Getting front of bike off the ground -- tips?

[SheFly]

SheFly, what you've said make a lot of sense to me, except for one part: how does tapping the front brake help you put the front wheel down? I'm trying to visualize.... Thanks!

I need to go practice this, if it stops raining anytime soon

Sorry - tapping the REAR brake will lower the front wheel... DOH!

SheFly

[indigoiis]

Shefly - Races? Me? Ha!
Maybe I'll come watch, though.
And I'll bring my bike so you can show me how to do that trick.

[Becky]

Sorry - tapping the REAR brake will lower the front wheel... DOH!

SheFly

Oh ok! That makes more sense to me- thanks!

[indigoiis]

from a virtual standstill (but clipped in with both feet), give a hard push with your dominant leg (for me, I always use my right leg, starting at 12:00 and pushing hard). You can try this both sitting, and standing, but I recommend fully seated first.

Next, try to do this and complete a pedal rotation (keep those fingers over the brake lever! If you feel yourself going over backwards, a tap of the REAR brake will put the wheel back down). I can go for about three full pedal rotations doing this.

Should I be braking when I make that hard push?
Because if it is just making the push, I just go forward.

(I am feeling wickit duh right now...)

[Irulan]

Should I be braking when I make that hard push?
Because if it is just making the push, I just go forward.

(I am feeling wickit duh right now...)

quote:
If you feel yourself going over backwards, a tap of the REAR brake will put the wheel back down

[indigoiis]

But I don't feel myself going over backwards, I just go forwards, which is why I was asking... am I supposed to brake during the push? Or just push? Because if I just pedal from a dead stop, I just go forward. I don't go up in the air. ?

[Irulan]

You only do the brake check if you feel like you are going to go over backwards.

Try shifting into a bigger gear. You should feel the front of the bike wanting to come up when you do a pedal stroke.

[rocknrollgirl]

I am able to get up and over logs by unweighting my front instead of popping my front. I shift my weight back like I am going downhill, give a very slight pull onthe handlebars. Once the front tire is up on the log, power stroke and give a little umph with the body weight forward like a rocking horse.

[crazycanuck]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

I would like to ask one thing. How can i keep my heart from jumping out of my body when doing an uphill logover? We have tons of these here in WA & drives me nuts. I have started to slow down going uphill in order to maintain my hr because i know the log over is coming up but i'm not there quite yet...

[pinkbikes]

Ahh bugger! We have lots of log stepups too and they really freak me out. I find that as long as I keep practicing at one particular place where they have lots and lots, of all different heights, I can sort of work my way up to bigger ones.

But if I have a few weeks without doing many, I have to start again to get my confidence back and also I am doubly squeamish at any I have ever fallen over.

But I'm kind of the opposite about the HR. If I know one is coming up, I'm pedalling like hell to make sure I have enough momentum to overcome my crappy technique! So my HR will be through the roof!

The other thing that really helped was to do a session with a coach who is big enough to catch you when he spots you over them!

[sundial]

Here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FUo9tzK2SY&NR=1

[Irulan]

I've seen that one before: ow ow ow!! I climb over ones that size.

Any one else notice the pink bike is a ss?

[sundial]

Yeah, and it makes me want to start scavenging yard sales.

Sigh....I really miss being on the trail.