When do you stand up?

wanaride · Mar 5, 2004

When you are in the woods for trail riding/enduro/HS, when do you stand up on the bike? I have heard conflicting responses to this and I'm interested in hearing what the readers of this forum think.

Do you stand at all times except going through fast corners? Or do you just stand until your legs get tired?

Smit-Dog · Mar 5, 2004

Ultimately I think that both stand up and sit down styles work, it just depends on what works for *you*. Rodney Smith is not exactly slow, and he is predominately a "sitter". I remember trying to follow a "sitter" through the tight stuff, and he was looonnngg gone in no time.

Having been nothing but a sitter during my teens riding 2-track, I experimented with standing after I got back into riding 2 years ago and discovered single-track. It was very awkward and unsettling at first. Slowly, it started clicking, and feeling more natural. I do sit occasionally in the super tight stuff, or just to take a break, but now it's just the opposite - it feels awkward and unsettling to sit. I feel that I have more body english and control over the bike standing up, and am able to point it or coerce it to where I want/need it to go better. My problem now is knowing when to sit, and the still awkward transisition between standing and sitting, i.e. really tight corners.

With that said, I'm still experimenting and learning different riding techniques. Saddle time is key, but getting the necessary riding time is hard.

bud · Mar 5, 2004

For trail riding I stand up in all but the tightest corners and longer hillclimbs and some fast corners with dodgy traction. Ie, probably 95% or more standing.

I sit on the chill out a to b sections between the rough stuff but mainly to conserve energy :).

spuddybuford · Mar 8, 2004

I try to stand up most of the time. I feel like I have more control and can steer more with the back tire in some situations. My head is always over the bar, elbows up, except on long hills or really slick, tight turns, broke my toe once when the front washed and slammed my foot down...I sit down now for those conditions.

evenslower · Mar 8, 2004

Just before I veer off the trail usually!!!!!!!!!!!

I seem to have become more of a sitter in the woods except for rough stuff, downhills, and such. But then again, I'm slow. I'll challenge myself on occsasion and stand through sections I would normally sit. Whatever gets me back in one piece.

joereitman · Mar 8, 2004

I treat it like MX- sit to accelerate and in smooth turns, stand to brake and in rough stuff, also I stand in real tight trees.

Akira · Mar 9, 2004

When I first started riding/racing I sat the entire time. Now I am half and half. When it gets really tight like my woods or I am tired, I sit. When the trail is a little more opened up or I get my second wind and start riding faster I stand up. I think I ride better when I am sitting.

-Akira

Bandit9 · Mar 9, 2004

I have worked my way to be able to stand about 70% of the time. I am tall, so I usually don't get to stand up in the tight stuff. That sucks, b/c I am more comfortable standing. So I stand for everything except long smooth straights and most corners. In the end, their is no correct answer. Just stand as much as you can. I found that the more I tried to stand, the faster I got, and the more comfortable I got, where as when I first started trying to stand more, I didn't like it too much. That soon changed though.

91KDX · Mar 9, 2004

I am mostly a sit down riding, but I am really slow. Do you guys think that standing up makes you that much faster? I have been trying to stand up more, but it feels really weird, and I must be weak because I cant stand for very long. I have been working on it more though. I think the more I work on it the longer I will be able to stand up. Is there anything else besides riding that will stregthen the muscles you use when riding stand up?

Ben

joereitman · Mar 9, 2004

MTB, running, squats, leg presses, leg extensions

teamgrizzly · Mar 9, 2004

I prefer to stand. For all you sitters out there, keep in mind that standing allows your legs to become a second suspension. (Knees slightly bent, balls of the feet on the pegs, and knees gripping the bike.) Also standing seperates you from the bike so that sudden impacts don't affect you that much and you can lean the bike better in some turns. I do transfer to a sitting position on bermed corners. Read the book "Motocross and Off-Road Riding Techniques" by Gary Semics for information on the attack position. After you get accustomed to it, you do get faster and smoother.

Mike

PS: Please don't complain that you can't stand and ride. My previous vehicle before my DRZ-400E was a wheelchair. And I stand

CAL · Mar 10, 2004

I'm a stander. About the only time I sit, is in a corner that I don't feel comfortable standing in. Or on a very smooth section of trail.

barkbuster67 · Mar 10, 2004

being on the tall side, i tend to stand as much as possible. for those who say they can't stand very long, make sure your legs are only slightly bent. if you are squatting on the bike you will burn your leg muscles out. elbows up and out, slight bend in the knees, and bend at the waist. look ahead. there is no real answer to this question, because of the differant riding styles and types of riders and terrain.

joe28kdx · Mar 11, 2004

I find that I stand almost all the time. Sometimes I even try to stand when I corner, (ALa Bob Hanna). At 46 late in the race my legs do go, but I find that 95% of the time I'm off my seat.
I have my shifter lever, levers and bars set up to be comfortable when I stand.
What ever gets you through the trails!
Joe

BlazinBoy · Mar 15, 2004

Learning to ride standing will make you much faster everywhere on the trail. You have waay more control and and can be more fluid with the bike when you need to be and also I think standing makes it easier to clamp my legs to the bike if I get squirrely. I have found that there is a "sweet spot" on the bike while sitting that once you find it you can absolutely RAIL but standing is easier overall and the better position for most trail/conditions. I feel like I ride much faster and smoother while standing. Just my 3 cents.

joereitman · Mar 15, 2004

How do you fight arm pump from hard acceleration while standing? Lean way forward and knee clamp tight when you get on it? that just doesn't seem to get it for me when I am REALLY getting on it...

