Street rides - improvisation/inspiration/interpretation

Flow-Rider

Burner
That's why I didn't want to get rid of my old Djs they were set to a 110 and with the right springs you can take them to a 130. Not sure if the new ones can be extended that far or if at all but the main use for the bike will pump tracks and small dirt jumps.
 

stinky1138

Likes Dirt
Well I can't compete with that.

At a minimum hit up an et! At first you'll find it a little challenging to keep the back end up while pedalling. Then suddenly you're pushing it over a 15ft gap in front of a bunch of grommets and the mid air pedal gets all the laughs. Well not as much as a big crash does...but it is a fair trade off.

Do you have an air or spring circus? I find the air ones feel sweet and are very light. I considered the DJ1 for my pivot but decided the weight and only 100mm wouldn't suit my desires. They look plenty sweet though. Marzocchi fanboi too.

All circuses have a coil in them. :) They are stock at firm or extra firm, which is my biggest issue. I run no air, and on a totally flat landing I might use 60mm of travel. Generally I'll get maybe 40mm out of them, they're only an 80mm fork. I have the expert tho, from like 2012 or so ?
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
All circuses have a coil in them. :) They are stock at firm or extra firm, which is my biggest issue. I run no air, and on a totally flat landing I might use 60mm of travel. Generally I'll get maybe 40mm out of them, they're only an 80mm fork. I have the expert tho, from like 2012 or so ?
You might be able to try some lighter weight oil in the dampener but not bottoming out on casual rides is a good thing.


Got the new Marzocchis on today and there's quite some noise when they top out. Only had enough time to go around the yard and much plusher than the old ones.

20171102_154804.jpg
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
All circuses have a coil in them. :) They are stock at firm or extra firm, which is my biggest issue. I run no air, and on a totally flat landing I might use 60mm of travel. Generally I'll get maybe 40mm out of them, they're only an 80mm fork. I have the expert tho, from like 2012 or so ?
Insert I've got plenty of air here jest.

You really need an air sprung fork. Once you switch you'll be over the moon. Start saving and get on it.
 

stinky1138

Likes Dirt
Insert I've got plenty of air here jest.

You really need an air sprung fork. Once you switch you'll be over the moon. Start saving and get on it.
I have one :) It's ok, but I prefer the Circus. I just don't get that same rebound effect as a low pressure air fork.
 

spikenet

Likes Dirt
Can anyone in this thread do tricks?
Been seriously (by that i mean proper bike and trying hard) riding dirt for 6 years now (street park for half that). After watching some videos from a few years ago,i realised all I've gotten better at is bike control. Lame.
So i want to learn some tricks. Monster park was my local with a resi.... but it doesn't look like it'll be open any time soon... Anyone know safe easy tricks i can learn on dirt fly out or grass etc? Fly outs in park scare the fuck outta me, working up to that still..
I feel that way with trials.. been doing it too long and still trying to learn to control the damn bike! Its injured me more then any other bike I've had haha...

if foam pits and resi ramps are your thing, up in Tuggerah there are 2 indoor centres... Bato skate park is awesome also if thats your thing! Green Valleys has an airbag but that thing still hurts when you land on your head.. For me, the lack of having a good dirt jump line less then 1 1/2 hour away is limiting my progression..

that vid poodle posted is great, also some of Blake's vids on GMBN have some good beginner tricks to work on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF6SxQwL9h0
 

stinky1138

Likes Dirt
Monster park was about 10 mins ride from my house... :/ but they don't seem to be rebuilding. There's only like 1 other resi in the Syd area. Lame!

I've seen the gmbn vid. I was wanting first hand opinions tho. Really good riders usually forget that stuff they think it's easy is still a struggle for most, even on basic tricks. I love Sam pilgrim, but his easy tricks frequently involve flat 180s and fakie reverts. I can't do either of those :(
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
True...I did find that most of those beginner tricks are beyond my small skill set. I can do a 1 hander. I can do a tuck. Fucked if I can touch my front tyre though!

Everything starts small and grows. Evolution of an X-up is an easy example. Starts with a slight tweak of the bars, grows to a bit more tweak, suddenly it's a t-bar, and a bit more...then quite quickly it is all the way locked! Flexibility, reach, and mind games are the real hold backs. It is similar for a pancake or a whip. Shit gets tricky when you start combining things, like that young fellow's 1 foot pancake with a bit of hip...I've performed that move a few times...poorly and by accident.
 

spikenet

Likes Dirt
So this isn't you?
thats an awesome pic, whats it from?

Agree with poodle about the evolution of skills... I did my first real dirt jumps only this year and I'm stoked to just get through a line of them without major headgames! For me the mental side of it really is massive, but I'm loving the journey!
 

stinky1138

Likes Dirt
Short instructional video for you:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=96Eb9qhF06c

When lowering/raising spring and air pressure you may need to change oil weights.
Finally got around to watching this. Ulg, i can't stand little kids.
And I find so many tutes like this to be bad. This kid obviously couldn't tell someone why they're having problems with anything, he wouldn't know or understand, and couldn't tell you how to fix it. Usually people who do tutes are the same, "some issues you'll have..." goes on to explain the issues but never why you're having them or how to actually fix them. Those people I find are impossible to learn from, they barely understand how they do the tricks in the first place. The only tutes I've found even remotely good are from Alfredo Mancuso and they're still mehh to some extent. I've watched so many tutorials...even fuckin how to kickflip.... They seem to be unhelpful, hence wanting someone to explain what they do when they're still kinda shitty at it. I've literally watched ones where the guy says "if you avoid the problems, you'll have no problems". Funny but really not helpful. Maybe I'm not a tutorial kind of person, i dunno. I watched some chicks doing bmx park contest the other day, they looked fucking horrible. No style, no air, no speed, landed everything squirrelly if at all...it was painful to watch. if i'm going to look like that, i'll stop before i start. Pathetic.

