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Bad Weather Riding Tipsby Bill RogersMarch 1998In honor of El Nino, I thought I would share some more bad weather riding tips. Last month I talked about techniques for dealing with roots and mud. This time, I'll talk about how to ride in rocks. I'm not the expert -- most of this information is plagiarized from magazines, and just a little from this old man's own experience. Class is now in session. Rule #1 - Momentum is your friend. We've all heard it before but it bears repeating. The worst thing you can do when riding on tough technical terrain is to grab your brakes too hard. A light touch is what is required. "Feather" your brakes and you'll be much better off. Rule #2 - "Hover" over the saddle and bend your elbows and knees. You need room for your bike to move around beneath you. Rule #3 - Maintain enough momentum to smooth out some of the bumps. If you go too slow, your bike will really punch you. If you go too fast, your speed will out run your skill and you could go over the bars. Between the two extremes is the correct speed. Rule #4 - Plan your route. It's not always possible, but a route that lets you enter and leave the rock field in a straight line is best, since it's very difficult to turn on rocks. If you have a choice, choose a line with larger embedded rocks instead of small, loose stones which will roll and settle beneath your wheels. Rule #5 - When you're on the rocks, steer with your hips instead of the handlebar. Don't swing your body side-to-side, but stay centered on the bike for more stability. Keep the front wheel straight with the bike so it won't get wedged sideways between rocks. Rule #6 - When you go off-line (and you will) go with the new flow. Don't fight the rocks, the terrain might be taking you toward an easier line. Don't be an idiot either. If you're on an obviously dangerous or stupid line, stop - get off and walk. There will be a test next month. I found a training exercise in a magazine the other day. It promised to smooth out your pedal stroke and make you a more efficient, and therefore faster rider. There is another benefit for mountain bikers. A smooth, powerful stroke will help you avoid spinning out the rear wheel on rocky climbs. This exercise is called Isolated Leg Training, or ILT, and it's exactly what it sounds like. You just unclip one foot and pedal with one leg. ILT forces you to turn smooth, powerful circles because you aren't being helped by the other leg through the "dead spot" in the stoke. I didn't think this would be too hard, but man was I wrong! I did the easy stage and it was very difficult to keep my pedal stroke smooth. It was also very tiring. Here is the "easy" exercise. Do this three or four times and your stroke will be smoother and you'll be a stronger rider.
Repeat three times FESTIVAL NEWS. The second organizational meeting took place February 9. The t-shirt design has been finalized, and most of the preparations for the festival are in place. More volunteers and possibly more ride leaders are still needed. The success of this event depends on all of our support. By the way, don't wait until the last minute to submit your entry form. IMBA/SUBARU TRAIL CREW. Just another reminder. Saturday, February 28 is the maintenance/work day. Until next month, Happy Trails! BILL |
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