I'm really struggling to perfectly land the end of a landing ramp on one of the huge tabletops on my local track. Basically there is an angled mound of dirt (entrance) followed by a gap and then a flat type table top that is very long in length followed lastly by the landing ramp. I am always pushing and pushing, bike well up in the revs in 4th but I end up landing on the middle of the flat section of the top everytime. Yes I am preloading as much as I can to get the extra "ummph" I need. Still not enough though. It actually doesn't hurt me at all not reaching the landing ramp, the suspension soaks it right up. It's just frusterating when the guys on 450's are clearing it effortlessly and I am pushing with all the 125 has and not clearing completely. Now I've heard that pros, while in the air will litterally take their feet off the pegs since it makes the bike travel further? I do notice this in person as well. Unfortunatly, it wont let me post the link to this pic but I notice many national riders doing this and it says on some webpages that it actually does work. Anyone do this technique and if so, how does it work? How should I approach this and will it make the bike "arc" in an unsafe position in the air?
Feet off pegs = bike going further?
- Thread starter 00rm125
- Start date
High Lord Gomer
Poked with Sticks
- Sep 26, 1999
- 11,790
- 34
For many people, if they try to keep their feet in contact with the pegs the whole time they are in the air, they end up pushing the bike away from them. Some people try to push the bike around in the air with their feet and legs.
Other than that...it just looks cool. :)
Other than that...it just looks cool. :)
If you consider the physics, every force has an opposite and equal reaction, the only way having your feet come off the pegs results in the bike going higher is that you created more suspension preload before leaving the jump. If your feet leave the pegs from pushing down while in the air, your bike will be pushed down.
I have noticed that at time my feet come off and I think it is because your body is more willing to go higher than your bike. Weight or something. I never noticed any advantage to it. I fixed this by gripping the seat with my knees more. Plus some of the pics of the pros doing it is when they are actually repositioning their feet back or forward so as to either be on the balls of their feet or not land and accidentally hit their shifter or brake pedal.
I was reading on how2ride.com, Greg Albertyn's site, about this. He has an article about jumping big jumps and one of the sections mentioned this.
LEG CLAMPING
Just as with seat bouncing, you are able to get quite a bit more lift when you clamp the bike with your legs. Clamp the frame with your boots and knees and lift the bike in the air right after your suspension starts to rebound. This will happen on the face of the jump just before you take off. You will definitely gain some extra distance and lift by doing this. This is sometimes what is required to get the last bit of distance that you need.
LEG CLAMPING
Just as with seat bouncing, you are able to get quite a bit more lift when you clamp the bike with your legs. Clamp the frame with your boots and knees and lift the bike in the air right after your suspension starts to rebound. This will happen on the face of the jump just before you take off. You will definitely gain some extra distance and lift by doing this. This is sometimes what is required to get the last bit of distance that you need.