How do you handle water run-offs at speed?

[Hackster]

A question for the skilled okes (and okessses).

 

How do you handle the water run-offs, those berms that run diagonally across gravel roads/tracks/ trails?

 

They're designed to push surface water off the road so they're generally built on roads/tracks/trails that have a gradient to them.

 

Riding up, no problem, but riding down, you often encounter them at speed.

 

The ones that I'm struggling with are in Cape Town, the blockhouse descent specifically. I'm hitting some of these at 50 km/h+ which is outer limit stuff for me. But slow for some I've been passed by...

 

Do you pronk, bunny or just get your weight back and trust the bike?

 

I ride a camber 29er and am reasonably good at pronking but crap at bunnying. I've had a few moments when my rear wheel has been kicked up too high for comfort so I've gotta master these things before they master me.

 

Any advice pertaining to dual suss setups will be much appreciated. And lets assume my tyre and shock setup is correct.

 

[nonky]

Bunny hop + prayer + good medical aid

[Paul Ruinaard]

It depends how high you want to go - assuming you are getting in to the air.

 

Either push the bike in to the face and launch it by straightening your legs - but at 50kmh you are going to get some real air, or soften it with your knees on the launch to make sure you dont get in to the air too much.

 

You are on an FS so if your back wheel is kicking up its because its clipping the lip, not cleaning it - so you need to launch off the face - ride up it - if you get my drift. You should still be going up when you levae the face. If you arent then the back ctaches the edge and tries to flip you.

 

I would suggest do it slower at first to get the technique correct and then build the speed up and get more confident.

 

Those things are tough to ride, catch many people out and at 50kmh a bad landing will lead to a hospital stay.

 

Thats the theory of course - in practice I just go slow now.

[FlyingScot]

I am not sure of the ones in Cape Town, but generally I try to keep my arms and legs very relaxed and using them as shocks, keeping my core and head relatively stable. The bike almost flows over the bump without any issues. The faster you take the bump, the quicker you need to react to keep your core and head stable...

 

Alternatively, I just hop it, depends what mood I am in! 

[fanievb]

I usually try and avoid the worst part of them, they normally follow the camber and are worse on the lower side of the road, so I try and ride on the high side.

you can usually just ride over the high side, but a small bunny hop (just enough to clear) is required sometimes


Hope this makes sense 

 

 

[Jinga]

PRONK

[Plentipotential]

Flat out. It may not help but it will sure end the suspense.

[NukeproofPeanut]

Well depends what you want to do and how big it is.

For fun: I'd just launch it 

To maintain speed: Simple lift the front wheel over the top and pump on the back side down, this is probably the safest way unless it has a really sharp lip and is not rollable, i.e. one that will kick you. In this case i'd just hop over it.

 

 

EDIT: Like this http://www.mbr.co.uk/mountain-bike-videos/bike-skills-how-to-squash-bumps-286596

[porqui]

At 50km/h ?!?

[Guest notmyname]

Manual. Stay loose and let your knees soak up the hits.

[Guest notmyname]

Manual. Stay loose and let your knees soak up the hits.

Speed is your friend.

[Hackster]

Manual. Stay loose and let your knees soak up the hits.

Manual. That's another skill on my to-do list...

[porqui]

Manual. That's another skill on my to-do list...

 

Manual at 50km/h - seroius respect to anyone.

[SwissVan]

Mee....

 

option 1

Pronk it if I know I can get the both (especially the rear wheel) over the lip, otherwise a serious OMGosh rebounding rear wheel situation could occur

 

option 2 - depending on how severe the thing is

wheelie the front over it (dont lift the front to high) and let the rear wheel role through it

[NukeproofPeanut]

Manual. That's another skill on my to-do list...

 

 

Manual at 50km/h - seroius respect to anyone.

 

To me, manualing is one of the basics! We talking about hopping or Ponking it at 50km/h, but you can't manual for a short distance? Thats very worrying. 

 

You should ride within your limits if you can't tackle obstacles correctly at 50km/h, you need to then slow down accordingly.

[deanbean]

Keep your body centered, and absorb the hits with your legs and arm, like this

http://i.imgur.com/bLko2Ij.gif