learn to bunny hop or go slower

 

Yeup - bunny hop the ruts, or at least get your front wheel up. If your back wheel drags through them it's OK.

 

Bunny hop at high speeds can be dangerous unless you're an expert at it. I would recommend slowing down if you plan to do one.

If you just want to roll over at high speeds, you just need to get your bottom off the saddle and pull you weight back behind the saddle as far as possible. Since this relieves most of the weight off the front wheel, it will easily roll over almost anything.

 

Bunny hop, but you should go as fast as you can brake without skidding. The recommended trail speed is 15mph. It's like speed limit every break the law but gotta have to back it up.

Don't want to bust your balls but what if there's another rider or worse horse back rider coming up, then it would be you and an innocent rider who's gonna get hurt. I know newbie like to go as fast as they can that give the illusion of skill, but most better riders focus their thrill on acceleration and deceleration. Also skidding on the trail is not a good thing to do. You should be able to have all the fun you want without endanger others.

So be a bit more considered and practice the fundamental skills needed to ride the trail safely.
Check out www.leelikesbike.com on how to brake and other skills.

You are in Socal so if you need someone to show you the loop PM me. I can show you.

 

if the ruts are going down the path of the trail and you get caught in one, ride it out letting your front wheel following the rut and look for a good place to exit such a change in direction or shallow part of the rut. If you try to turn out of the rut, there's a good chance that you'll crash. For ruts going across the trail, shift your weight to the back of the bike and you should be able to roll over them.

 

Ruts in the direction of your travel are tough. I don't think anyone likes those.

+1 on not going so fast. If you are going so fast that you can't react to a trail obstacle in time, then you're going too fast.

 

Good advice already, both on handling them and how that much speed is a :nono: .

I will only add that fire roads are especially problematic, as it's tempting to let 'er rip on them, but they are the places (at least in my area) most likely to have the average Joe and Jane foot traffic (dog walkers, family outings, etc.) and that kind of speed freaks them out and gives mountain bikers a bad image.

David B.

 

If you miraculously survived a rut that was around the bend... how are you going to cope with the fallen tree, bear, or 4 year old child?

 

Dont be a Poo Nanny and take it like a man.

 

I personally find no enjoyment whatsoever in riding on fire roads.

It's hard to give you (technical) advice on how to handle these ruts without seeing an actual picture to understand how big they were, how tall, exactly what direction, etc.

 

learn to bunny hop or go slower

I second that, also you will stop faster by using both brakes, and locking up brakes and skidding generally increases your stopping distance instead of decreasing it and throws you out of control.

Also, at times you need to float over the ruts, other times you need to just drop in and ride them out.

Rut riding can be tricky business. Generally, once you've fallen in one, it's better to just ride it out than trying to get your tire back out of it. I find that falls usually ensue, but if I let it flow & ride, I'm fine.

 

Another question from this Noob.

I was hauling down a fire road at about 20 to 30mph (hair raising speed for being a beginner) and came across major ruts cutting down along and across some sections. Some were after a turn and suprised the hell out of me. I squeezed the rear to lock it up but was going to fast for any real good. Anyways I made it through by sheer luck I suppose and cant recall how cause it happened so fast.

Any suggestions or tips on how to handle them better? I know I'll go down one of these days because I am new.

Thanks!

I think you are talking about water bars...

So hit the first bump and then push the front wheel down into the bottom of the trench. Then jump hard. That will keep the bike level when you land.

If you are going fast enough around here plus 50 kph, you a can jump the whole thing.

These bumps are notorious for sending bikers OTB into the trees, and busting collar bones or worse....

Slow down is always good as well.

We race down the fire roads it is a technique that you need to learn to survive out here.

 

when in doubt, throttle out.

unlessssssssss its the beginner forum. sooo slow down! and dont lock up

 

depends completely on size, direction, quantity, depth and width of ruts......with that comes the choice(s) of lofting the front, keeping momentum, change of direction, bunnyhopping, rolling thru...or bailing...

so unless you are good at being a lawn dart ya might wanna slow down....


ps...be careful about bunnyhopping them....i 'hopped' an uphill rut at over 20 mph only to have my rear wheel catch the lip as i landed...fastest endo evah...broke 2 ribs.

 

I used to be at the mercy of ruts till one day I was following another rider.....whereas I was slowing down, trying to steer around them, this guy would simply bunnyhop to the left, then to the right, then back to the left slalom style.......

 

I think you are talking about water bars...

So hit the first bump and then push the front wheel down into the bottom of the trench. Then jump hard. That will keep the bike level when you land.

If you are going fast enough around here plus 50 kph, you a can jump the whole thing.

These bumps are notorious for sending bikers OTB into the trees, and busting collar bones or worse....

Slow down is always good as well.

We race down the fire roads it is a technique that you need to learn to survive out here.

One of those got me 2 days ago (I think...missing a few hours of the day) & busted my collarbone....sucks!

 

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I will slow down and watch for people, tree's or fellow bikers coming up hill. I was just hauling cause it was a Monday at Chino Hills State Park and they are closed Mon-Thurs and I was about 4 miles deep. But again I will slow it down. I will try all the techniques mentioned thanks, and for the "when in doubt, throttle out" I too ride quads and dirtbike so yeah I get it, and I ride a ZX10 Ninja for fun too and take it to the track so sorry guys I am a bit of a speed junkie but always ride within my limits. I do stay on the right side of the trails unless I have a clear view of what's ahead of me then I use the best path.

 

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I will slow down and watch for people, tree's or fellow bikers coming up hill. I was just hauling cause it was a Monday at Chino Hills State Park and they are closed Mon-Thurs and I was about 4 miles deep. But again I will slow it down. I will try all the techniques mentioned thanks, and for the "when in doubt, throttle out" I too ride quads and dirtbike so yeah I get it, and I ride a ZX10 Ninja for fun too and take it to the track so sorry guys I am a bit of a speed junkie but always ride within my limits. I do stay on the right side of the trails unless I have a clear view of what's ahead of me then I use the best path.

If you are going too fast or are not skilled enough to safely hop 'em - I have found that for larger ruts you can "pump" through them...that is, push down as you enter and pull up as you exit - usually in quick succession...this generally will give you a smoother and more stable ride then just bombing over them...

 

If you are going too fast or are not skilled enough to safely hop 'em - I have found that for larger ruts you can "pump" through them...that is, push down as you enter and pull up as you exit - usually in quick succession...this generally will give you a smoother and more stable ride then just bombing over them...

Pumping is a good skill to learn, but if you push too late into the rut, it makes for a nice wipeout... not that I would know from experience :yikes:

 

I would second either the fast pump or an unweight of the bike
I wouldn't go as far as fully bunny hopping, once those tyres leave the ground you have no traction, steering or braking. But hitting that obstacle with a weightless bike it will float across.

It is fun reading the above to work out how good a rider the informer is.

To be fair, I would cheat, I have a Dorado, I would ignore the obstacle and let the suspension do the work

 

...To be fair, I would cheat, I have a Dorado, I would ignore the obstacle and let the suspension do the work

meh.....i ride rigid....so i at least have to use *skill Jefe'.....

* for the purpose of this response skill = slow