Serious crashes on the Spruit today

[RockCoach]

The trick with the bombhole A line is that it looks steeper than it is, so riders who aren't used to it lean forward for fear of doing a back flip/flop. This then causes the rear to get bucked and they end up doing a front flip/flop.

 

All one has to do it lean back a little and ride the jump. Fight the shape of it, and the jump will ride you.

 

I was still not quite making the landing on my first two attempts when we saw you there. Have to brake less next time.

 

[patches]

Yesterday afternoon I went for test ride number 2 on the new jump near Virgin.

 

 

I must have hit it 10-15 times and for those who may be thinking of jumping it, I can give the following feedback.

• It looks worse than it is
  
• Gap is actually on the small side, so easy to clear
  
• Landing is super smooth.
  
• Launch is consistent, it doesn't buck, but also doesn't require "boost" to clear.
  
• The jump can be "ridden" (meaning just go at a decent speed and hold on) or it can be "worked" (meaning go slower, but boost off the lip to get height and shape.
  

It really is one of the best feeling jumps on the spruit at the moment, and anyone with moderate skills who can get their mind over matter will easily be able to do it.

 

There are far more dangerous "table tops" on the spruit (like the one near the delta playground) where the launch bucks riders or sends them skew.

Edited April 25, 2014 by patches

[Cruz Addict]

Yesterday afternoon I went for test ride number 2 on the new jump near Virgin.

 

 

I must have hit it 10-15 times and for those who may be thinking of jumping it, I can give the following feedback.

• It looks worse than it is
  
• Gap is actually on the small side, so easy to clear
  
• Landing is super smooth.
  
• Launch is consistent, it doesn't buck, but also doesn't require "boost" to clear.
  
• The jump can be "ridden" (meaning just go at a decent speed and hold on) or it can be "worked" (meaning go slower, but boost off the lip to get height and shape.
  

It really is one of the best feeling jumps on the spruit at the moment, and anyone with moderate skills who can get their mind over matter will easily be able to do it.

 

There are far more dangerous "table tops" on the spruit (like the one near the delta playground) where the launch bucks riders or sends them skew.

shot for the update patch, going to give it a go this weekend and see if i live, if you happen to get there and smell something frot please check if my body is in the ditch etc

[Super_mil]

Yesterday afternoon I went for test ride number 2 on the new jump near Virgin.

 

 

I must have hit it 10-15 times and for those who may be thinking of jumping it, I can give the following feedback.

• It looks worse than it is
  
• Gap is actually on the small side, so easy to clear
  
• Landing is super smooth.
  
• Launch is consistent, it doesn't buck, but also doesn't require "boost" to clear.
  
• The jump can be "ridden" (meaning just go at a decent speed and hold on) or it can be "worked" (meaning go slower, but boost off the lip to get height and shape.
  

It really is one of the best feeling jumps on the spruit at the moment, and anyone with moderate skills who can get their mind over matter will easily be able to do it.

 

There are far more dangerous "table tops" on the spruit (like the one near the delta playground) where the launch bucks riders or sends them skew.

 

As Patches says this jump is actually on the short side of things. Don't go in too hot or you'll over jump it. If you clear the two jumps before this one, you'll only need 1 or 2 pedal strokes to clear the gap. Take the line on the right as you make the 2nd jump as it lines you up nice and straight for the gap jump. The lip is mellow and predictable.

 

Regarding the Bomb hole. Rode it on Wednesday and it definitely has been trimmed back, so the lip is not prone to bucking you forwards. That said, since the lip is flatter expect to travel a touch further (but lower) in the air.

 

Also, before attempting anything technical or new to you (like a jump, or a drop, or a rock garden, of just a really steep hill), just have a look at what you're planning to ride and try to make sense of it before committing yourself to it. This goes for any trail, anywhere.

[RockCoach]

 

 

As Patches says this jump is actually on the short side of things. Don't go in too hot or you'll over jump it. If you clear the two jumps before this one, you'll only need 1 or 2 pedal strokes to clear the gap. Take the line on the right as you make the 2nd jump as it lines you up nice and straight for the gap jump. The lip is mellow and predictable.

 

Regarding the Bomb hole. Rode it on Wednesday and it definitely has been trimmed back, so the lip is not prone to bucking you forwards. That said, since the lip is flatter expect to travel a touch further (but lower) in the air.

