my drop off hell

[Stiff_Orange]

It's nothing to do with wheel size, height, bike size. It's all about body position.

I'm definitely no expert rider and I used to be Captain OvertheBars even on a modern Carbon, 140mm Full suss all mountain bike, I bought the shortest stem possible, but still no better. So I went and had some lessons. It made all the difference.

To do any drop off you have to push you hips back (off the saddle) and push forward with the arms.
This is how it was explained to me.

In figure A you can see the the rider's torso is ahead of the hub of the front wheel, this causes the wheel to dig into the ground (blue arrow) and the direction of the force to be towards the ground. This results in the front wheel stalling and the momentum of the bike and rider carries on "over the bars."

In figure B, as the rider reaches the lip of the drop off the rider pushes their hips back and arms forward on the bars. The cause the front wheel to go further over the drop off, and the riders weight is now behind the front hub. The force on the front wheel is now more forward than down (blue arrow) as is the direction of the force of the bike and rider. So instead of digging in the front wheel goes forward and the back wheel follows in the normal manner.

Bigger wheels will soften the angle of smaller dropoffs but on anything bigger you will still have the same problem, but with further to fall ;-)

Save the money of a new bike and spend it on a lesson or two. It doesn't matter how long you've been riding, having somebody watch and critique your riding style will always be helpful. Well worth it. I can now do Alpine Black DH runs on a 120mm hard tail without any OTB moments.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

I always think of it as how I ride, keep the body in the same position and let the bike move under you, that's if you are dropping the wheel down the slope. And just don't panic or use brakes till you are off these small drops.
Let it flow.
You'll see in the picture above the body look much like a flat riding style just with the bike now in a different position and ar!ms extended more.


Trail centres like Dalby have plenty of these style of drops along red routes,or should have, they also shouldn't be to hard to find on rides around. I mention trail centres as they are 'safe' drops as they are designed to be ridable. Go practice.


I'm not as tall as you and larger wheels would certainly make it easier, but people can still ride these on 20" wheel bikes and they've been doing it on old fashioned 26" for over 25 years now.

 

[Mike Muz]

It's nothing to do with wheel size, height, bike size. It's all about body position.

I'm definitely no expert rider and I used to be Captain OvertheBars even on a modern Carbon, 140mm Full suss all mountain bike, I bought the shortest stem possible, but still no better. So I went and had some lessons. It made all the difference.

To do any drop off you have to push you hips back (off the saddle) and push forward with the arms.
This is how it was explained to me.

In figure A you can see the the rider's torso is ahead of the hub of the front wheel, this causes the wheel to dig into the ground (blue arrow) and the direction of the force to be towards the ground. This results in the front wheel stalling and the momentum of the bike and rider carries on "over the bars."

In figure B, as the rider reaches the lip of the drop off the rider pushes their hips back and arms forward on the bars. The cause the front wheel to go further over the drop off, and the riders weight is now behind the front hub. The force on the front wheel is now more forward than down (blue arrow) as is the direction of the force of the bike and rider. So instead of digging in the front wheel goes forward and the back wheel follows in the normal manner.

Bigger wheels will soften the angle of smaller dropoffs but on anything bigger you will still have the same problem, but with further to fall ;-)

Save the money of a new bike and spend it on a lesson or two. It doesn't matter how long you've been riding, having somebody watch and critique your riding style will always be helpful. Well worth it. I can now do Alpine Black DH runs on a 120mm hard tail without any OTB moments.

Wow ,L S Lowry is in the room, cool!

 

[Stiff_Orange]

Wow ,L S Lowry is in the room, cool!

No, Lowry was a Roadie.

 

[bm0p700f]

Drop off and other stuff is why I don't xc race anymore well spring and summer races anyway. Winter races don't seem to have this nonsense in them. The problem with drop offs and the like is I am self employed and taking risks like that is pointless.

I can't offer any practical advise on doing them because I don't and wont.

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

It also takes longer to comeback from any injuries too, as the years advance. Took me a year or so after smashing a knee. But still, one needs to have some fun, as long as you're physically up to it. Hopefully experience, riding craft and judgement/concentration can avoid painful stacks.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Dp

 

[FluffyChicken]

Drop off and other stuff is why I don't xc race anymore well spring and summer races anyway. Winter races don't seem to have this nonsense in them. The problem with drop offs and the like is I am self employed and taking risks like that is pointless.

I can't offer any practical advise on doing them because I don't and wont.

They where always in the races BiTD at least the ones I watched (and the few I did)

They are not always rocks, many can just be mud, which may not look as scary but they get ripped up.

Great entertainment though.


I'm not talking about big dangerous drops (like the one in the Dalby WC route where most older Retrobikes would destroy their tyres/rims in the rock filed at the bottom). I'm assuming these are a 1 meterish or less drops.

 

[greencat]

It's nothing to do with wheel size, height, bike size. It's all about body position.

Yes, this. I have dropped off stuff on my Brompton before now - although not something I recommend. Prolonged off roading on my Brompton eventually resulted in a trip to the bike shop to have the rear wheel trued.

As I posted previously, a dropper post may help get the saddle out of the way to allow you to get back and lower more easily.

 

[Mike Muz]

the problem with drop offs and the like is I am self employed and taking risks like that is pointless.
/quote]

Wise words. Although I don't think I'd be much better off as an employee. SSP only I imagine