Riding in rocks

[rajobigguy]

Those of you who know me pretty well, know how I feel about rocks-I HATE THEM, maybe hate is the wrong word, maybe it is more like I fear them. My fear is not unfonunded though, virtually everytime I crash there was either a rock that took me down or one waiting to break my fall. As a matter of fact sometimes those suckers pack together and while one lies in wait for me to pass by the other positions itself in such a way as to assure I will land smack into it. They are so devious that they calculate the exact point of impact to assure that my right shoulder will be dislocated.
I really would like to get over my fear of these devilish creatures but I think that I lack the correct mindset/skill to do so. I've always been the type that is much better at keeping the throttle wicked up on open ground and that kind of riding requires a different approach than the more technical stuff.

It's really all you're fault. Everytime one of you posts a ride report with pictures of stuff that scares me I get to thinking that I haven't been doing my part to reach my full potential. Since its' all you skillful individules that make me feel like such a sub-par I think you have an obligation to help me out. What do I have to do to improve as a technical trails rider? Should I get a smaller lighter bike to hone my skills on (remember I'm currently riding a 610) or do I just need some mentoring? I know that nothing beats practice no matter what machine you're riding but there must something else I can do to help myself along or I am better off reconcileing my self to the fact that some people are suited to blazing across the desert and should leave battleing with rocks to someone else?

 

[HuskyDude]

What do I have to do to improve as a technical trails rider?

Very Close Just switch the "A"&"I" around and you'll solve your dilemma.

Should I get a smaller lighter bike to hone my skills on (remember I'm currently riding a 610) or do I just need some mentoring?

Trials would solve both problems. My Gasser 280 only weights 149lbs.
It will climb over anything. It has helped me ride its "Big Sister" my 510 lots.
It's just an all round great little bike!
I doubt if you would have troubles finding a "Mentor" or another Trials riding
to help you out...
Just my 2 cents....

 

[Joliet]

Armor, both bike and body, suspension tuned properly, correct tires and pressure, practice and luck. Perhaps not exactly in that order. There are some trails around that will give you much more practice at them than others. LooK forward to riding with you. Ken

 

[I8AKTM]

I used to ride a Suzuki Dr350s back in the early 90's. It was a softly suspended, underpowered, heavy street legal dirtbike. And I loved it.

I used to make that thing go everywhere, but really enjoyed the challenge of riding it down dry creek beds, progressively taking on more and more rocks until I could tractor along picking my way through basketball plus sized minefields for a hundred yards at a shot.

The moral of this crappy, disjointed little story is that in my opinion, no matter what you ride, with enough determination and progressively tougher practice you can become rather decent at taking on the rocks. Even on your 610. A little confidence and a positive attitude goes a long way.


I often think about what sort of crazy stuff I could have done with a bike as kick a$$ as my TXC back when I rode almost every day in the desert and my conditioning rocked....


paul

 

[ajaxauto]

You say you are in So Cal so come out to a Dist 37 event ,ride around all day for free
with all the people around it will make you feel safer.Here is one quick storie 2 years ago i talked to a lady named Juilie aka Yellowjacket she goes by that name on district37ama.org
sight to come out and try it.Well she did i said come try and ride the 100s National loop 1
the weeken before the race .I told here we would be out marking the course and she should try it.Well she did and after the first 40 mile loop she was crying was mad at me and said i will never be back you guys are crazy.Well 2 week later and almost every
weeken since then there is Juilie racing in the women novice class with the biggest smile on here face.She has joined a desert club has many new friends and rides more then i do

Bottom line come out to the desert get your ass wooped and you will be back .Riding on the street or a graded road will not get you and better then you are now.Heck come look me up in the 100s camp you can ride my 125 then you will be really hooked

 

[Yellowjacket]

Hey, here I am!

Yeah, ajaxauto issued the invitation to this experienced dual sporter. I knew how to ride and had endurance but the whoops on the race course wore me out. I'm used to them now, after a year and a half of racing and/or riding nearly every weekend. I had to get in good shape first, and once the sag was set on my bike, the whoops didn't wear me out as much.

After my first year of racing I was the number one women's novice and still am this year. I don't ride fast and hardly ever win, but I finish my races. I had and still have to overcome some fears like steep up and downhills. I'm scared of riding over large rocks on up and downhills too. But I'm getting better.

