Tokai - best way down Vasbyt from the jeep track

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Yip, I must admit that start to Vasbyt can be quite unnerving, as are a number of sections in Tokai. But in time, you'll get it. You just need to do it once or twice and then you'll think nothing of it thereafter. Just try and roll it, with your weight placed with a bias to the rear, and try to keep your heels dropped.

I'm certainly no expert, but that worked for me.

In fact, in the beginning, I'd stop and push the section with the steps.

Just takes one time to convince yourself that you can do it.

Indeed. That berm is sooooo sweet. Spydude (Pierre) and I swept it over the weekend, getting rid of the 2 inch deep layer of dust that had accumulated over time - was getting a touch sketchy with the front wheel if your weight distribution was off - and now it should be back to what it was like 4 months ago when it was packed up again. 

 

Going into there now is going to be so much better and faster. 

[cadenceblur]

Want to get to a stage where I can sail over those steps, did it a few times, but then lost a bit of nerve. There's also a root that sticks out on the right hand side of one of those steps that one has to watch out for, quite easy to clip it on your way down.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Want to get to a stage where I can sail over those steps, did it a few times, but then lost a bit of nerve. There's also a root that sticks out on the right hand side of one of those steps that one has to watch out for, quite easy to clip it on your way down.

Yeah. It's actually pretty easy if you unweight the front. Just ensure that your suspension is properly set up, or you'll be like me and almost lose it. 

[GoLefty!!]

 

 

[Aborted]

Gee guys, thanks a mil for the tips, I have some improving to do by the look of those videos. Okay, weight back, heels down and not too much or little dampening on my back shock?

[marko35s]

Gee guys, thanks a mil for the tips, I have some improving to do by the look of those videos. Okay, weight back, heels down and not too much or little dampening on my back shock?

Happy to guide you down there if you want - I'm up there 3 times during the week and a few of us meet up at 3pm each Sunday if you want to join up.

It's all fun and not a race and yes that entry does look intimidating until you run through there a few times and have great fun doing it.

PM me if you want to join up with us sometime.

[GoLefty!!]

both shocks should be set up with rebound such that the rebound speed is just slower than the compression. Any slower and it stacks down. any faster and it'll pitch you off.

 

the set up starts to get a bit more complex once you want a specific behaviour at various points of the trail so start with KISS and work from there once you comfortable with the trail

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

both shocks should be set up with rebound such that the rebound speed is just slower than the compression. Any slower and it stacks down. any faster and it'll pitch you off.

 

the set up starts to get a bit more complex once you want a specific behaviour at various points of the trail so start with KISS and work from there once you comfortable with the trail

Yep. 100%. That's what happened to me down the last root drop on Vasbyt. Came down far faster than I was used to (I was in a good spot, and was giving it gas) and my rebound was far too fast. Land, get pitched into the air and managed to save it. Well, the bike helped, but I went down the rest of the chute on the top tube, trying to control the thing 

[Lone_Ranger]

I found that the anticipation of the difficulty ahead was more frightening than the ride itself. Once you commit and forget about what could go wrong its much easier. Like with most things in life, don't think too much.

 

Having said that, I have come horribly short a few times. Mostly when my weight was too far forward. Learnt the hard way that you can almost never have your weight too far back.

 

PS If you ride a hardtail like I do there's no need to worry about your shock rebound throwing you off. #justsaying  

[Capricorn]

Having said that, I have come horribly short a few times. Mostly when my weight was too far forward. Learnt the hard way that you can almost never have your weight too far back.

 

that's another very hard lesson waiting to happen. Too far back, and it won't matter that your rebound is perfect, or that you are riding a hardtail: you can get bucked in a big way going over jumps and drops. Too far back also causes loss of steering, resulting in wipeouts in corners for example.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

that's another very hard lesson waiting to happen. Too far back, and it won't matter that your rebound is perfect, or that you are riding a hardtail: you can get bucked in a big way going over jumps and drops. Too far back also causes loss of steering, resulting in wipeouts in corners for example.

Yep. 

[banna]

both shocks should be set up with rebound such that the rebound speed is just slower than the compression. Any slower and it stacks down. any faster and it'll pitch you off.

 

 

Your bike has 2 shocks?  Mine has a fork and shock.   

[Lone_Ranger]

that's another very hard lesson waiting to happen. Too far back, and it won't matter that your rebound is perfect, or that you are riding a hardtail: you can get bucked in a big way going over jumps and drops. Too far back also causes loss of steering, resulting in wipeouts in corners for example.

I hear you, but I have a natural tendency to lean forward, particularly on steep downhill sections where gravity is pulling my upper body down. By leaning far back and keeping my knees loose I find I ride the rough stuff much better.

[Edge540]

both shocks should be set up with rebound such that the rebound speed is just slower than the compression. Any slower and it stacks down. any faster and it'll pitch you off.

 

the set up starts to get a bit more complex once you want a specific behaviour at various points of the trail so start with KISS and work from there once you comfortable with the trail

This sounds plenty complicated enough already. I assume the compression is governed by the air pressure but how do you measure which is quicker? Is there a Dummies Guide to Fork/ shock setup?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

This sounds plenty complicated enough already. I assume the compression is governed by the air pressure but how do you measure which is quicker? Is there a Dummies Guide to Fork/ shock setup?

Air pressure and compression damping circuit. Air pressure determines how much force is required to move the fork a given distance in its travel, compression damping limits the speed at which that fork will move in order to get there. No compression damping and no rebound damping - pogo stick = the fork moves as fast as teh air pressure allows it to, as the valves in the compression & rebound circuits are fully open, allowing oil to move between teh chambers unimpeded. 

 

Full rebound and compression damping - it's like sticky fudge. Still needs the same force to compress the fork for hte same distance, but because those valves are almost fully closed, it limits the speed at which the oil can move between chambers, and thus slows down the speed at which the fork reacts to hits. 

 

You need it somewhere int he middle, according to your personal preference and riding style, as well as the terrain you're riding. 

 

 

Edit: Tim, feel free to chime in - you're the oil expert here. 

[marko35s]

Your bike has 2 shocks?  Mine has a fork and shock.   

You just tangled with GoLefty you need to be ready for a, erm, shock...