Enduro/gravity bike suspension and geo

[Jewbacca]

4 minutes ago, Bos said:

All the gear and no idear

I have no issue with this spill.

both those guys went full send. I've seen some bakgat okes wussy out on that when the pallet was still there. 

Credit where it's due, they bro trained that exit like they owned it

[Bos]

27 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

I have no issue with this spill.

both those guys went full send. I've seen some bakgat okes wussy out on that when the pallet was still there. 

Credit where it's due, they bro trained that exit like they owned it

😁We send together, we eat dirt together! 

Didn't mean to be nasty. Glad they are OK. 

[Hairy]

49 minutes ago, Bos said:

All the gear and no idear

Hey, popo happens .... and at least the bro attempted it.

[Robbie Stewart]

2 hours ago, Bos said:

How did the oke in front go down? And what's the Duster doing up there? I mean I'd give my left nut for a shuttle pass in jonkershoek. Imagine dealing with traffic while trying to ride there lol 😆 

Can't say. They're was a bunch of folks all huddling around them when I got there. I just stood to the side and suddenly noticed the wrecked wheel. I wasn't aware of the first bloke going down till this clip.

In saying that I also smashed into the side of the trail at the bottom of Red Phoenix 3 on my descent. Came around the corner and my front wheel just washed out for no reason. The trail condition on the day was rather snotty after all the rain. Maybe that's what undid him on the landing.

I can't say about the Duster either. It was there when I got there. I saw two more vehicles head up that way later when I was climbing up to Firehut. I suspected they were on their way to fetch this guy and his bike.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Robbie Stewart
clearing up some confusion

[Bos]

30 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Can't say. They're was a bunch of folks all huddling around them when I got there. I just stood to the side and suddenly noticed the wrecked wheel. I wasn't aware of the first bloke going down till this clip.

In saying that I also smashed into the side of the trail at the bottom of Red Phoenix 3 on my descent. Came around the corner and my front wheel just washed out for no reason. The trail condition on the day was rather snotty after all the rain. Maybe that's what undid him on the landing.

I can't say about the Duster either. It was there when I got there. I saw two more vehicles head up that way later when I was climbing up to Firehut. I suspected they were on their way to fetch this guy and his bike.

Was one of them hurt more seriously?  

I doubt it was their first times hitting that. Just doesn't seem logical that they would do a train on a first attempt. The guy in front probably didn't have quite enough speed which got the best of him, the second guy was just a passenger by that time. 

 

I was looking at that drop the other day. One could make quite the sick roll in from the cliff behind the drop If given access. One could build it at just the right place so you don't even have to pedal. Only because the uphill roll in can be tricky as proven here.. One loses speed quite quickly once you stop to set up for the drop.

[Robbie Stewart]

12 hours ago, Bos said:

Was one of them hurt more seriously?  

I doubt it was their first times hitting that. Just doesn't seem logical that they would do a train on a first attempt. The guy in front probably didn't have quite enough speed which got the best of him, the second guy was just a passenger by that time. 

 

I was looking at that drop the other day. One could make quite the sick roll in from the cliff behind the drop If given access. One could build it at just the right place so you don't even have to pedal. Only because the uphill roll in can be tricky as proven here.. One loses speed quite quickly once you stop to set up for the drop.

No one was hurt thankfully. His buddies dropped into Red Phoenix ahead of me and I was the last to drop into the chute a bit behind them. He stayed behind obviously.

I also sussed out the run up to that drop and it almost made sense to come in from Armageddon side rather than from Neverending Story side but that would mean a very sharp right turn just before the drop which would also scrub speed at the crucial stage where you'd need it most. It definitely does not help matters to have a slight uphill lead in to the drop. If the wooden base had still been there I reckon they'd have made it. 

What one should also not lose sight of is the fact he dropped in on an e-bike, so if he did not have enough speed I was never going to make it on mine.

[Jewbacca]

8 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

No one was hurt thankfully. His buddies dropped into Red Phoenix ahead of me and I was the last to drop into the chute a bit behind them. He stayed behind obviously.

I also sussed out the run up to that drop and it almost made sense to come in from Armageddon side rather than from Neverending Story side but that would mean a very sharp right turn just before the drop which would also scrub speed at the crucial stage where you'd need it most. It definitely does not help matters to have a slight uphill lead in to the drop. If the wooden base had still been there I reckon they'd have made it. 

What one should also not lose sight of is the fact he dropped in on an e-bike, so if he did not have enough speed I was never going to make it on mine.

Guys huck that drop all the time on normal bikes?

It was definitely a lot easier pre fire, but it just take a bit more speed and a little pop off the top now.

[Robbie Stewart]

9 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Guys huck that drop all the time on normal bikes?

It was definitely a lot easier pre fire, but it just take a bit more speed and a little pop off the top now.

I'm sure it's makeable, don't get me wrong. I'm just saying one needs to be confident of the speed needed to clear that drop properly. As for me, I'm a big boy, so I would have to put in some serious cranks to maintain my momentum on the run-up, and then the huck and clear is simple enough. I was looking at it on the day, and the lack of the wood ramp did not come up as a major problem in my mind either.