The only way to overcome your fears is to conquer them by immersing yourself in them. If you are afraid of rocks, then spend a lot of time riding in them. My current bike, my TTR250, tractors through the rocks. My other bike, my RT180, used to hit the rocks and bounce back and I'd fall over. So the correct suspension setup makes a HUGE difference.

My bike weighs close to 300 pounds. I can barely pick it up when I fall over. Yes, it's easier to ride a lighter bike and one that's closer to the ground. Practice on that type of a bike to build your confidence if you can.

If you're in Southern California, then watch the D-37 message board for Ryan and Erek Kudla's riding clinics. They are inexpensive and they will take you out on a race course and teach you cornering, rocks, uphills and downhills, ditches, sand, etc. Ask them how they ride through rocks and they'll share their technique with you.

You're standing up while riding through rocks, right? That's my issue to overcome. If you stand up, you have further to fall and you hurt yourself more. But the riding is so much easier and safer in rocks that way. Ryan and Erek will demonstrate that in their clinics too.

If you'd like to ride our D-37 races for immersion in rocks, contact me if you have questions or would like me to meet you at a race and walk you through the signup procedure for a first time D-37 racer. I'm happy to help out. We'll have you riding in rocks at no time.

I wish I knew how to attach pictures. I have a photo from the Vikings National H&H. I'm sure there's a race course under all the rocks but it wasn't easy to find! What a nightmare! But excellent practice.

By the way, ajaxauto is now a dualsporter too. You should come out next June and challenge yourself to some huge rocks on the Big Bear Dual Sport Run. Ajaxauto (John) has ridden it and earned the coveted plaque for the hard ways. But you have to ride over a lot of rocks (and a lot of miles) to do it. It would be great practice for you.

Good luck!

 

[Joe Chod]

Trails-ing (thats a word now) through the rocks is no fun and I only do that if they are huge (beach ball size and bigger). For all others I ride em like non uniform woops. stand up....weight back.........good throttle control....and an aggressive attack speed. Suspension setup is key. increase rebound front and rear for rocks is a must.......2 to 3 clicks faster than normal dry ground. as long as it is not deflecting and or jerking the bars in your hands, who cares how much the suspension is moving....thats what it is supposed to do. We got lots'o rocks here in NE USA and I don't mind them....no one loves em but I find that riding faster through them is easier. Just practice on little ones at first and wear protection and include elbow guards.......a Flak Jak doesnt help much by itself in rocks except for roost protection and shoulders. Dont fear the rocks but respect them until you can tell them who is boss. I practice rock riding by blitzing along the tops of rock walls (not across them) in the woods. Easy to find as the farmers did all the trail work and the trees don't grow well through them...........endless trails!

Joe

 

[ElDiablo]

I'll say keep your Husky and get full body armor. I can't afford to get a major injury and now I'm scared to ride w/o it even on easy trails. That extra pice of mind can give the extra confidence to try something that you would be normally afraid. I know that it worked for me.

 

[dfeckel]

I did my first rocky ride this weekend around Tower City/Rausch Creek in central PA. Me being a Pine Barrens rider, I'm used to lots of extremely small rocks, loosely packed together in dune-like formations, so riding in PA was a bit of a wake up call. But you talk about fun! Yowsa!

Anyhoo, I didn't have too much trouble with the rocks--I think a lot of mountain bike experience from my youth in Wissahickon park near Philly helped. But I did manage to severely pinch flat my back tire.

What pressures do you rock riders run? What precautions do you make to prevent flats?

 

[rajobigguy]

I really appreciate all the comments but I guess I didn't present the question right. Its' not the I'm an inexperienced rider I have been riding for 40 years and I'm a former D-37 competitor, granted that was 30 yrs. and 30lbs. ago. Back then I used to campaign mostly 250 2-strokes but I did have a couple of big bore open class machines. I can still frieght train the whoops and washboard pretty well its' just the more technical stuff that gets me.
I not actually trying to get back into competitive riding but I would like to feel more comfortable when comes to nogotiateing the rock gardens, it would also be nice if I didn't end up hurting myself or my bike to much.
There does seem to be more diversity in D-37 events now than there was back in the days I was riding and it might be a good idea to enter into some of the events that they offer.

 

[Baritone]

Freekin rocks

Smart ass answer...move to FLA.

Here in GA we've got a lot of rocks too. Technique wise you've just gotta get comfortable with letting the bike do it's own thing because you'll richoche(?) from rock to rock many times and staying loose and going with it is very helpful.

