How to counter a "slanted" rut on a jump face?

sweetjeep

Member
Sep 16, 2003
57
0
I am sure you have all seen these.. and I have been bitten by one in particular a couple times.

What I am talking about it at the very top of the jump face, generally a foot down the face all the way up to the lip, there is occasionally a rut that doesn't follow the jump straight. Generally it seems to be about a 30 - 45 degree rut and I find they typically are right handed.

What I constantly find to happen is my front tire will go through/over it fine but the back tire will generally fall into it and kick the rear to the right.

How do I counter this kick out and/or how to I simply not get the bike to kick in the first place?
 

mxer842

~SPONSOR~
Nov 11, 2003
597
0
if it doesn't kick to bad then i would just hit the jump full throttle pretty loose on the bike and suck the bike back under you in the air with your leg, if it doesn't kick to bad.
 

SpectraSVT

Member
Apr 17, 2002
720
0
if your rear swings out to the left then turn the bars to the left. Kind of swings the rear back to the right. Might wanna practice this on a small jump to see how the bike reacts if your not used to tweeking the bike in the air.
 

mxer842

~SPONSOR~
Nov 11, 2003
597
0
the trick is to be loose enough on the bike that the bike can kick around on you all it wants on the take off but in the air you will still be centered and balanced and can suck it back under like spectra said.
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
I have to disagree with being loose on a rutted jump face. Squeezing the bike with your legs helps a lot to keep the bike from getting kicked sideways.

I'm still kind of confused by the slanted rut on the jump face. You normally get ruts on jumps for two reasons:
  1. The fast guys are hard on the gas and dig a rut in the face, or
  2. The slow guys roll up until the front tire clears the jump then gas it, tearing up the jump and making noise.
The slow guys usually make straight ruts and the fast guys make ruts in the desired direction of travel....meaning, don't you want to be following that slanted rut?
 

sweetjeep

Member
Sep 16, 2003
57
0
I don't know HOW this type of rut get's formed. But fast guys whipping it is what seems like would cause it.

Are there other lines? Sort of. But sometimes I find myself in a particular like and it's just too late.

I am pretty confident that being loose on the bike is not the solution. I am not getting kicked UP, I am getting kicked to the side. I.E. if the bike were straight up and down (seat toward the sky, skid plate toward the ground) and the front wheel was pointed forward (in the direction of travel) and the rear wheel was coming around the right hand side.

Does that clarify at all?

What has happened a few times it that this is the bike kicks so hard that I land semi sideways.. and you can see what happens from there.
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
Squeezing the bike with your legs/knees helps a *lot* with that. Instead of the rut kicking the back half of the bike (~120 lbs) to the side, it's now pushing against 300 or so lbs. You get much less deflection with more mass.
 

joereitman

Member
Jul 2, 2003
540
0
Is there a turn the direction of the rut right after the jump? If so, consider learning to whip it. There is a really good thread and link on whips here somewhere.

Sounds like you may want to focus some more on maintaining a strict race line if you need to avoid the rut. With focus and proper practice you will be able to narrow your race line to less than the front tire width and avoid the rut every time. Just my .02.
 

sweetjeep

Member
Sep 16, 2003
57
0
In one particular instance.. there is a turn right after.. and a whip WOULD make me look cool! ;)

I'll check out that thread too..

Thanks
 
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