So like, with a flat 180.. I find i have to start the jumping motion with the arms/legs before the carve or i am unable to get the front wheel up and it kinda digs in..., so look at the back axle at the take off, and end up just kinda falling out of the air and barely turning. Why ? What part is wrong ? If I don't look at the axle, my head will come back straight every time. It's a good marker for me. Is this because I'm not pulling the bike up high enough ? Is it better to try off a curb or something ? Best I can do is a 45. In a quarter, maybe i can get a 90. I can't fakie, so not sure what to do once i've gone around anyway...besides fall over.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
So...you don't consider a 1 foot turn down pancake a beginner trick? What about a tyre grab? Surely that is a beginner trick?

I can't spin my bike for shit. I can spin a snow board somewhat. The key to getting that around is preloading like a screw. As you open up out of that your head rotates, eyes looking around behind and chasing your landing spot. Shoulders follow, then hips, and feet. All the way down like a screw. I can get my bike to spin about 90-110 degrees on a quarter pipe or similar shaped bump. I try and adapt that screw theory to the bike. I'm pretty sure there are much better ways to spin a bike based on my success! Catch with attempting to spin the bike is if you don't make it around your bike just digs in and splat.

Try and find a pile of dirt. Or build one. Needs to be big enough to offer a range of landing options. Then you can jump up and rotate into a variety of angles for landing and run out.

How do you go with jumping the bike? Just a simple straight off the lip jump.
 

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
Finally got around to watching this. Ulg, i can't stand little kids.
And I find so many tutes like this to be bad. This kid obviously couldn't tell someone why they're having problems with anything, he wouldn't know or understand, and couldn't tell you how to fix it. Usually people who do tutes are the same, "some issues you'll have..." goes on to explain the issues but never why you're having them or how to actually fix them. Those people I find are impossible to learn from, they barely understand how they do the tricks in the first place. The only tutes I've found even remotely good are from Alfredo Mancuso and they're still mehh to some extent. I've watched so many tutorials...even fuckin how to kickflip.... They seem to be unhelpful, hence wanting someone to explain what they do when they're still kinda shitty at it. I've literally watched ones where the guy says "if you avoid the problems, you'll have no problems". Funny but really not helpful. Maybe I'm not a tutorial kind of person, i dunno. I watched some chicks doing bmx park contest the other day, they looked fucking horrible. No style, no air, no speed, landed everything squirrelly if at all...it was painful to watch. if i'm going to look like that, i'll stop before i start. Pathetic.

So like, with a flat 180.. I find i have to start the jumping motion with the arms/legs before the carve or i am unable to get the front wheel up and it kinda digs in..., so look at the back axle at the take off, and end up just kinda falling out of the air and barely turning. Why ? What part is wrong ? If I don't look at the axle, my head will come back straight every time. It's a good marker for me. Is this because I'm not pulling the bike up high enough ? Is it better to try off a curb or something ? Best I can do is a 45. In a quarter, maybe i can get a 90. I can't fakie, so not sure what to do once i've gone around anyway...besides fall over.
I agree, the standard bunny hop/manual compression starts first and then exploding from there with the rotation.

A couple of questions...
Without a bike can you jump in air and spin 180? Try this in both directions and see which way gets you the most rotation, have you tried rotating the other way on the bike?
Realistically you should be able to spin the bike from a standstill, try pulling on the back brake, lean back and pick up the front like a manual and pivoting the bike around the back wheel.
The next step to this would be trampoline bike, try to 180 a tramp bike... slightly less forgiving if you don't make the full rotation.
Any access to a foam pit, jetty jump or airbag?
 

spikenet

Likes Dirt
I've literally watched ones where the guy says "if you avoid the problems, you'll have no problems".
Classic, something I have not avoided personally! I totally agree most coaches and vids they have no idea how to teach or correct "problems". Recently I found a coach who not only can ride awesome but he is an excellent coach! I've done dirtjump clinics in the past and the coaches had no idea how to even teach or correct simple stuff like the steps of hitting a jump face. I've got lots of bad habbits from motorcross and new coach instantly identified what I was doing wrong and gave me tips on how to correct it.. Have to reprogram 20 years of habit! He's not afraid to tell me I'm not ready for stuff.. I was keen to work on spine jumps at local park, he told me forgetaboutit!

Anway, flat 180 has also been a bane, I'm getting closer but it is such a complicated move there are so many subtle parts its taking forever to learn.. Just looking over my shoulder, as most vids suggest, is not enough... hips, shoulders, arms etc so much going on! I can easily twist 720 on a trampoline, 360 on the ground just not on a bike! haha
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I think they assume that you have all the basic skills you need. Trying to copy peoples skills can be a bit strange because you can get to the same point but with different styles and techniques. Learning to ride well is progressive and you need to a perfectionist, It's the same as thinking you can run before you can walk. I find that I pick up more skills riding with better riders than me or watching them.
 

stinky1138

Likes Dirt
everyone i ride with is better than i am :p They don't know how to coach tho, so i get the same old 'just jump across and do it', 'just pedal backwards', 'just go faster'... or 'I don't know, i just do it'. I can't grind or hop up a curb sidways to save my life...but hopping across a flat line on the floor ??? You know i've got a foot of air and jump across about 8 inches. But i don't know how to translate it to hopping onto something. When i get to that point, i can't do it anymore. Same with spinning, i can stand and do 1s or 3s...but not on a bike..
 
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