Enduro - Any tips on clearing logs?

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Imho

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Mar 6, 2002
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I rode in my first enduro last weekend with my son. We both had a great time with only a few minor excursions off the bike. The only difficult obstacle I encountered were two logs about a foot in diameter, which were spaced about a 1 ½ bike lengths apart. I had no problem lifting the front wheel over the first one but I didn’t seem to have enough space or time to recover from the first in order to lift the front wheel for the second, in fact my front wheel touched down from clearing the first log right at the junction of the ground and the second log putting me over the bars. Has anybody got any tips on approaching this kind of obstacle? TIA.
 
Z

ziggypop

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Apr 24, 2001
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Ouch 1-1/2 bike lenths is brutal spacing for anyone but a trials rider. I like the chainsaw suggestion!!
 
A

AKCPlumb

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Apr 3, 2002
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Try landing front wheel on top of 1st log and tapping rear brake just prior to rear wheel hitting it, this should keep the rear down and give you time to set up for next log, cross log perpendicular and practice on small single 1st
 

JPIVEY

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Mar 9, 2001
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Go get a couple of logs ( a couple feet long )and place them 10' apart and practice popping over the first log and doing a slow speed wheelie ( standing) to the next, let the rear wheel tap the 2nd log, shift very slightly to the rear and drop the front over the log,blip alittle gas and done.

Slow is the key, you can pick up speed later
 
Last edited:
J

James

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Dec 26, 2001
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JP is coming at it from the same approach that I was thinking. Seems like you could keep the wheelie/light front end and ride them sort of like whoops.
 
2

2001yz250

Member
Mar 27, 2002
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How much space do you have after the 2nd log and is there any mud involved and are both logs at a 90% angle(or close) to the trail?
 
I

Imho

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Mar 6, 2002
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As much as I like the chainsaw idea I don't think it would fit in my backpack and if it did I don't know if I would have survived the enduro with the extra weight :D.

Both logs were close to 90 degrees to the track with a 45 degree left turn a few feet after the second log. The track itself was tight, dry, sand/dirt, winding its way through saplings.

I asked around to see how others tackled the problem and the responses ranged from "I just hit it!" (expert rider) to "I got off and pushed" (clubman rider). The longer description of the "I just hit it!" sounded like the whoops approach. I guess slow and steady wins the enduro. The rider that “got off and pushed” would have been quicker than me picking the bike and myself up off the ground (and the language would have been cleaner too).

I should be better able to analyse what I did wrong as the club has a video night tonight and the guy with the camera was right there when I came off (should be a laugh). Better still, I’ll be able to see how the expert guys did it.

It didn’t even occur to me to set up a practice obstacle at home but I will. It sounds like the best way to gain confidence.
 

BunduBasher

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Feb 9, 2000
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2

we need to see an mpeg video of that, otherwise a blow by blow account will do :p :D
 
E

endo426

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Feb 9, 2002
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In memphis they use to have a fammily fun day. One of the events included a log run with about 20 logs, 6" to 12" in diamiter placed 5 to 10 feet apart, and one 30" log at the end. The best way through was just to blitz them, like woops. Keep the front light, weight back slightly and kind of skim them. Its easiest if the front tire hits each log, this keeps the front and back on equal footing. of course the last log was the toughest. I would hit it half way up with the front tire and kind of jump it. ;)
 
I

Imho

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Mar 6, 2002
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I'll see if I can get hold of the tape to make an MPEG :).
 
2

2001yz250

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Mar 27, 2002
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Endo426 is right on the money! If you have enough space after the second log and no mud with 90degree angles, you should be able to hit it at speed with your front end a few inches off the ground but not over the log. You should be able to jump both logs at the same time if you can slow down fast enough to make the next turn.
 
2

2001yz250

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Mar 27, 2002
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I rode with a guy who carried a chainsaw in his backpack, no joke! It was just a cutting chain with palm size handles on the ends, one man for each handle. It worked great! Said he got it at K-mart.
 
