This is the first decent clip of me riding that I’ve ever posted in the gallery. It’s from early April (I’m pretty sure), and was taken by a bike trials rider. It’s basically of me doing part of a really long line of flat rocks that I would hit up by my dorms. When I first tried to make all of the rocks in one go in the fall when I moved in to the dorms, it didn’t work out. I eventually got it down to two tries, and I’d make the whole thing by the spring. It’s cold and wet out, but somehow I manage to fly through most of those rocks really fast!!
What? You call that riding? Where are all the prehops?!?!
I’m kidding of course. That was some great hopping, and you flew through it so quickly! You need to try to upload some more stuff when you get the opportunity, that was nicely done.
There is a line like that that I can almost fly though like you, but I need a pre hop to get over one of the rocks, and another to hop over a bush, but your riding was very smooth, as mine is =p
I really wanna see a full length vid of you riding, your too good just to show us a little bit at a time.
Also, whats your tire pressure, from the sound, it seems you ride with a pretty high PSI, but I couldn’t really tell if your tire was compressing much or not, but tire pressure doesn’t matter too much with technique as good as yours.
I’d be lying if I said I’ve never been inspired by him, or Ryan for that matter. I totally lifted the whole leg armor over dickies from him. I used to have to side-hop almost all of those gaps. But watching videos of both Ryan and Zack made me realize that I could forward hop almost all of the gaps in the entire rock line (the rest of it that’s not shown). And pre-hops? I haven’t used those for anything that’s not vertical…and even then I don’t need one unless an up’s over 34 inches.
Thanks everyone! I really enjoyed the comments, and all of the encouragement! I’ll see if I can put together something in the next two weeks.
Jerrick–I ride a somewhat high psi. This is so I can can do just about anything on a ride, and not foldover or bottom out on the rim. It usually stays at about 30-35 psi (sometimes lower) though depending on the temperature, of course. That day it was probably around 33-35psi. You may think my technique is good, and that the psi plays no major part in that technique, but it does. I like the tire set at a psi that’ll give me a quick response with compression/rebound, and one that’ll comply with my sense of timing. I hope that explains everything. If not, I’ll be happy to answer any more questions you might have.
It’s a pretty easy line I could do without prehops. But it’s still nice to see at least.
We all look like Zack Baldwin if we hop SIF without many prehops apparantly I ride a bit Zack Baldwineee as well according to joe hodges, but its actually easier i reckon lol, seeing as each hop is a setup hop for the next and momentum is constant.
Nice that people are actually posting vids of ‘natural’ riding however easy it is, I’m getting sooo tired of the usual pedal-grab on walls thing .
I’ll get a vid of me and joe hodges soon. natural and urban.
Easy, huh? One of those gaps is quite hard to hit forward…it’s the second one. It’s over three feet forward, and you start from a very small and pointy spot that’s easy to screw up,on the maroon colored rock, and have to hop forward and up some to the brown rock. Through the entire line, which I’ll have to shoot a video of sometime, it’s about twenty stones long, and there are about three really tricky gaps to hit.
Otherwise, it IS easy, you’re right. That’s why I’m doing it so fast.
Sponge–You need to come over to the States some time, and ride with me. But yeah, post a vid first, so I can see what you’re capable of…since like me, you’re one of the few who thinks the line is easy.
As far as riding like Zack Baldwin…I think you’re right. What’s funny is that while we’re out riding like Zack, he’s not even riding like Zack. He barely rides anymore, if at all now, right?
The clip is super short, and it totally PALES in comparison to yours, but it was really done as a test to see what it was like, and I plan on going back soon and doing better. There is one pretty high drop from a big boulder; I landed it but then stepped off my muni as there was very little room to go anywhere once I landed. The only negative about this place is there’s very little room between the rocks to drop and/or hop up to. Remember too that I’m an old guy so I can’t hope to do what you young guys can do! (But I’m tryin’!) (I know, excuses, excuses!)
Your so lucky to have that kind of a rock riding spot in the city/town. In the UK, I have none of that near me lol, even if we do have rocks in town they’re too easy no matter the size.
Soo many potential riding lines I can think of in that vid right up there. I’d better come to USA sometime soon, to see my cousins, but thats in New York City, dunno if any good rocks exist around there!
I don’t understand why Zack Baldwin would quit or stop riding that much, he’s got sidehop world record and has one of the most sought after riding styles in the world. I doubt he’s actually quit.
apparantly I ride a bit Zack Baldwineee as well according to joe hodges, but its actually easier i reckon lol, seeing as each hop is a setup hop for the next and momentum is constant.
(I know, excuses, excuses!)