F'ing Root(s)

[zoom-zoom]

So I have had 3 legitimate crashes on my new Salsa El Mariachi 3 29er. The bike fits me like a dream and is so comfortable and easier to operate/move than my previous Cannondale F5 26er. But gotdammit I can't seem to handle some roots at all! There is one spot where I have had 2 reasonably bad crashes (the other crash was when my handlebars tagged a tree in a narrow spot). I have hit the SAME root and had my bike slide out sideways from under me. It's in a spot on a slight downhill and camber going into a turn. The root is roughly perpendicular of the trail. DH has nearly lost it in the same spot. I have actually gone down hard.

I never had issues with this spot on the old bike. Is it the tires? Previous bike had Kenda Nevegals, current bike has Conti Trail Kings. I read mostly really glowing reviews of the TKs, but a few people had the same sort of root slip issues that I have had. I have noticed I seem to slip off of roots in other areas, too, but I suspect part of that could be the loose leaves covering the trail (which really unnerve me) and maybe tire pressure was too high. I never had issues with the Nevegals, but that was on a different bike with smaller wheels.

Unfortunately these 2 falls have really made me gunshy and now I am mistrusting my abilities, my tires, the trail...and I keep adding to my bruise collection and the first 2 fingers on my right hand are all swollen from hitting my hand (fell to the left, so I think I whacked my hand/fingers on my bike--handlebars were totally rotated around).

Advice?

[Irulan]

I'd check tire pressure.

[zoom-zoom]

I'd check tire pressure.

We lowered it after I crashed, but I was in no mood to go back and try it out again. They were on the firmer side, perhaps. The odd thing is the time DH nearly wiped-out from the same root he was riding his Mukluk with high single-digits psi. I hate that damned root. I have managed to gouge the bark off of a root near it with my frame both times that I've crashed.

[TigerMom]

Do you have tubeless tires so that you can run even lower pressures with better grip?
______________________________________________________
2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle
2010 Santa Cruz Juliana with R kit and Crampon pedals
2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle (sold)

[thekarens]

I don't have any good advice, but I wanted to thank you for the thread title. it made me smile. You can't go a foot on trails around here without encountering roots and I can't count the number of times a root has caused my rear tire to go sliding to the left or right. They are one of the biggest inspirations for me going tubeless and low pressure.

[zoom-zoom]

I think I can go tubeless with the Trail Kings...just not sure I'm ready to make that leap. For every good post I read about them I read at least 1 more where people have had issues. I've read sort of mixed reviews of running tubeless on the Trail Kings (a few posts about tiny holes in the sidewall where sealant leaks through). I'd probably want to switch to a different tire to try that.

My guess is I was running ~30psi when I've had the slide-out and bouncing-off-roots issues. I really need to use a better pressure gauge when inflating my tires, since our floor pump doesn't seem to be very reliable for anything other than higher pressure tires. I could probably be running closer to 25psi.

[Catrin]

...
Unfortunately these 2 falls have really made me gunshy and now I am mistrusting my abilities, my tires, the trail...and I keep adding to my bruise collection and the first 2 fingers on my right hand are all swollen from hitting my hand (fell to the left, so I think I whacked my hand/fingers on my bike--handlebars were totally rotated around).

Advice?

This is where I was by the end of summer, though it was dust that I kept wiping out on rather than roots. I've no constructive advice to give as you are far more advanced than I, but I wanted to say being gun-shy. I hope your fingers feel better soon. I am sure you will work this out, and the others have good ideas. (((Zoom)))

[zoom-zoom]

This is where I was by the end of summer, though it was dust that I kept wiping out on rather than roots. I've no constructive advice to give as you are far more advanced than I, but I wanted to say being gun-shy. I hope your fingers feel better soon. I am sure you will work this out, and the others have good ideas. (((Zoom)))

Thanks, Catrin. It's so frustrating and demoralizing, isn't it. I love having a bike that fits me so much better and has much better components--it's so much less work to ride and I'm able to ride longer before tiring--but I hate that I'm feeling like a bigger noob on the new bike than I did on the old bike.

[tealtreak]

Thanks, Catrin. It's so frustrating and demoralizing, isn't it. I love having a bike that fits me so much better and has much better components--it's so much less work to ride and I'm able to ride longer before tiring--but I hate that I'm feeling like a bigger noob on the new bike than I did on the old bike.

Sorry - hope you heal quickly! Quick comment on the "return to noob" status- my sons who are way more technically capable than I (6 ft jumps, crazy crooked skinnys etc...) have all commented on the "relearning" process when ever they get a new bike. While an upgrade makes every thing easier ultimately, you are relearning your points of balance and realigning your center of gravity.....So hang in there (:

[OakLeaf]

Ouch. Feel better soon!

[indysteel]

Sorry - hope you heal quickly! Quick comment on the "return to noob" status- my sons who are way more technically capable than I (6 ft jumps, crazy crooked skinnys etc...) have all commented on the "relearning" process when ever they get a new bike. While an upgrade makes every thing easier ultimately, you are relearning your points of balance and realigning your center of gravity.....So hang in there (:

I experienced that when I went from a HT to a FS bike. Granted, I hadn't been riding long to begin with, but there was definitely a learning period. Zoom, are you out of saddle for this section of the trail? I can't tell from your description.

[zoom-zoom]

I experienced that when I went from a HT to a FS bike. Granted, I hadn't been riding long to begin with, but there was definitely a learning period. Zoom, are you out of saddle for this section of the trail? I can't tell from your description.

Nope. The stupid thing is that this spot is not the least bit technical, aside from the roots. It's a slight downhill with a slight camber down to the right, so my tires are sliding down the camber and I'm landing on the uphill...what little uphill there actually is. It really follows mostly where the hill meets the flatter ground. The sort of thing that would be completely and utterly unmemorable...were it not for the fact that now I'm scared sh!tless of the spot. When I hit it yesterday I didn't think it was possible that I'd crash there again. Then in that nanosecond of falling the thought that ran through my brain was "seriously...again...WTF is my defect?!"

So would being out of the saddle for this make a difference?

I am somewhat consoled to know that even skilled people have a certain learning curve with new bikes. I ride with a few women who hopped on mountain bikes for the first time in the past 6 months and immediately rode like they were born on a mountain bike saddle. It can be kind of demoralizing at times to ride with them and have them swooping gracefully around in the woods while I am struggling not to destroy myself on beginner stuff.

[ridebikeme]

I forgot that your new bike is a 29er... hopefully your husbands tires will eliminate some of the guessing. You're also right that a wider tire, 2.3...definitely ride slower as I'm seeing with my new bike. But I guess as always, there are tradeoffs everywhere.

Hope your hand heals quickly, and that you are able to get back out there!!

[ridebikeme]

One thing that I was thinking about is your mention of pulling the rear wheel back. I'm assuming that your LBS would have left enough chain so that it wouldn't afffect your shifting?? I know the distance isn't all that far, but between the affects of te suspension adn being a bit longer wheelbase... it could have an affect on your shifting.

Heal quick...