I

Imho

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Mar 6, 2002
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OK, I had a chance to watch the video a few times (mainly due to the fact they rewound and played my get-off a number of times, much to the amusement of the crowd :silly:). I couldn’t get a copy of the video so here is a blow-by-blow description:

Approaching slowly I lifted the front wheel over the first log (using power) but I was too slow coming off the power (stupid, stupid, stupid :ugg: ), consequently when the rear wheel hit the first log it climbed over the log but the front wheel stayed up (uh-oh :eek: ). With freeze frame there is an image of the bike with the rear wheel on top of the first log and the front wheel about five feet in the air (I wish I could have stepped off then). As I came off the power the rear wheel rolled of the first log and the front wheel came down (slammed down actually, due to engine braking), straight into the second log (I then spear over the bars, superman style :( ).

If I had kept the power on as the rear wheel came off the first log I may have cleared the second log with my front wheel but boy I would have been out of control (and freaking) by then. I wasn’t the only one to have a few dramas with a number of riders spearing off into the **** left and right after the first log and one hitting a stump a few feet after the second log (all but the best thumper riders stalled at least once). The better riders used both standing and sitting positions, maintained speed and only lifted the front wheel enough to ensure a relatively smooth run over the logs. Due to the left hand turn and stump after the second log I think the whoop approach would not have worked but a slow speed wheelie to the second log would have been an option (for a more skilled rider). The sensible unskilled riders stayed seated and just paddled over (I wish I was one of them).

One of the most interesting riders to watch was a 12 year old on an old XR80 who was as smooth as butter and, although he wasn’t fast speed wise, had lap times that were quick and didn’t vary by more than 30 seconds.
 

JPIVEY

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Mar 9, 2001
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Originally posted by Imho

a slow speed wheelie to the second log would have been an option (for a more skilled rider).
Click to expand...

Get those logs out and start practicing, you need all the options you can get :cool:
 
D

danielst

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Apr 20, 2002
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When I come up on a tricky log situation, I will generally bring the front wheel up with just enough speed to clear the log then I let off the throttle and let the back wheel coast to the log and let the coasting momentum of the bike carry the back wheel on over. Sometimes I need to put my feet down and give it a little push to get the back wheel over. What this does is keep the front wheel in control at all times allowing me to be prepared for the next log, sharp turn, etc... It is probably not the fastest way, but it keeps me on two wheels which is more valuable than the two seconds blasting over would save me, if I didn't wreck.
 
A

agitt73

~SPONSOR~
May 11, 2000
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sounds like to me your forks did not compress soon enough
if they would have and should have rolled right over the
2nd log and absorbed the imapact instead of throwing you
over the bars
 
T

TheGrinch

Member
Nov 26, 2000
827
0
I definately don't recommend just hitting them as fast as you can. I made this critical mistake when I first started riding as a teenager. I tried to wheelie over the log without backing off the throttle (young and inexperienced then). I cartwheeled the bike and ended up landing on the end of the handle bar with my eyeball! This is another good reason to wear safety gear (I was wearing sunglasses instead of goggles and the handlebar pushed the lense out of the sunglasses) I ended up with an eye packed with mud which required a trip to the hospital to clean out. Fortunately I walked away with a scratched lense (my eye, not my sunglasses).

If only my mate following me had a helmet cam.
 
M

Montana300

Member
May 4, 2000
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I think its important on a double log crossing to make sure the front tire slightly contacts the first log so that the front end doesn't come down so quickly. If you just wheely over it then the front will come down when the rear wheels makes contact with the log.
 
I

Imho

Sponsoring Member
Mar 6, 2002
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Thanks for the help guys. I'll be out on in the paddock tomorrow, putting all the tips (except for the chainsaw) into practice. For riding at my level I think un-weighting the front wheel (and lifting it a few inches) is the way to go. I'll see what feels most comfortable.
 
M

mackay

Member
Jan 7, 2002
149
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Another Situation

Well since we are on the topic of clearing logs here's another scenario...On one of the local trails a lot of kids seem to be into building camps...the problem is that often a tree gets felled across the trail, now the problem, the tree is about 6-8 inches in diameter(too big to move by hand, its still full of branches) however its not on the ground its 12 to 18 inches off the ground, remember the branches. I can easily loft the front wheel over the obstacle but almost get "bucked off" when the rear wheel hits, WHAT DO I DO?? How can I get the rear wheel to be more managable over this tree :think: :think:
 
T

TheGrinch

Member
Nov 26, 2000
827
0
You've got to roll the throttle off once you've got the front over. This will stop the rear from bucking up. If possible line up a knot in the log that will give you some traction for the rear wheel (especially if it's wet)
 
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