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“Downgrading” to a rigid single speed?

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Hi Lee,

I’m only asking because I highly value your opinion!

As an adult sometimes I have to make adult decisions. In the next few months we are looking to move and bit a bigger house, so I’m thinking of freeing up some cash by selling my current ride. It’s not imperative that I do it, but it would help a bit.

I would still want something to ride in the meantime, and I don’t want an entry level bike necessarily. Looking at some options and the Crave SL single speed looks interesting and a good price. It might be fun and a new realm to try something like this for my FL XC trails.

What do you think, is having a single speed as an only bike for a few months a good idea? Is it possible to still pursue some off season structured training and continue pump up the base and later PTPI?

Thank you!

Greg

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How should I pump a 180 berm?

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Hi Lee,

I’ve been working hard on your different pumping techniques in Pro BMX Skills (really like the detail of the different techniques). I finally have a pump track near me and there’s been a massive improvement since I started riding it. The bit I’m struggling with is my entry to the 180 degree berm, at the end of the track. I’m always losing speed on it, when others are gaining speed. Should I be unweighting over the entry roller, then one slow pump down the backside of the roller and round the berm? Or should I pump the backside, unweight again, then pump the berm?

I gotta say, riding a pump track is proving very beneficial for my overall riding. I’m off to Fort William in the morning for the World Cup, so I imagine I’ll see some good pumping technique there. 🙂

Thanks,
Andy

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How did Matt hunter do it?

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Hi Lee,
I don’t know if you saw this photo yet:

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/10883974/

Can you explain how this is even possible? It might make for a good lesson on cornering for all of us who can’t come close to this. The only thing I can think of is he must be going like Mach 10.

Jim

UPDATED with Matt Hunter’s side of the story!

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Balance on the BMX track

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Hi Lee,

I’m new to BMX racing and have been finding your book Pro BMX Skills very useful, however my coach keeps telling me to keep my elbows up and out. I’m riding a cruiser and am 170cm tall. I find this really difficult to do when I am hanging back behind the seat (weight still centered). My front wheel becomes very loose. Do you have any tips which will let me learn to keep my elbows up even whilst pumping but keep the front wheel planted. I seem more in control with my elbows in. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jess

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Will Pump Up the Base help my burning thighs?

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Hi Lee,

DH season has started here in Japan. I know it is already early summer but I want to increase physical strength. If I want to do it, do I read and follow Pump up the base?

I go to like1500m DH course but I need to take a break once or twice in between because I feel so tired in my thighs and I can’t continue riding. By increasing my strength I want to ride through to the bottom of the course without any break. Does Pump up the base provide how to increase strength for my situation? Any advise will be appreciated!!

Thanks/regards,
Hiro Komori

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Shipping a bike for a poor college kid

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Dear Lee,
I am in somewhat of a predicament. I am traveling to Oregon by plane for a ten week internship. I am curious about what is the best way to fly with your bike? I want the bike to arrive safely but I don’t want to spend unnecessary money to do so. this is because I am a poor college kid that most likely can’t afford the excess baggage fees that can come with flying.

love the website, books and the pumptrack I’m building in my back yard! thanks, cheers.
Leif

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Flat pedals for my wife?

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Hi Lee,

My wife, who is a great athlete, is wanting to pick up mountain biking and I’m very excited as it’s been my “thing” for years. I ride SPDs but she’s nervous about not being able to click out and crashing. I know a lot of people are riding flat pedals now but what would you recommend a new rider start on?

Thanks!
Chuck

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P2PI and long events

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Matt is using the Prepare to Pin training program to prepare for a long event. How should he adjust the program for greater endurance?

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Shorter stem with wider bars?

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Lee,
I just bought a set of new, wider handlebars for my old (2002) Stumpjumper hard tail. My old set-up were 580mm bars (ugh, righ?) with a 90mm stem.

With the new bars I have to buy a new stem, because my old stem doesn’t fit the 31mm-diameter handlebars. Would you recommend I go with another 90mm stem with the wider bars, or drop it down to 70mm? I see the new Stumpys all have 100mm stems, but they’re also 29ers. I’m just not sure about this bike as it has pretty aggressive geometry. I don’t want to make the bike too twitchy.

Jim

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Getting my wife from zero to shred

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Lee,

First off, I love your stuff and am really enjoying what your books and Pump Up the Base have done to my riding. Now to the question, my wife is a light roadie/triathlete who is willing to step up her game and ride in the woods. I bought her a Specialized Rumor for Christmas, sweet rig, and am pumped to get her in the woods. She has ample fitness, but minimal handling skills. Since her biggest fear is falling and getting hurt, I figured some drills would help give her the much needed confidence to feel more comfortable in the woods. If you only get to pick three drills for a newbie to the woods what would they be? Given you wrote the book, it’s on my bookshelf with your autograph in it, I knew you would be able to hit this one out of the park so my wife can add “single track slayer” and “Riding” with a capital “R” to her list without undue injury.

Cheers,
Gary
(p.s. my favorites are your figure eight drills and slow tight turns that work on track stands)

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Trouble with a 180 berm

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Hey Lee,

I have been building a pump track today from your Welcome to Pump Track Nation instructions and it is going great except for this one corner. It is a 180 turn and I enter the turn at about 10 to 15 mph but I exit the turn going 1 mph and I can almost not make it up the roller. The turn is about 6 feet from the enter to exit, it isn’t very tall and when I am in the turn my bars are close to the ground. Can I gain more speed out of the turn if I build it taller. I have little trouble making the turn but it slows me down and all the other berms I gain speed and they are taller. Or would I just have to change the berm?

Joe

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Riding steep drop-ins safely

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Lee,

I realize how busy you are, but if you have a chance to check this out I’d love your feedback. There’s a new roller here at Santos in FL that I tried today. It felt great, was just dropping in slowly to test it out. On the drops I “felt” like my weight was in the right place. I tried to be heavy on the pedals and I could swear my hands were light on the grips.

Yet the picture and video suggest otherwise. If I draw a line up through my bottom bracket, almost all of my body looks to be forward of it. Yikes! So while this “felt” good it looks like it would have not been so good had the drop been longer. So on a steep drop like this what am I supposed to be feeling? Should I be getting back further than I think?

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