 

Also, before attempting anything technical or new to you (like a jump, or a drop, or a rock garden, of just a really steep hill), just have a look at what you're planning to ride and try to make sense of it before committing yourself to it. This goes for any trail, anywhere.

 

Thanks dude. Going to go have a good look at it this weekend.

 

I think everyone who rides a bike should know by now that even if you are very skilled and do everything right, there's still a chance of a crash. Hope you are fine after your lie down when your chain broke on Bundaberg the other night.

 

 

[patches]

Thanks dude. Going to go have a good look at it this weekend.

 

I think everyone who rides a bike should know by now that even if you are very skilled and do everything right, there's still a chance of a crash. Hope you are fine after your lie down when your chain broke on Bundaberg the other night.

 

don't look too hard.

 

I think half the challenges I choose not to attempt are because I've looked at them too much, and start thinking of all the things that could go wrong.

 

Less look, more do!

[flymango]

don't look too hard.

 

I think half the challenges I choose not to attempt are because I've looked at them too much, and start thinking of all the things that could go wrong.

 

Less look, more do!

 

How about this for good measure?

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/138734-do-not-try-this-at-home/

[Fire Engine]

Keen to give it a bash just the gap freaks me out ,if there is no gap then I almost always ready to give it a go. Thanks for the tips though , I might just man up. Who knows.

[eddy]

.

Edited April 25, 2014 by eddy

[Beast Tech]

Gave this thing a look yesterday, and I did what I shouldn't have done, gave myself way too much time to look at it and over think so I pulled out.

 

Would be cool to know when some guys are going to be there jumping it so I can just watch and judge the speed, because not sure what's the best speed to hit it.

 

It is so well built by the way, well done to the builders!

[patches]

I see a rider went down at the bombhole this morning. Anyone know what happened, and if he's ok?

Edited May 10, 2014 by patches

[nolipoli]

That's not good.

I am quite surprised, because it is quite mellow now that it has been fixed. I even do it clipped in now, which is huge!

[pierre-]

.

Edited January 13, 2015 by pierre-

[patches]

NOTE: To everyone wanting to try the new jump near Virgin Acive...

 

Please, PLEASE do NOT modify it in any way. Those that built it put in over 7hrs of hard work to get it that way, and it has a really really good feel to it.

 

If the gap intimidates you, but you'd still like to give it a try, feel free to PM me and maybe we can arrange a session with the safety-bridge there.

[FlandersZA]

This bomb-hole you okes speak of, that's the one on the left of the river headed north with concrete bridge on the right and optional route to the left?

 

I haven't done spruit since Jan and normally when I head back north these days I go over the bridge for that fun, windy stuff leading to the river crossing so I think I miss it most of the time? But if I'm thinking of the right thing, and I'm not sure how it looks now, the bad bit about that was at the exit - on the left there is/was something hard or concrete there IIRC. Basically if you hit it you'd be launched off to the left with possible dire consequences. I found if I took a line to the right I'd pop out the bottom at some pace, more or less intact. That's my noob advice to anyone finding themselves hurtling down there thinking they were on the path to the left.

 

For me, one of the most dangerous parts of spruit, aside from the aforementioned Jan Smuts trench and the crazy jumps is near the scout hall where you have a large, flat piece of exposed bedrock in the trail. During summertime that rock is constantly wet and gets VERY slick with algae. On my way back one day late last year I saw a guy break his leg or hip on that and he was being stretchered out. I went cleated OTB there one morning when I hit it from the northern side. Some genius had removed the stepping stone between the slippery rock and the higher trail lip on the northern edge. Hurt like a beeatch. I think it has been cemented there now if memory serves, which is good.

 

I'm not the bravest guy around when it comes to challenging obstacles but Sat I had a heart-stopping moment when I decided to go all gutsy. I was riding northern farm and decided to hit the 1m or so drop off where red splits left and black goes straight. As I launched, time slowed to a crawl as I watched every youtube fail video play through my mind of guys going OTB and crunching themselves on bikes. I wondered if I was about to become a statistic. I managed to land it but I think it could've been prettier. As a relative noob to riding again, I find now on the dual sus mtb that jumps/drops etc. feel very different to how they were as a laaitie on the bmx. Can be a bit unnerving at times.

[eddy]

 

 

For me, one of the most dangerous parts of spruit, aside from the aforementioned Jan Smuts trench and the crazy jumps is near the scout hall where you have a large, flat piece of exposed bedrock in the trail.

 

 

can someone please let us know where the Scout hall is ?