Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Rear wheel control. The rear wheel is the most important because it drives the bike. Holding rear wheel traction, unless you are deliberately sliding, is the essential challenge of off-road rid· ing. Remember that the rear wheel always turns inside the front wheel line. Turns Tight turns. Stand, center body positioning over the intended line (by moving to the outside of the leaned-in bike) and weight the outside footpeg by jamming down hard. Point the leg to the outside of the tum away from the gas tank. This makes it possible to lean the bike into the turn more without losing balance. Make sure that the head and shoulders follow the turn of the handlebars. In extreme turns it is necessary to straighten the inside arm and leg while bending the outside arm and leg to allow the head and shoulders to follow the tum. Impossible turns. Try the'trialster's deliberate dab U·turn with a standup stance. Lean forward and weight the forks. Lead the inside foot toward the front axle and turn it in the direction of the turn before planting it. Then lift up on the bars, using the rebound of the fork springs and a quick short burst of throttle. The idea is to get the bike balanced on its rear wheel so it can be pivoted around. Guide the front end down. This trick is handy for switchbacks, narrow gullies or trails on the side of a hill or mountain. Banked turDI. Lift the front wheel up on a rock or the side of a gully and then give it steering input while up on the banked surface. This input guides the rear wheel which remains down on the beaten traiL Floating turns. F10aters are a refinement of the banked turn. The front wheel is carried in the air after being banked off something. Cambers (Top) Bernie's weight is down and back to usist lifting the front wheel up onto the rock. IAbOve) He keeps his body centered by leaning over the bars. IBelow) He uses the flex in his knees to dampen the impact of the rear wheel hitting the rock fece. Straightening the legs helps rear of bike spring up the bl!.~!!. The best way to ride across the side of a slope is by leaning the bike irito the slope while keeping body positioning vertical - centered over the line of the tires. 'To do this the body should be as far to the outside of the leaned-in bike as -possible with heavy weighting of the downside foot· peg. Build up steam to coast across if possible, or hold the throttle very steady. For long traverses across a slope it's best to anticipate that there will be some side-slipping down the slope. Start with a high line to allow for this. Make the entrance to a camber as straight-on as possible. Turning uphill on a slope is very tricky. Momentum msut be built up beforehand so that the bike can coast around the corner and get straightened out. Most riders get in trouble by trying to apply the gas as they tum uphill. This causes the leanedover rear wheel to slide and a pushand-shove match usually follows. Playing wall-of-death or just running up on the side of a slope is an easy way to get around traffic backing up in a gilBy. Keep body and footpeg weighting to the highside of the footpeg weighting to the highside of the bike and cruise up and around. Nasty uphills 20 Long, loose. twisting hills. Attack these as hard as possible. Then "spend" some speed if necessary to coast around turns, over loose or bumpy spots or to regain traction. If momentum is sufficient the best traction will generally result from haloing a steady throttle. Look for traction patches to pick up more speed. Flat rocks actually offer excellent trction. Be prepared for a sudden patch of good traction that might lift the front end too much. Lean forward and back off on the ga for an instant to help control the front wheeL The same applies to a step or ledge on the way up. Those last few feet. The last 10 or 20 feet to the top can be a real killer. It's much easier to motor over the top. When traction is going, it's generally best to shut off the throttle for an instant. This may allow the rubber to get a bite. At the same time a troubled climber should straighten his legs and try to jam the pegs into the hillside. This weights the rear wheel, improving the odds of grabbing traction. Start playing with the throttle, working it on and off, feeling for traction. Another tip. Try wiggling the front wheeL This creates a forward pull at creeping speed. If all else fails, hop off the pegs and shut the throttle. The weight returning to the pegs will slam the rear wheel into the ground, possibly allowing a traction hook·up. If pushing is necessary, sit down to weight the rear wheeL Use the throule and clutch ~o keep the front wheel from raising too much. Get back up on the pegs as soon as possible once some traction returns. Nasty downhills It's best to'drop off the top of a slow steep hill as slowly as possible for maximum control. One mile per hour is twice as slow as two miles per hour. Brake to a virtual stop, roll over the top and look for traction patches that allow maximum braking. Ease off over the slippery or loose surfaces. Utilize those traction areas. no matter how brief. If the bike starts to go sideways, release the rear brake. A small burst of throttle will help straighten it out. Then bring it back under control with the brakes. Try to cross any unavoidable ruts as straight on as possible. Release the brakes for ;iD instant ·as the wheel cross. Riding over an obstacle at an angle There's a slippery log angled across the narrow trail and no way to go around it. short of carrying the bike over. Ride over, using leg suspension and coasting throttle controL Therear wheel will want to skid sideways on the angled surface, especially if it is wet. l;Jte power must be off. with little or no weighting on the rear wheel. This allows it to hit and roll over. AIlticipate any skid and take the body ~long with it. Try to straighten the approach as much as possible to reduce the angle. Mud Stand up and give it wick. Turn the power on hard and ride loose, letting the bike work between the legs. Keep body weighting back to lighten the front wheel while improving rear wheel traction. A mud coating over a hard surface calls for utrnost respect. Use steady thr~(tle. do nothing ahruptly and keep the bike as vertical as possible. Water Stand and carry the front wheel across shorter water crossings. This prevents splash. When it is necessary to ride the front wheel through, maintain a very wide stance to allow the bike to slip or skid on hidden rocks underneath. Hold a steady throttle. If the water is fast and rock infested it may be best to "dopt a one-leg dabbing stance. Stand on one peg and use the other foot like the third leg of a tripod~ moving it forward from point to point as the bike crosses or traverses the stream. For really deep water. watch and then follow the exact line of a rider who is able to get through with minimum problems. •

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