Technique - How to preload

[Little_John]

Well folks, I've searched the forums and see a lot about preloading your suspension. I'm a DEAD newbie, I mean I need a beach towel to dry behind my ears...wow, that's new.

I'd like someone to write a step by step, you know a by the numbers on how to preload. Sorry, I'm one of those analytical individuals and I need the ABCs and 123s of how it's done.

This is what I'm doing...

1) Approach the jump (4 1/2 ft table top) in about 3rd gear.

2) While approaching said jump, lean back to nearly sitting. I do this at about 3 to 5 ft before reaching the bottom of the jump.

3) Seconds before my front wheel gets to the lip of the jump I "throw" my body forward and get my melon over the number plate and my ears over the bars.

4) ~~everybody sing~~ He flies through the air with the greatest of ease...sorry, maybe a bit too old of a song for most of ya.

5) ATTEMPT to land somewhat gracefully. I'm mostly successful at this. I consider any landing where I don't eat dirt a graceful landing, one wheel two wheels as long as I don't wipe out, it was graceful. (Come on...I'm 31 years old. eg too damn old to break bones. I don't heal like I used to.)

Am I doing it
a) Right
b) Almost Right
c) WRONG!!!
d) You haven't got a clue what you're doing.


So, if you've read my little rant and you're still with me, feel free to take another second or two out of your busy life to tell me how to do this properly.

Thanks!

Little_John

(i'm going to go take my medication now......) :eek: :eek:

 

[va_yzrider]

Pre-loading the suspension is a simple concept, but not so simply applied. Basically it means that you are working against the suspension on the face of the jump to get it to rebound more violently (for lack of a better word). From your description, it sounds like you are trying to pre-load the front suspension, which from my point of view, is a little more difficult and applies to different situations. When I hit a jump that I need to either a) get more height or b) don't have sufficient room to make a good run at to gain momentum to clear the jump, I will typically push down on the pegs with my leg muscles on the face of the jump. This will probably require a little more bend in the knees than your typical stance to account for the suspension compressing more. But, it really is a timing thing. An easier way to pre-load (but sometimes more dangerous and not exactly the preferred method) is to seat bounce. The added weight on your seat will push the center of gravity back toward your rear wheel and make the rear shock rebound more. Seat bouncing will usually tend to throw your front wheel down while in the air, so be prepared and practice on table tops.

If you want to see a great example of how pre-loading the front suspension works, just watch James Stewart ride. He pre-loads the front suspension better than anyone I can think of. Truly beautiful.

This is a good question and there are a lot of aspects to pre-loading, so a lot of people will probably chime in. Good to see you are asking a lot of questions and seeking out answers, that's how we learn. I also like to visialize what is going to happen as opposed to just huckin' it and see what happens.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

c ... C ... CCCC!!!!!!!

As mentioned, preloading pushes the bike into the jump to get more height (via rebound) when taking off. The only time this is desirable is when you don't have enough speed or power to make it otherwise.

When learning, you don't want to be preloading the suspension. If you do it a hair too soon, you will have effectively "unloaded" the suspension and will get a different effect. Besides, while learning you want to be making as few changes as possible in the critical second or so before takeoff.

Similar advice goes for the rest of your approach...get properly aligned with the jump, properly positioned on the bike, in the proper gear, with the proper throttle position well before you actually hit the jump. Once you have mastered the basics of jumping, then start making changes when you can evaluate the effect of each individual change.

Of course, you could follow JBoomer out to a track and learn all of this in an afternoon! :)

 

[Shig]

Hey LJ,
Let me say that it is really cool to see someone as stoked as you are to learn. Assuming that you are trying to increase the height and distance of your jumps, I think you are doing things right. Just be careful when you "spring forward" at the lip because without perfect timing you're gonna nose dive. VA YZR is right on about Bubba, he's the most pro-active jumper I've ever seen. Watch him in supercross if you really want to analyze something.

The key to successful pre-loading is accelerating hard all the way through the transition of the jump to the take-off. You want the power at the rear wheel to keep the suspension compressed as you hit the lip of the jump. If you are not on the gas, then the suspension will absorb the lip and you won't go as high or far. Leaving the ground under full acceleration and controlling the bike as it kicks off the lip is real sketchy at first. Take your time building up to it.

I think seat bouncing is one of the coolest skills anyone can have, but it takes a ton of practice to get it right. You really need perfect throttle timing to keep from sailing over the bars. In addition to increasing your boost, you save alot of energy by staying in the saddle through the transition of the jump. Seat bouncing is very advanced, so save that lesson for another day.

 

[YZ165]

D :laugh:

I think 3rd is a little much for a 4 1/2 foot table. Try it on a 30 footer or so. ;)

 

[Little_John]

D :laugh:

I think 3rd is a little much for a 4 1/2 foot table. Try it on a 30 footer or so. ;)

I dunno. I hit that sucker yesterday in 4th and just stood through the whole thing and it felt pretty good. I had better control over my bike, landed better...gotta love doing things at race speed.


Alright I know I'm pushing it here, but no one has actually explained the physics of preloading. Believe me I know it's a bit advanced, but I like to look two or three steps ahead of what I think I'm capable of. It's just one of those training aids. If I see where I want to be, I can visualize how to get there.

So, would someone kindly walk me through the steps of preloading or do I have the essence of it already?

Thanks for all the advice.

Little_John
:eek:

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Just like doing a bunny hop on a bicycle. You push the bike into the face of the jump where it would normally compress, anyway. Then, as the suspension rebounds upon takeoff, you pull the bike up with you, both with hands and with your legs (you have been squeezing the bike with your legs/knees when jumping, right? :) )

I usually only do this, now, on whoops that aren't steep enough to double through otherwise.

 

[Little_John]

Hey, thanks!!!

Yes I've been holding the bike with my legs. That's a workout and a half, I thought I was in decent shape till I started riding.

 

[Shig]

Just like doing a bunny hop on a bicycle.

That pretty much sums it up. If you are accelerating hard, then the suspension will be stiff at the take-off . Your bunny hop will be much more effective off a stiff platform than if you are bunny hopping off a soft platform. Have you ever tried to bunny hop a full suspension MTB? It's nearly impossible to get off the ground without compressing the suspension a little, ie pre-loading.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I thought I was in decent shape till I started riding.

Two things will make it much easier...
1. It's a different set of muscles you're using, so once you get those in shape, it'll get easier.
2. The more you ride and the more comfortable you get, the more you'll start moving in anticipation of what the bike will do instead of in reaction to it. For example: If you get forward *as* you twist the throttle, you won't feel like it is trying to pull your arms off.

 

[Little_John]

:cool: Thanks for all the good advice. I used to do alot of Tai Chi, the muscles you use on a MX Bike are the same as that, so it hasn't been too hard to get back into shape. I'm getting a lot of "saddle time" these days so that really helps and I've finally gotten to the point where I'm getting a bit comfortable in the air. I don't think I'll start pre-loading just yet, but at least I know how to do it now.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and help.

Little John

:eek:

 

[mx rider in the941]

dude with an rm 125 you could clear a 30 footer in 3rd even second wide open just hold the gas all the way up and then act like your doing a squat on the face of the jump and get ready for the pop..