Balance

[heggler9]

hey, i just started riding trials, but cant balance with my brakes locked. i can balance fine on an uphill with no brakes, but cant stay put for more than about 15 seconds with the brakes locked, any help would be cool. have a nice day

[oicdn]

it's all about time... don't count how long you can trackstand, it's pretty dumb and doesn't accomplish much except "heh I got one second longer". Best way to get balance, is to learn to pivot. You'll learn how to subtly throw your weight, manage it and the next time you try to trackstand, you'll notice it was easier to maintain your balance. Instead of trying to learn it going up hill, try to learn it sideways, so it's off camber...that'll help more in the long run...oh, and don't "practice" trackstands....

[hophopsnap]

I do trackstands in between moves, its practice going from one move to another and keeping balence. use your legs!

[Matt]

Who ever told you you had to have your brakes locked to trackstand? I would recommend you release the rear brake and only lock the front to propel yourself backwards. You may have to make large corrections at first, but eventually you'll be so good at trackstanding that to any non-rider it will appear you are stationary. In some circumstances you will have to lock both of your brakes, so once you start getting your normal trackstands down you can practice those. But even then, in most situations you're going to be able to make minor adjustments, even if they are only an inch, they'll make a considerable difference.

If you don't quite understand what I've said, just ask me which part you need me to elaborate on.

Matt

[Zyzzyx]

oh, and don't "practice" trackstands....
Meh...

and why not?



Sometimes as I wander by my bike rack I'll pull out the bike and trackstand in the living room. I'll try either foot forward, wheel to either side, move my body way over the bars or way off the back.

There's nothing wrong with practicing trackstands.

[rush]

Practising trackstands is really good for balance and getting used to how your bike feels. I find that when i trackstand i use tiny movements of my pedals and kees, and also adjust my braking. I almost never use the rear brake trackstanding on a flattish surface. If you try to do it by never having your brakes completely locked, but by adjusting the amount of movement they allow, it will be alot easier I think.

Let us know if the advice has helped. Good luck.

[heggler9]

hey, thanks a bunch for all the replies. theyve really helped. pivoting wise how big should my pivots be? thanks

[RT Wolf]

At the beginning, you'll do huge pivots to keep your balance and may not be able just lose balance after one or two. The optimal size are prolly about an inch or less.

Somin that helped me learn, go really in the front of hte bike and just keep rocking back and forth, regardless of whether you're losing direction, the tires my come back right down to the same spot. That clicked it for me, but I had to keep practicing normal pivoting to keep my balance, ie, only front wheel, only backwheel. Have fun.

[heggler9]

At the beginning, you'll do huge pivots to keep your balance and may not be able just lose balance after one or two. The optimal size are prolly about an inch or less.

Somin that helped me learn, go really in the front of hte bike and just keep rocking back and forth, regardless of whether you're losing direction, the tires my come back right down to the same spot. That clicked it for me, but I had to keep practicing normal pivoting to keep my balance, ie, only front wheel, only backwheel. Have fun.
hey, ive been working on the whole rocking thing, and correct me if im wrong but you just shift your weight fowards and back till the tires come of the ground, but after practicing for a bit i can only get around 4 rocks, do i just need to practice or is there some secret?

[RT Wolf]

Yep, just keep practicing. Soon, it'll all click, you'll nail 'em and you're just limited by your stamina, and then, you'll smoother, smaller pivots, tires go very little off the ground. It'll be beautiful.

[gplung]

What do you guys mean by pivots.

[decline]

lifting the front or back wheels off the ground and moving them either left or right. rocking helped me a little bit and using just little movements. then just do things as part of a routine. like there was the guy that said he trackstands after every move to regain control...before i ever even get on my bike to roll away i do a trackstand for a few seconds just go kinda get my self ued to being on 2 wheels. before i do moves like if i look at a line i try and trackstand while just observing everything. just do it to where its a not a huge deal anymore. and be patient with it. for me i couldnt get trackstands but could rock well and adjust my front end. i thought i was gettin away from being able to balance and one day just stopped rocking and unless i had to and it all just clicked. i think turning ur front about 45* to ur choco side helps to while adjusting the brakes.
i hope some of this made since.

[zealot_53]

I think you're supposed to turn the front 45degrees away from your choco foot. The other way works, sure, but turning away from the choco side works tons better for me.

[Mat_P]

like these guys said....but, there has been newer threads on pivoting, so since its your first post we will go easy on you.
use the search option at the top and look for pivoting...i asked the same question only 3 months ago or so...maybe a little more but meh.

[staphan]

I think you're supposed to turn the front 45degrees away from your choco foot. The other way works, sure, but turning away from the choco side works tons better for me.

Maybe choco side and choco foot side is not the same? To me it sounds as the choco side is the side which you feel most comfortable to pivot to. Which means the choco side is opposite to the choco foot side (for most riders).

[eturt9]

choco foot side. Left foot forward = left choco

[trellex]

http://www.observedtrials.net/vb/showthread.php?t=18381

Balance. Bike around town and trace ur tires on curbs. like someone said earlier, go as slowly as you can on a traced line, or a curb, on a log. emphasis on as slowly as you can. The first thing I learnt to do was skinnies. In my area, there's alot of curbs, with no sidewalks - just curbs blockin the road to the grass. and that helped alot. i used to go to and from school and practised at least 1/2 hour each way. i also read on hans rey's site that u can do figure 8's, go as slowly as u can, and as tight as u can, and that'll help you.

as for trackstanding - just bike around town, on the search for curbs, or thing u can roll up on, and at lights, just trackstand. it's a good technique for trials, to help u rest up on lines, and to help u visualise what move u need to do next

hope this helped. it was just a repeat from that linked post.

and don't forget practise.

cheers, and have fun!

[literocola]

Who ever told you you had to have your brakes locked to trackstand? I would recommend you release the rear brake and only lock the front to propel yourself backwards. You may have to make large corrections at first, but eventually you'll be so good at trackstanding that to any non-rider it will appear you are stationary. In some circumstances you will have to lock both of your brakes, so once you start getting your normal trackstands down you can practice those. But even then, in most situations you're going to be able to make minor adjustments, even if they are only an inch, they'll make a considerable difference.

If you don't quite understand what I've said, just ask me which part you need me to elaborate on.

Matt

:werd:

Should buy Mastering the Art of Trials with Ryan Leech. He covers all this in "Phaze 1" And by NOT using any brakes.

[Dharmabum]

Yes, Mastering the Art is worth it. Good call Literocola. Whenever I ride, I get the theme song from menu page in that vid stuck in my head.