leelikesbikes.com - We're practicing for Sea Otter. Are you?

Posted Feb 29, 2004
We're practicing for Sea Otter. Are you?

Tick, tock. Only six weeks until the Sea Otter Classic dual slalom, which happens to be the funnest, most competitive race you'll ever do. If you think you can just show up and get by with general skills, sticky tires and a good hairdo, you're in for a surprise.

Designer Keith Defiebre changes things around each year, but you can bet the course will have some high-G berms, a few jumps into berms and a handful of tricky flat turns. I have no idea what the rest of you chumps did this weekend, but we here in the Heartland seized a snow-free window, built a course and started practicing.

Berm Railfest '04
We built a bunch of 90- and 180-degree berms, some solitary, some linked, all superfun.

Steve Wentz (Troy Lee Designs) means business for the pro slalom. He has a super-smooth riding style, and he's working hard to increase his power. Watch out, Carter and Lopes!

I hope to go some rounds in Vet 30-39. I'm getting strong and my jumping has improved a lot since last year, so watch out! Here I am on the berm scene:

Lisa Myklak (Astrix) shows some of her pro style.

You might as well jump -- into a berm
Steve was just killing this fast double into a tight left.

And so was fellow pro Jon Watt (Lenz Sport). I saw Jon race his Chameleon at an indoor BMX race, and he just dominated the place, even against fast guys on twenties.

Here Steve and Jon hit the same section with different results. Each little guy is 1/4 second apart. Note how Steve speeds up when he catches backside into the berm. Jon takes the jump faster but clips the lip and slows way down. Just something to note.

I demonstrate the same section at lower speed, just to help everyone see what's going on.

Let's not forget manuals. They can be just as fast as -- or even faster than -- jumps.

Flat turn fiesta
A confident soccer ball can rail a berm. Flat turns require real skill.

I promise you this: The Sea Otter course will have a couple flat turns right out of that gate then a couple more after the fast berms, before the road gap. So practice!

Lisa with a little bit o' back brake. Look at those eyes: ready for the next turn.

See that worn line to the inside of the flag? As soon as the little berm formed, we moved the flag outward to keep the turn flat -- and to make it even sharper. Gee, I hope you're doing the same ...

I love this: Jon weights his outside pedal and wrings his tires for all the traction they can muster. Watch that rear meat drift!

Holy cow: No drifting here. Jon rails this turn like it has a berm. Maybe in the dimension Jon operates on, there is a berm. I dunno. Impressive.

Bobbi Watt, fast rider and wife of Jon, trusts The Force. She just closes her eyes and lets her bike take her where it wants to go (which, in this case, is straight past the gates!)

If you race Vet Ex, don't bother practicing like this. You're fast enough already.

Don't even ask for the location of this spot. All I can tell you is "Wisconsin."

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