If you're out of your comfort zone at times is it because you have to ride them faster than you want? In that case, you may consider gearing the bike down some so you can pick thru stuff when you want without stalling the bike. I'm going to do that with mine(o6-610) when I do chain the next time because I'm seldom on any highways...just secondary roads.

Anyway...just a FWIW.

 

[cment]

+1 on what Joe said.

I would add that tire pressure can make a big difference. I know that is probably obvious, but whenever I start to get beat up in the rocks, I usually take the psi down to 9 in the rear and front and the bike feels much better. But, suspension is the real key for the nasty stuff.

 

[rajobigguy]

Smart ass answer...move to FLA.

Here in GA we've got a lot of rocks too. Technique wise you've just gotta get comfortable with letting the bike do it's own thing because you'll richoche(?) from rock to rock many times and staying loose and going with it is very helpful.

If you're out of your comfort zone at times is it because you have to ride them faster than you want? In that case, you may consider gearing the bike down some so you can pick thru stuff when you want without stalling the bike. I'm going to do that with mine(o6-610) when I do chain the next time because I'm seldom on any highways...just secondary roads.

Anyway...just a FWIW.

I'm out of my comfort zone as soon as I see a rock garden or stairstep hill comeing up.
I don't have to much problem with low speed stalling and generally traverse the technical stuff in the low end of second gear or the high end of first. I might actually be moving to slow. I know that a larger heavier bike will perform better if you can keep the speed up a little and use it's momentum to carry you through. I'm probably late on the throttle to much (indecission will get you nowhere). I just don't ride very smooth when I'm on a tight trail with lots of obstacles. I know that practice is the only real answer but I am open to all suggestions.

 

[robertaccio]

another note,,, observe the WEC guys keep your feet ahead of the bike as much as posible,,,once you start flailing behind, its loop time,,, be aggressive and lead with your feet if you get down on the seat out of the center standing position,,,,

 

[robertaccio]

another ,,,think in 3 axis,,,,,,pitch, roll and yaw like an aircraft

ex. you maybe in vert but the bike can be climbing while rolled to the side with the clutch/throttle balanced in control

 

[ajaxauto]

I love riding in the rocks the tuffer the better SPEED kills i hate high speed better to fall over at 10mph in the rocks then wad up at full speed .Learn to love the rocks they are your friends slower speed meens you get hurt less

 

[rajobigguy]

I love riding in the rocks the tuffer the better SPEED kills i hate high speed better to fall over at 10mph in the rocks then wad up at full speed .Learn to love the rocks they are your friends slower speed meens you get hurt less

You're not the first person to tell me that. My friends think I'm nuts because I enjoy the high speed X-country stuff. What you're saying makes perfect sense BUT my mind tells me that I stand a better chance of getting hurt on a hard surface, like say a big boulder. Its' not a completely irrational thought because everytime I've come away injured there was a rock involved.

 

[North]

I just got over my fear of riding on Rocks.

Now I just laugh at them. It's great. I enjoying riding over them now. I own them.

I had been riding too slow over them. I just had to loose my fear of dying.

I just keep my speed up, stand up and lean back on the bike to keep the front wheel light so it justs goes over the rocks. If I get into any problems, I just power out.

The thumb nails will enlarge if you click on them.

By the way, how do I load the pictures so they are full size? Not just thumb nails.

 

[Yellowjacket]

Here are the rocks that I was referring to on the Vikings Race course. My mechanic after the race asked me what in the world I had done to my bike. I had dented my skid plate in many places, bent my chain guide, and cracked the frame by a foot peg. I told him it was just a D-37 desert race!

I have to admit that it was really tiring though.

 

[tony_dt]

It is good that you respect the rocks. They deserve it. I don't like them but they are just another obstical sometimes you have to negotiate.

The way I learned is not recommended. I usually find myself and my friends to their dismay down a canyon and the only way out is usually littered with rocks. They hate my "wells".
Is there a better way out of here?
Well....

Momementum. (It doesn't have to be real fast, just enough to clear the obstical). I understand though on a thumper that sometimes when chugging way low the bike will stall if you can't clutch enough. Sometimes this fear will propel me though to use more momentum, because getting caught in some places is no fun at all.

Sometimes going over a rock is the best line. You will be suprised at how easy it turns out to be. Lots of times trying to go to the edges of the rocks will get you in trouble. (I know easier said than done).