[oicdn]

What do you competition guys do to practice for comps? Do you guys have a junkpile somewhere, rearrange it and make up lines? Do you guys just practice on urban? Or do you live near a trials park, like Ryan Leech has in Manifesto?

Just curious, it's so awesome that some of you have only been riding a short period of time, and jumped into Sport in your first comp(AndrewT). Unless learning curve/talent is your sole reason for excelling, I'm sure terrain has a good impact as well. Where do you guys go for practice? Are rocks and jetty's the best place for practices, or urban and making your own line?

 

[AndyT]

Ride only rocks/natural, pretend they are sections. I don't like jetty's, no variation of rock type, no loose soil or anything interesting...but if its all you have... Practice small run up moves, try to keep it going for around 3 minutes every time you put your feet on the pedals. Be conscious of when you are dabbing and if you do put your feet down make sure to know how it can help you- don't just put it down then put it back on the pedal.


I just drive around until i see something I like, i've driven 2+ hours around colorado and not found shit....sometimes you do find things.



edit: FYI my tires touched urban MAYBE twice in my first 9 months of riding.

 

[oicdn]

Should I try to sway away from static moves more than run-up moves? LOL, I read somewhere alot of people avoid run-ups because they're not "dually footed" yet.....

Yeah, I can see about the varied rock types now that you mention it, but that's the closest to Colorado natty I can get, LOL.

GOOD urban is really in my backyard. I live like walking distance away from a both a middle school AND Elementary school, lots of skinnies from the way they built it, lotsa ledges too...but I guess that's at any school, LOL.

But yeah, since it's Florida, I don't have much intresting trials natty unless Jetty's are considered intresting.....lotsa XC crap though....

 

[AndyT]

Urban is basically a waste of time in terms of competition. The only reason you should ride it is to reward yourself for riding hard natural. Of course not many people (myself included) are "hardcore" enough to just ride natural- urban is always a nice break from real trials, mostly flat and easy surfaces- just don't expect to get good at all by only riding it.


a 2 foot high log is worth more than your whole cities available urban-ness.

 

[ascentrek]

Urban is good for beginners like myself to learn the basic moves on. I'm lucky to have a mix of great Urban riding areas close to my office (Like for lunch).

Natty is much harder. I'm still learning (You'll see me in the background of cotrials9), but enjoy the chaotic aspect to natural riding. I may actually compete this year (although be it in beginner class), I've heard that competing really hones the skills.

I like to ride urban to impress the chicks.

 

[AndyT]

urban is good for beginners"

You might think that but it really isn't. It is easier, you will progress much slower, and you will not have the inherent balance or basic trials skills embedded into you. You should ride for 6 months without even trying to do any stupid rear wheel shit. Competiting isn't about doing ups or sidehopping or drops or going "big". I can make sections that many "expert" riders couldn't get through, with nothing over 1 foot tall. But of course not everyone is about competing, but this thread is about it and thats my basis for arguments. I have no problems with someone just riding urban all their life, just don't complain when you cant do that little 3 foot up from sand.

 

[Elan]

natural is awesome for learning too... like andrew said, just dont put your feet down, and pretend like you are going through a real section...even take the time to set up a little section, it helps a ton.... now i just need to take my own advice....

 

[Kartoffel]

Balance comes from riding natty.

There are plenty of burly BMXers who do ridiculous urban stunts, but can't even trackstand.

Go out and ride in the woods. It'll put hair on your chest

 

[Patrick]

But Andrew don't you think urban is good for learning the absolute basics of your bread and butter moves like gaps and sidehops? If you find a nice short ledge, you can sit there for hours and try to learn the mechanics of a move. Then you can go out on some rocks and see if you can apply it.

I agree with the rear wheel stuff. People tend to think that's the only thing important to learn. Rolling obstacles, hopping over small rocks, and in general, learning balance is way more important.

 

[Kartoffel]

But Andrew don't you think urban is good for learning the absolute basics of your bread and butter moves

I agree with that. Nothing beats screwing around on a loading dock for basic ups and drops. The good loading docks even have those rubber truck-bumper things that are fun to smash (UCI rules be damned).

 

[ascentrek]

Good Point Andrew. I enjoy riding, period. So for me to mix it up makes it a lot more enjoyable. I have ridden natty more recently, and have enjoyed it (I prolly learned a great deal as well). Its hard to find natty that appeals to beginners when you're hanging out at a relatively hard area.

Learning balance and rear wheel hoping comes from the driveway. There's always that 10 minutes before dinner that can get you out, even for just a little while.

 

[Pancho]

I grew up on natural riding, I live in one of the best areas for natural anywhere. However I still can have a blast riding a two foot high box or even a curb for hours. LITERALLY hours on ONE box. I probably ride about 75% natural, and if I had it my way I'd probably ride more natural, but regardless, I still love urban for the fun factor. Don't lose sight of the fact that riding a bike anywhere is fun.

For competition, sections help, riding often helps, but also cross training. Running and light weights/plyometrics all help. For this season I plan on once a week heading to a local stadium and doing 15 sets of three minute sections, just up and down the bleachers.

 

[AndyT]

But Andrew don't you think urban is good for learning the absolute basics of your bread and butter moves like gaps and sidehops?

NO, not at all its the dumbest thing you could ever say. Why is it so hard to do that on grass? It's not, if you want to be good don't waste your time.

 

[JK]

I totally agree. If you ride urban all the time, you'll get some bad habits that will totally slow down the learning curve. Urban can be fun, but it's really one-dimensional.

 

[Kartoffel]

Yeah, but it's hard to 50-50 grind down the side of a boulder. Plus it would count as a dab in UCI rules.



(just kiddin')

 

[Patrick]

I still disagree even though it may have been the dumbest thing said in history or whatever.. Grass is one thing, but for a beginner to learn how to gap on pointy rocks is pretty futlile. Learn the move than hit the rocks and stay there.

 

[AndyT]

who the fuck said ANYTHING about pointy rocks patrick?


Natural is not just rocks. Gap from a root to a root, 1/2" off the ground. Don't douche it up, friends don't let friends be gay.

 

[Patrick]

ok, I got ya... Riding easy natural as opposed to easy urban. got it. makes sense

 

[oicdn]

Yeah...this is basically what I was looking for. Bad habits to avoid. I already prolly started some bad habits from freeriding, which is why I want to start a clean slate....:x:

LOL, although I wasn't doing anything more that rear wheel stalling...LOL, I had lotsa fun on you know those car bumpers in parking lots? Well, there's one where I live, but it's like 30 feet long. I was basically doing just rear wheel stalls and learning to 180 off, learn to bunnyhop and nose stall or bunnhop and land on the top and ride across...people would look at me funny for playing with a 4" high curb, but I thought it was fun...a whole afternoon worth of fun, LOL.

There are these FAT telephone poles out in front of the fire station near my house, think I should play on those? They're about 1.5 foot in diameter and about 10 feet long laying on thier side like a log. They put them in front the road so if there's a drunk driver or something, they don't plow through the yard and possibly into the building...would that be a good training ground? It's log like, tall enough where I couldn't roll over it like that curb I was playing on, and is WOOD, more forgiving than concrete, LOL....

 

[AndyT]

Me and robbie (can be seen in ftc 2, 3) compete at a high level yet we still both spend hours on 4" high rocks every now and then. Just really small technical fun stuff- abit better than a curb but as long as you are riding something its good.