back end of the bike around the corner.
It was cool!

Kimba
probably didn't decrobe it well enough- but it was a beautiful thing!

[Irulan]

that's called a tail whip.

Irulan

[Irulan]

http://www.petefagerlin.com/covid.htm

go to the 4th video down (moore, 29 MB) for a great video of riders, using that tail whip to go around corners. I could ride like that in my dreams.

direct link
http://www.mtbvideos.net/video/moore.mpg

[D Mobile]

That video was great! Interesting to see that even though those guys have awesome skills, they also have some equally awesome crashes.

Speaking of video, did anyone happen to see the women's olympic mtb? I have yet to talk to anyone who did.

[annie]

I've been told to "lead with your chin," same thing as point your nose where you want to go, or turn your head the direction you want to go. Amazingly eough, when I concentrated on aiming my chin where I needed to go, I pretty much went there! It worked! I got through some really narrow trees and down rocky trails and down one trail that is nothing BUT switchbacks. Not as quickly or smoothly as I'd like, but at least I made it in one piece and stayed on the bike. I LOVE riding with people better than me who are willing to give advice and let me follow their line. I learn so much that way! Makes riding more enjoyable. Reading all the posts here, hearing how much the rest of you love it - that's great, too!

annie

[CorsairMac]

LOVE your sign line annie - what a way to live life! TYVM