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Adventure News |
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Thursday, 10 June 2010
MTB - How to Handle Specific on and off-road Obstacles
Backroad Obstacles
Logs. When you want to hop a log,
throw your body back, yank up on the handlebars and pedal forward in one
swift motion. This clears the front end of the bike. Then quickly scoot
forward and pedal the rear wheel up and over. Keep the forward momentum
until youve cleared the log, and by all means, dont hit the brakes, or
you may do some interesting acrobatic maneuvers.
Rocks. Worse than potholes. Stay
relaxed, let your elbows and knees absorb the shock, and always continue
applying power to your pedals. Staying seated keeps the rear wheel
weighted to prevent slipping, and a light front end helps you respond
quickly to each new obstacle. The slower you go, the more time your
tires will have to get caught between the grooves, and rocks love to
throw cyclists to the ground.
Water.
Before crossing a stream or puddle, first check the depth and bottom
surface. There may be an unseen hole or large rock hidden under the
water that will leave you all washed up. After youre sure all is safe,
hit the water at a good speed, pedal steadily and allow the bike to
steer you through. Once youre across, tap the breaks to squeegee the
water off the rims.
Leaves.
Be careful of wet leaves. These may look pretty, but a trail covered
with leaves may cause your wheels to slip out from under you. Leaves are
not nearly as unpredictable and dangerous as ice, but they do warrant
your attention on a rainy day.
Mud.
If you must ride through mud, hit it head on and keep pedaling. You
want to part the ooze with your front wheel and get across before it
swallows you up. Above all, dont leave the trail to go around the mud.
This just widens the path and increases trail erosion.
Urban Obstacles
Curbs are fun to jump, but as with
logs, be careful.
Curbside
drains are typically not a problem for bikes. Just be careful not to
get a wheel caught in the grate.
Dogs
make great pets but seem to have it in for bicyclists. If you think you
cant outrun a dog thats chasing you, stop and walk your bike out of its
territory. A loud yell to Get! or Go home! often works, as does a sharp
squirt from your water bottle right between the eyes.
Cars are tremendously convenient when
we're in them, but dodging irate motorists becomes a real hazard when
biking . As a cyclist, you must realize most drivers aren't expecting
you to be there and often wish you were'nt. Stay alert and ride
carefully, clearly signaling all of your intentions.
Potholes. Like grates and back-road
canyons, potholes should be avoided. Just because youre on an
all-terrain bike doesnt mean youre indestructible. Potholes regularly
damage rims, pop tires and sometimes lift unsuspecting cyclists into a
spectacular summersault over the handlebars.
Follow these tips and you should be
one-up on your buddy next time you ride together. Unless, of course,
your buddy is Hans Ray or John Tomac. Then forget it. Youll need much
more than the basics to get by.
Author: Scott Adams (04 Jun 2010)
courtesy of ENTRYTIME - www.entrytime.com
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