Questions, comments and criticisms
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!
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
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
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
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
Matt is using the Prepare to Pin training program to prepare for a long event. How should he adjust the program for greater endurance?
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
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)
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
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?
Lee,
So if weather is just terrible and I am confined to the trainer for days or weeks at a time what would be better…? Stick to two Pump Up the Base workouts a week plus some level 2 time on the trainer or would it be ok to hit PUTB 3 times in a week?
I started lifting again for the first time in 6 months (I am naturally a spinner a.k.a. I am weak) the same time I started PUTB so the first couple of workouts (shoot even walking) were difficult but things are starting to feel better now. Thursday I got to the first B workout where you break it up with different cadences. I think that was easier than sustained effort because my brain (maybe weaker than my legs) was occupied. Did week 3 Day A today, it was pretty good too even though I lifted in the morning. Now if the trails here get dry I can get strong and learn to lay off the brakes on my recently converted single speed! May you have sunny skies and dry trails.
Jeff
Hi Lee !
I am now in week 4 of your awesome Pump Up the Base program. For the last couple of years i’ve got some concern about target heart rates, that gets me confused. I am 46 so my 85% heart rate should be around 148bpm ( 220-46X85/100). But here’s the thing, at this heart rate i can sing “we are the champion” at full volume and i can spin that for days, barely sweating. I’ve followed you guide lines, and shoot for an effort that let me talk only in short sentence, and that bring my heart rate value around 162bpm.Wich is more like what i am used to. That value is around 95% of my maximum HR for my age ! that gets me nervous, am i pushing too hard ? I’ve been ridding for 25 years and feel better than ever, i ain’t no world class athlete but not definitely not your average forty something guy either. Any thoughts ?
regards,
Eric