CAL · Mar 15, 2004

joereitman said:
How do you fight arm pump from hard acceleration while standing? Lean way forward and knee clamp tight when you get on it?

Yep. Keep your head over the bars and elbows up and grip the tank. It's much easier to go fast while standing than when sitting. Sitting makes your body take the abuse of the terrain. If you're standing the bike can move around underneath you while keeping a forward movement. The faster/harder I ride....the more I stand.

joe28kdx · Mar 16, 2004

I teach my sons that if you get arm pump, your gripping the bars with a, "death grip",
Ride relaxed is the first thing! Knees slightly bent, toes a little in, (this helps you grip the tank), knees holding onto the tank, elbow bent and out, head up over the bars, looking down the trail.
When you feel the, " pump", wiggle your fingers one at a time, (when you get a chance)while still holding onto the bars, (like a panio player playing the panio).
I did a hare scramble Sunday, (Pine Grove) and it was a tight track, (not really a woods hare scramble, more like a long MX track with out the jumps, lots of switch backs short sections), any bananna, it was a sit down almost all the time track, I had a hard time getting into a groove, I'm a stand up rider. In my case I gotta practise sitting down and going fast!
Joe :)

fender92883 · Mar 16, 2004

I stand up while going through whoops and choppy stuff and I sit down for smoother stuff and turning. I'm too scared to turn standing up, I feel like I need to have my leg ready to catch me if I start to slide. I try to keep my feet on the pegs, but sometimes I need to stick my leg out. I also sit more when I get tired.

Smit-Dog · Mar 16, 2004

Fender,

I was a sitter until the last year or so, and it's somewhat a leap of faith to stand in corners.

A couple of things that helped me:

1) Get your chest/body over the tank, and your head out and over the handlebars. Looking down, you should see your front fender.

2) Your head follows where your eyes look, and your body follows your head, and your bike will follow your body. "Lead" the bike through the twisty stuff with your head and shoulders leading the charge. Use your eyes to cut the path, looking as far ahead on the trail that you can. Fight off target fixation!

3) Body english helps. On corners, weight the outside peg when standing. Think of trying to stand on just that leg with your weight. Grip the bike with your knees, and using weight/peg control, you can flick the bike back and forth on a dime with very little effort. It's all leverage and body english/position.

That what I *try* to do anyway. Easier said than done, and I'm still trying to figure it all out. I think that a lot of seat time on challenging terrain is key. It pushes you and forces you to improve. As an example, I haven't improved in downhill skiing in over 10 years, as I only get a chance to ski a few times a year. After spending 5 straight days out west, I was immediately a better skier. I skied consistently for days on end, and the terrain was a lot more challenging than Michigan. Like a muscle, you need to push it past it's limit to make it stronger.

Heck, I'm pumped to ride now!!!

joe28kdx · Mar 17, 2004

I tell my boys that try to think of yourself as a straight verticle line. When you go into a corner standing, or trying to, "jog" around a rock or something, the bike goes one way, (use the side nobbies on your tire, you paid for them), and your body is straight up and down, not at an angle. I try to tell them that weighting the outside peg keeps the bike from falling to the inside of the turn, (elbow out too).
When I'm in the groove, I tell them it's like dancing, sometimes the bike stays under you, sometimes it leaning left or right.
When I get cooked I sit, but I can feel every rock/root up through my spine, I no-likie that feeling, (I broke my back a few years ago and shocks like that hurt!)
If you can go see a trials rider ride and you can see a world of knowledge!
The main thing is to get through that section of trail without breaking you or your scoot!
Joe :)

fender92883 · Mar 18, 2004

Smit-Dog - thanks for the advice! Once I get comfortable on my KDX I'll give that a shot. I get to take it on its first ride tomorrow (Friday), so we'll see how it goes!
I'm SUPER pumped!! :aj:

marc_w · Apr 5, 2004

I've never had a problem with sitting or standing... but I prefer to stand as much as possible.

I pretty much only ride tight rocky New England woods, and I find that sitting really beats you up and takes a lot of energy out of you. It's a downward spiral for me if I start sitting too much.

Bar position plays a bit factor in how comfortable you are standing. I like to run my bars rotated forward when sitting, but put my wrists in an awkward position when standing. I basically went through my handlebars and controls, and set them up for standing comfort only. (Sitting is still very acceptable.)

I have a bad habbit of sitting when I feel as though I have a good chance of a get-off. IE: in the places where I SHOULD be standing. Mud holes, swamps, rock gardens, snotty log crossings, etc.

The only times I try to allow myself to sit is on long flat sections or tight, high bermed turns in the woods where you can really get the bike leaned over.

marc_w · Apr 5, 2004

Also, one of my favorite reasons for standing - at lower to moderate speeds, you can steer with your feet.

You can get the wheels to swing from side to side underneath you without drastically altering the line your travelling in, just by giving a peg a mild kick as you unweight the other.

It's not like 'fishtailing' the rear end. Both wheels move, so you can wiggle out a lazy S turn through a series of tight rocks, without having to move your bars and create two seperate tire tracks and increasing your chances of glancing off a rock.

When do you stand up?

wanaride

Smit-Dog

bud

spuddybuford

evenslower

joereitman

Akira

Bandit9

91KDX

joereitman

teamgrizzly

CAL

Sponsoring Member

barkbuster67

joe28kdx

BlazinBoy

joereitman

CAL

Sponsoring Member

joe28kdx

fender92883

Smit-Dog

joe28kdx

fender92883

marc_w

marc_w

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