Intro BMX class for kids?
Hi Lee,
I live in Santa Fe and we are thinking about having a clinic/intro for kids to BMX and pump track riding. What suggestions do you have for that we should cover?
Steve
Everything to help you ride stronger and better.
Striking pedals
Hi Lee,
Do you have any tips on how to ride trails that go though areas with rocks, roots, walls, or really deep ruts that can hit your pedal and effectively stop you in your tracks, due to loss of balance and needing to ride a fairly precise line?
My bike has a fairly low BB (12.5″ for 110mm travel) and I ride platform pedals, but continuously riding this particular part of the trail has helped, simply by finding areas to build speed so I wouldn’t have to pedal through these areas. Any area I have to pedal through tends to get me though. There’s one area where I must weave through big boulders right and left and also make it up steps and have a gear to make it up a steep climb. Shifting doesn’t seem possible. Normally it’s not pedal strikes that get me, but simply me avoiding pedal strikes and tipping over too much and losing balance. I assume that’s the problem. I tried the look ahead and plow through approach, but pedal strikes really do throw you off to be a problem that can’t be ignored.
I read the 2nd edition of your MTB skills book cover to cover, but can’t find a section that particular covers this type of riding. Any advice would be appreciated. I think my bike would appreciate it too. I think the side to side play at the BB has become worse from all the pedal strikes.
Dan
Learning how to ride gnarly uphill switchbacks
Lee,
We’ve just completed another track here in Toowoomba — and it has heaps of steep switchbacks on loose material. Now, your book had a fair chunk of detail on descending these types of things, and I’m achieving moderate success.
Climbing them — I leave much to be desired. Can you give a few additional recommendations on how to be more successful climbing steep, loose (dare I say hastily constructed, with no turning platform) switchbacks?
This (Toowoomba) is Jared Grave’s home town — and he has been out there the last couple of months using the tracks we’ve just revamped and the new ones we’ve constructed since the flood damage we had at the beginning of the year. I don’t actually know him, but quite a few guys in the club do.
Anyway, hope all is well with you, and thanks for your advice.
Kind regards,
Matt
CrossFit workout of the day: Fiona
Man, I gotta get some CrossFit freaks to help me build pump tracks. They’d love the punishment.
Keep reading for the WOD …
Austin, TX and the Specialized Camber Comp 29
Last weekend, as part of coach training for the Texas high school mountain bike league, I got to ride new trails on a new bike. This is a quick-hit review of the trails and the bike, plus riding a 29er and other stuff.
Coaching coaches in Texas this weekend
Last weekend’s SoCal and NorCal high school coach coaching sessions were exhausting and excellent. I worked with 55 coaches, many of whom have 20, 50 or even more kids in their programs.
 “This, class, is how one rips — and how one teaches others to rip.” Photo from NorCal director Vanessa Hauswald. |
This weekend I’m off to Austin, TX to teach the first wave of Texas high school mountain bike coaches.
High school mountain biking coast-to-coast by 2020 …
Coaching coaches in California
Big adventure this weekend:
• Coaching SoCal high school mountain bike league coaches in Riverside on Saturday.
• Coaching NorCal high school mountain bike league coaches in Davis on Sunday.
It feels strange traveling with just a helmet, flat pedals and my laptop. I look forward to borrowing bikes and spreading the braaap!
Next weekend: Coaching Texas high school mountain bike league coaches near Austin.
We are saving the world — one rider at a time.
How many calories do you burn on a pump track?
Lee, I was wondering how many calories, on average, does some one burn riding a pump track for 5 minutes? figured you would be the man to ask..Let me know. Thanks, Alex
Public skills clinics at Valmont Bike park in October
Yes, you can bring your cross bike! You’ll be amazed at what you can do with drop bars and skinny tires. Just let me know, and I’ll bring mine. Skills are skills!
Classes are limited to six riders each. Cost is $90 and includes the opportunity to purchase the book Mastering Mountain Bike Skills or Pro BMX Skills for a discounted $20.
• Saturday, Oct. 8, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. OVER WITH
• Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. BOOKED
We will cover the core skills, then we’ll focus on whatever the group wants (and is ready for). Expect to dial in position, braking, cornering and pumping. If all goes well, we’ll do some dropping and jumping too.
Off the clock
Just got back from an hour “off the clock” at Valmont Bike Park.
What a great little adventure — and a test of the new 2.3 Specialized Renegade.
BMX bike for MTB training (again)?
Hey there Lee
I am a mediumly ordinary MTb rider, who does not get out often enough. I have bought Mastering Mountain Bike Skills edition2, and it is a great book, however I really do not to get to session stuff much which would imprint skills into my old brain. And so often ” just riding” gets in the way of actual learning.
Recently a couple of pump tracks have been built where I live ( In Wellington, NZ ) and they are of course just ideal for sessioning and skills. I am just starting to ride awkwardly on them.
My question is this: might is be worthwhile getting a BMX bike for the purpose of fun and skill acquisition?
I have a peferectly excellent MTB (an Ibis Mojo) however in a way having a completely different bike would make riding a pump track an event, and I would be more likely to session it and not be tempted by the nearby MTB trails?
I do not want to build a hard tail MTB as the Mojo is just fine for all the trails, and in some ways a HT is an unbalanced beast compared with a fully rigid BMX or a fully sprung MTB ?
Your BMX book does look enticing!
cheers
Rob
Wellington, NZ
Public skills clinics at Valmont Bike park in September
Spots are available for the Sept. 14 and 24 clinics. I guarantee this will blow your mind in a very cool way. Come out and rip it!
THE MAGIC LIVES ON! We have been approved for four public clinics at Valmont Bike Park in September. This is the A-1, lowest-cost way to have more fun on your bike.
Classes are limited to six riders each. Cost is $90 and includes the opportunity to purchase the book Mastering Mountain Bike Skills or Pro BMX Skills for a discounted $20.
• Wednesday, Sept. 7, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. RAINED OUT
• Wednesday, Sept. 14, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. RAINED OUT
• Sunday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. SOLD OUT
• Saturday, Sept. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. SOLD OUT
We will cover the core skills, then we’ll focus on whatever the group wants (and is ready for). Expect to dial in position, braking, cornering and pumping. If all goes well, we’ll do some dropping and jumping too.
Our sessions have had an awesome vibe. Six random riders united in a grand adventure! Sign up today.