Reme Le Hane Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Props where props are due, I spent the weekend in Hoogekraal at the Skills clinic offered by Julien Louw (MTBSkills). It was a great weekend out and I was honestly amazed at how much I learnt, even in a group setting you still get that personal attention with some added bonus of camaraderie. I have been ridding for a few years and you learn as you go, I guess more often than you can imagine. We took a baseline ride when we were nice and fresh Saturday down Cobra, and then spent some time in the skills park working on the basics. Sunday was more ridding, ending with another timed run down Cobra where I was tired and I made a few mistakes, which I can now see as well, I still managed a 30s improvement. Coming down the last line even I was amazed at how naturally I was ridding better, taking some of the turns so fast and sharp that I would probably be able to pick up a rock off the floor, from rolling every table or casing them if I had the balls to try, I cleared every single one coming down without even thinking about it. Not even touching brakes and I normally live on them. lol I am sure I can get even better, and now its up to me to work on it and hopefully not forget, but I will be joining him again in a few months either 1on1 or at his next clinic for a refresher. Coming out of this weekend I feel like a whole new ridder, cannot wait to hit the bike again and it was worth every penny and more. While I even took a photo on Sat, I had not realised that Cobra was rated Black expert, on my home trails I actively avoid those. https://youtu.be/PZS1F_DNEBw
Robbie Stewart Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Well done for doing this skills session. It will definitely improve your riding, that's for sure. I was there when you guys were getting tutored, and it was refreshing to see so many people get up-skilled. Some of the kids were whipping their way down the intermediate table top line.
ChrisF Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Reme I saw Julien teach a group of kids last year. RESPECT ! He certainly knows his stuff !! Been promising to treat myself to a 1-on-1 session with him ....
Reme Le Hane Posted July 15, 2019 Author Posted July 15, 2019 Reme I saw Julien teach a group of kids last year. RESPECT ! He certainly knows his stuff !! Been promising to treat myself to a 1-on-1 session with him ....Do it, you will not be sorry. If you like socials, he did say he will do another clinic for ewc jonkers so I'm guessing end September.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Excellent! He's one of the good guys, is Julien. But: be aware that Cobra is most definitely not a black trail... While I even took a photo on Sat, I had not realised that Cobra was rated Black expert, on my home trails I actively avoid those.
Reme Le Hane Posted July 15, 2019 Author Posted July 15, 2019 Excellent! He's one of the good guys, is Julien. But: be aware that Cobra is most definitely not a black trail...On paper I know what the colours mean, but I feel different trails treat them differently, at Jonkers I've ridden some blue trails I'd rate harder than some of the red ones.
Thermophage Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Julien is a legend Glad you went to a session with him man! More people (including myself sometime) would benefit immensely.Also...Cobra is not a black trail. Don't let that board fool anyone. It needs to be changed. It's gonna cause k@k when someone rides it, goes "yeah I can ride some black trails" ,goes to Jonkers, tries Status Quo or Plumber and dies.
Reme Le Hane Posted July 15, 2019 Author Posted July 15, 2019 Julien is a legend Glad you went to a session with him man! More people (including myself sometime) would benefit immensely.Also...Cobra is not a black trail. Don't let that board fool anyone. It needs to be changed. It's gonna cause k@k when someone rides it, goes "yeah I can ride some black trails" ,goes to Jonkers, tries Status Quo or Plumber and dies.I was told to not ride plumber. I think I'll go walk it one day. [emoji23]
Thermophage Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 I was told to not ride plumber. I think I'll go walk it one day. [emoji23]That's smart and a very underrated skill. Important to walk and look at things first, THEN ride. So you could probably ride large portions of Plumber already with a walk down
Reme Le Hane Posted July 15, 2019 Author Posted July 15, 2019 That's smart and a very underrated skill. Important to walk and look at things first, THEN ride. So you could probably ride large portions of Plumber already with a walk down Just watched Ride, Rate, Reviews video down that and like most of section 1 I am like, that's not so bad, then it's gets rocky and I'm like ok. Section 2 I think I died like 7 times just watching it. [emoji23]
Jewbacca Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Just watched Ride, Rate, Reviews video down that and like most of section 1 I am like, that's not so bad, then it's gets rocky and I'm like ok. Section 2 I think I died like 7 times just watching it. [emoji23]Also remember that a gopro makes godzilla look like a garden variety lizard. The top section of Plumber scares me the most. It's steep and sharp and loose. The bottom 2 bits are crazy fun until you get it wrong. With only rocks to land on, it can be somewhat unpleasant.
Headshot Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Julien is a legend Glad you went to a session with him man! More people (including myself sometime) would benefit immensely.Also...Cobra is not a black trail. Don't let that board fool anyone. It needs to be changed. It's gonna cause k@k when someone rides it, goes "yeah I can ride some black trails" ,goes to Jonkers, tries Status Quo or Plumber and dies. Are those JH trails not actually "double black diamond", in SA terms anyway? I agree that the Cobra at Hoogies is not really a black diamond - maybe a demanding blue in 2 places. Trail grading is a bit of a black art it seems.
Thermophage Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Are those JH trails not actually "double black diamond", in SA terms anyway? I agree that the Cobra at Hoogies is not really a black diamond - maybe a demanding blue in 2 places. Trail grading is a bit of a black art it seems. Ya, I didn't want to be the one to call it a tough Green trail. But easy Blue is probably the most fair.
stefmeister Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 Julien is a legend Glad you went to a session with him man! More people (including myself sometime) would benefit immensely.Also...Cobra is not a black trail. Don't let that board fool anyone. It needs to be changed. It's gonna cause k@k when someone rides it, goes "yeah I can ride some black trails" ,goes to Jonkers, tries Status Quo or Plumber and dies.The entry to both those trails will quickly remove all the misplaced confidence.
Thermophage Posted July 15, 2019 Posted July 15, 2019 The entry to both those trails will quickly remove all the misplaced confidence. For sure, but TMTBC should not be setting a false sense of confidence by mis-grading their trails so badly in the first place.
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