Gapping :(

[Ryan.]

looking through some new clips of me i've noticed that i hop backwards as i pre-load for a gap ? not preload down and on the same spot if that makes sense...iv been out for a ride today and tried to focus on sorting it, but it feels like i miss the little backhop out and gap but in reality im not and it seems to be preventing me from gapping further?

anyone have any tips on how i can sort this?

thanks

ryan

[ilikeriding]

I just watched your video and your not exactly hopping back much atall, so really if you can go further that way theres no point in correcting it.

[Ryan.]

I just watched your video and your not exactly hopping back much atall, so really if you can go further that way theres no point in correcting it.

alright ....watch the first clip of me gapping.

edit : i edited it out...il wack a link to a gap later tonight!

Edited August 8, 2007 by Sheringham_trials

[Ryan Blackwell]

Ill sort you out this weekend mate.

Just before you gap ill boot your rear wheel and stop it from moving backwords lol.

No really i will help you though mate.

[Flubber]

i noticed this the other day that i do exactly the same thing, a little hop back that lowers the front wheel, preloading you ready to jump. i dont think theres owt wrong with it like

[ilikeriding]

alright ....watch the first clip of me gapping.

edit : i edited it out...il wack a link to a gap later tonight!

Maybe its because you're dropping the front wheel in the air, in the hop before you gap,

I don't go backwards and I drop the front wheel after the hop

I reckon itll sort with practise

Edited August 8, 2007 by afroman

[Krisboats]

Boumsong used to do it loads, i mean he'd hop back about half a foot. He got the hang of it in the end though... just as you will.

You don't really need to hop, in fact try practising gapping on something smaller and don't hop at all, do it ryan leech manifesto stylee where you do one single hop to the edge then one single hop as you gap. This way you'll learn the correct technique where you lower the front end with your arms and body position rather than hopping the front wheel lower.

When you get the hang of it do it on bigger and bigger gaps. You want to un-learn what you already do and replace it with the new technique.... which means don't try it on something small and then jump straight onto something big. Keep doing it and it'll stick in your "muscle memory" as being the normal way of doing it.

[TrashZen]

Boumsong used to do it loads, i mean he'd hop back about half a foot. He got the hang of it in the end though... just as you will.

You don't really need to hop, in fact try practising gapping on something smaller and don't hop at all, do it ryan leech manifesto stylee where you do one single hop to the edge then one single hop as you gap. This way you'll learn the correct technique where you lower the front end with your arms and body position rather than hopping the front wheel lower.

When you get the hang of it do it on bigger and bigger gaps. You want to un-learn what you already do and replace it with the new technique.... which means don't try it on something small and then jump straight onto something big. Keep doing it and it'll stick in your "muscle memory" as being the normal way of doing it.

To optimise your gapping, you must kick right when the rear hub is vertical to the rail or gap edge, and when the bike is nearly horizontal. But when you balance on a rail, you're not horizontal at all, and lowering the front wheel actually rolls the rear wheel forward by about a foot (and the rear hub beyond the edge). That's why a backward readjustment hop can be handy, so that when you lean the bike forward, you end up in the perfect position to kick in the pedal.

Once you can visualise that, you know exactly what you do. Very often, if you land right in balance, then the pedal kick will lack of power if you don't do a readjustment hop backwards. It 's not just the bounce effect I am talking about. If you don't want to hop, then, you need to land with the rear hub slightly behind, with enough momentum to carry on and lean the bike to the perfect position (that brings the rear hub right at the vertical of the rail)

Something I realised when trying to gap further.

Edited August 9, 2007 by TrashZen