[The Lone Wolf]

Ok I know this is the DH forum and I'm just a XC'er on a hardtail but here it goes anyway. How do you ride on logs? I live in the middle of AZ so there isn't any logs to ride on, but there is a race up north and there is a few logs that go over washes and stuff. The log I want to ride is about 2 feet high in the middle and fairly small around. It is about 12 feet long. I've seen 2 or 3 people do it but I always fall off after a couple feet... I have one week before me and log meat again.

Teach me the way of the log ride master DH doods.

 

[Lucky13]

If you don't have perfect balancing skills, I would suggesting approaching it with speed if you can. Faster you go, less balancing to be done. Works fo me. Otherwise, get yourself a few 2x4s and keep practicing. Ability to track stand helps too.

 

[The Lone Wolf]

I can trackstand for a long time but that doesn't seem to help much.

 

[dandurston]

Mainly just practice but a few tips that help are:

1 - Don't look down at your front wheel. Look 5 - 10 ft ahead. It gives you better perspective.
2 - Have confidence...convince yourself you'll make it and then go at confidently with some speed.
3 - Get as much of your body mass available to balance you as possible. What I mean is: stand up, stick your elbows and knees out etc. So that you can react more effectively when you start to tip.
4 - Practice on curbs...this takes a while but when you ride around town try and ride on just the curb. Once you can do it so you rarely fall off a curb you know you've got it dialed. You could also set up something in your yard.

If you still can't get it just approach the log ride at a ridiculous speed so that you only need to be balanced on it for half a sec. As long as you hit it balanced you'll make it!

 

[Andrewpalooza]

Could be mental. I'd just practice if I were you. If you don't have any 2x4s, find a retaining wall and ride the outside edge of it. That way, you can always bail to one side and be safe, but you get the impression of being high up. Other than that, I'd just gas it and line up the uhh... line before I get there. A little bit of speed will carry you through.

 

[dandurston]

I can trackstand for a long time but that doesn't seem to help much.

I can trackstand all day but I don't find it that helpful surprisingly on logrides. Once you got the basic trackstand down try doing it sitting down with one foot on the pedals and the opposite hand on the bars using the other two limbs for balance. It's really not that much harder than a basic trackstand and it really impresses the groms.

 

[NorKal]

In addition to what everyone said above it helps me to shift my weight forward slightly. Not sure why this works, maybe it's just more mental that I'm in the "attack" position but it seems to help my balance. If all else fails, just use speed

 

[dandurston]

In addition to what everyone said above it helps me to shift my weight forward slightly. Not sure why this works, maybe it's just more mental that I'm in the "attack" position but it seems to help my balance. If all else fails, just use speed

Yeah good point. This helps cuz your weight and therefore your balance, is more influenced by your steering inputs. A little turn would actually make a bigger difference.

 

[Lrt skier]

one easy way to learn is to ride on a ridiculously skinny bridge, like 2in. wide but put it only about 3 in. off the ground. Then anything wider seems huge.

 

[shiggy]

Since it is in a race: If you are not 100% sure you can ride it, run it. You will be faster in the end.

 

[MTBKauai]

Keep Spinning

Staying in a "lower-than-normal-gear" and keeping those cranks turning gives you some kind of "dynamic balance" that works better than "coasting" or waiting until you "need" to pedal. Even if I have to ride the brake a little, I keep 'em moving.

That, and what everyone else said.

 

[The Lone Wolf]

Ok thanks for all the info. I went out and practiced today by riding down a 2 inch cement thing at the local park. I think i'm getting better. I noticed that I always fall to the same side, the right. After a while I started trying to ride on the left side a bit more and that helped.

 

[.WestCoastHucker.]

a major overlooked thing i noticed here is, that you should always be looking 10-12 feet in front of you, never down or right in front of your front wheel. your prehiprial (sp?) vision will keep you on the log, you don't have to look down to know it's there.....

 

[Zonk0u]

most important thing to remember is do NOT look at the log, keep your eyes forward, and if you feel like you're gonna fall, pop a wheelie and eject off the log so you dont stack yourself.

 

[imjps]

I'm curious as to how your doing?

Are you practicing the drills yet? Let us know your progress.

jps

 

[turk77]

practice on a curb

Once you master something easy, move up to harder stuff.

 

[macrider]

Ok thanks for all the info. I went out and practiced today by riding down a 2 inch cement thing at the local park. I think i'm getting better. I noticed that I always fall to the same side, the right. After a while I started trying to ride on the left side a bit more and that helped.

looking ahead, not at your wheel, standing up and pedaling evenly and what I learned to do up in BC is put a little bit of rear brake on (just barely dragging the rear wheel) - it gives you something to pedal against and seems to keep you lined up better

and practice

 

[Zonk0u]

looking ahead, not at your wheel, standing up and pedaling evenly and what I learned to do up in BC is put a little bit of rear brake on (just barely dragging the rear wheel) - it gives you something to pedal against and seems to keep you lined up better

and practice

putting the rear brake on helps the front bite into the log better, so if your front wobbles wide on the log and starts to slip, it'll help give it a little extra traction to bring it back on course.

For now practice without the brake... right now it'll only screw you up, because you'll be all super tense and there's too many things to think about. You should focus on your ballance, wheel placement, and looking ahead first, then worry about throwing in the rear brake.