I just haven't worked up the nerve to give it a go as yet. Dropping the proverbial ball up there is potential high consequence if you need care and assistance after getting it wrong. This video highlights that fact. He could so nearly have hurt himself in so many ways. Thankfully he didn't though.

The first oke though just looks like he washed out on the landing. I watched a chap do the same thing the last time I was up there too. He made the drop no problem, only to spectacularly wash out and plant himself in the track, earning himself some lekker roasties for his efforts. My mind keeps telling me the drop is not the problem, but that landing looks properly sketchy.

[Meezo]

18 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I'm sure it's makeable, don't get me wrong. I'm just saying one needs to be confident of the speed needed to clear that drop properly. As for me, I'm a big boy, so I would have to put in some serious cranks to maintain my momentum on the run-up, and then the huck and clear is simple enough. I was looking at it on the day, and the lack of the wood ramp did not come up as a major problem in my mind either.

I just haven't worked up the nerve to give it a go as yet. Dropping the proverbial ball up there is potential high consequence if you need care and assistance after getting it wrong. This video highlights that fact. He could so nearly have hurt himself in so many ways. Thankfully he didn't though.

The first oke though just looks like he washed out on the landing. I watched a chap do the same thing the last time I was up there too. He made the drop no problem, only to spectacularly wash out and plant himself in the track, earning himself some lekker roasties for his efforts. My mind keeps telling me the drop is not the problem, but that landing looks properly sketchy.

In my view what the wooden "ramp" did add was a nice trajectory off the drop.

That has changed now, with the soil being rounded off the top, so there's more emphasis on the pop off the top... and to get the timing right as such

...as for the 2nd point you made about

Quote

He made the drop no problem

i did some skills courses with Julian Louw years ago, and one thing he mentioned and i tend to agree with (same happened to me going OTB at Witfontein) was that he never made the drop and was hoping on speed and/or luck to land. The crash actually "started" once he attempted the drop the end washing out is just manifestations of that...

...in itself a debatable point

but 4 guys attempt the drop , 1 of them washes out is due to their lack of skill/speed/technique and not the sudden change of ground or rock movements. weather(wind) can immediately impact sure but then it should of been avoided to start off with

[Meezo]

44 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Guys huck that drop all the time on normal bikes?

It was definitely a lot easier pre fire, but it just take a bit more speed and a little pop off the top now.

Love this!

and its still a thing, normal bikes... hahaha

[RiverInTheRoad]

That drop is very doable, just takes a lot of energy to get enough speed. You will not make it from the Armageddon side unless you do a big bunnyhop to clear the gap.

It would be a non-feature if it had a downhill run-up.

Disclaimer: I only hit it when I feel good (very seldom).

 

[Headshot]

Come on guys, back on topic, how would you set your suspension and flip chips up for that drop. On an ebike would you use full power mode? (Q - surely it should be easy to get the speed on a Levo making me wonder if the Eeb rider had a flat battery 🙂 )

[Hairy]

2 hours ago, Meezo said:

Love this!

and its still a thing, normal bikes... hahaha

Clearly he was not in "Turbo" mode when attempting that 

[Headshot]

Had a Tokai test of my new Spank rear rim with Nukeproof foam insert. The rims give a very tight fit even to a Maxxis tyre so I was forced to ditch my too tight WTB Tough casing tyre ifo a lowly exo Maxxis Aggressor. That said I wasn't too worried about the tyre or rim as I had the insert. Fitting the insert was easy despite the tight tyre fit

In short and admittedly after one ride, I am sold on the foam feeling. Rear wheel feels better damped and just different to a tyre without. The new wheel build - done by William at William's Bike Shop in SSW also surprised me. Feels stiffer (not hard) and 'more efficient as a result. 

I rolled my super high bars back a bit and quite liked the feeling. I am enjoying the better suspension balance that comes with a more even weight distribution front to back and less weight on my hands when descending. 

20220828_140502.heic 20220828_140543.heic 20220828_140559.heic

Edited August 29, 2022 by Headshot

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, Headshot said:

Had a Tokai test of my new Spank rear rim with Nukeproof foam insert. The rims give a very tight fit even to a Maxxis tyre so I was forced to ditch my too tight WTB Tough casing tyre ifo a lowly exo Maxxis Aggressor. That said I wasn't too worried about the tyre or rim as I had the insert. Fitting the insert was easy despite the tight tyre fit

In short and admittedly after one ride, I am sold on the foam feeling. Rear wheel feels better damped and just different to a tyre without. The new wheel build - done by William at William's Bike Shop in SSW also surprised me. Feels stiffer (not hard) and 'more efficient as a result. 

I rolled my super high bars back a bit and quite liked the feeling. I am enjoying the better suspension balance that comes with a more even weight distribution front to back and less weight on my hands when descending. 

20220828_140502.heic 1.96 MB · 5 downloads 20220828_140543.heic 1.63 MB · 1 download 20220828_140559.heic 1.87 MB · 3 downloads

a really well hand built wheel is always a great upgrade

had a wheelset that kept popping spokes, got it rebuilt (Same gauge spokes) by a good wheel builder, and the difference was night and day .... the bike also just came alive.

[Sprockets]

Advice needed:

What would a pair of Fox 36 forks be worth +-, Kashima, 27.5, non-boost, FIT4 damper?