jonnyyork Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 How is it that so many of the top riders can gap 8+ feet? Anyone who can gap that far can you please tell me if you could gap close to this distance soon after learning a basic lurch or is it something more progressive developing the strength and maybe better technique to do this? I have been riding trials for two years now and can only gap just short of 7ft, and dont seem to be getting any further! I believe my bike has the right setup... 26' A1 (long frame) 18/16 gear ratio and 11.2kg. Once the tecnique is mastered I can only assume it is brute strength pushing bikes across these gaps? Especially after seeing videos of TRA doing heavy weight training! Are all these guys that strong even though they may not look it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor the basher. Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 How is it that so many of the top riders can gap 8+ feet? Anyone who can gap that far can you please tell me if you could gap close to this distance soon after learning a basic lurch or is it something more progressive developing the strength and maybe better technique to do this? I have been riding trials for two years now and can only gap just short of 7ft, and dont seem to be getting any further! I believe my bike has the right setup... 26' A1 (long frame) 18/16 gear ratio and 11.2kg. Once the tecnique is mastered I can only assume it is brute strength pushing bikes across these gaps? Especially after seeing videos of TRA doing heavy weight training! Are all these guys that strong even though they may not look it?Hm mm its not all about strength i mean I'm sure it helps but you can never really have the " perfect" technique you can always improve..... keep practicing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Anscombe Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 im stupidly weak and i can throw my bike accros 8foot gaps.....id say its more to do with practise try and kick your bike out more the the oppisite side of your good foot dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikeriding Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 (edited) I'm riding the same frame/gear ratio as you and I've been struggling to get past 8 latley since I got a longer stem, with my shorter one was getting 8 and a half. Regarding technique, you want to kick the pedals as fast as possible in the shortest amount of time, and try to go upwards aswell as forwards and concentrate on jumping towards the front of the bike. Edited January 3, 2008 by jebend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Its not all about strenght its about technique, as your going for bigger moves it will seem your not progressing as fast because the progression happens in smaller steps. Just keep bashing away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan6061 Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 As said, it's all down to technique.Everyone has their own style, you just need to find yours. Just practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim hill is a dick... yeah Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 im stupidly weak and i can throw my bike accros 8foot gaps.....Lol no you can't !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0zzy Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 its down to technique, just get out there and practice i improve a tiny bit each day and then when you put all these little bits of improvment together you notice your a hell of a better rider then you were say a week ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyfey Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Not sure if this helps but one of my mate's found if he took off slightly diagonal and gap sideways a bit he could get a lot more distance on his gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Anscombe Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Lol no you can't !!tom needs to understand that when i rode bristol that was my second ride on my ko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim hill is a dick... yeah Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 I still don't believe you can gap 8 ft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Anscombe Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 thats fine .......... dont have to prove nothing to no one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidehop Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 (edited) Its practise mate... your technique (sp) is all it. Unless you have legs like a horse then you can just kick.And yes my measued gaps have been over 8ft, but i have been riding 3 years in march it takes time mate. Edited January 3, 2008 by sidehop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.trial_dude Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 it's all in the technique ,once you've got the technique mastered ,strenght can help:)i actually never pracice them flat to flat.i can do 2,60 m from 2 pallets to 4 pallets.i think its mostly technique actually..oh and be kind to your wheels ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macy`d Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 I can gap just about 8 foot, and to be honest it is all about faith in trusting your hub and chain e.g hub slipping and chain snapping. There is some sort of technique in gapping and that is, To be ruffly about 2 to 3 inches away from the edge of what you are gapping from, so then you can hop to the edge without a peddle and landing bending your knees and dropping your front whilst leaning back. When in that position (and this is in one big quick move) you should have your back wheel on the edge and ready to leap. Then having plenty of power on your peddle trials hop lean for wards then in the air lift your bars up over your head stretching your arms out and bending your knees up. You should then be ruffly half way across or more depending on the size of the gap, then bring your legs out just before you land it will get you farther, and just as you do land bend your knees back in to absorb the landing. Sounds complected i`no and it is but with determination and balls you will get it. It is just like when you first started out trying to trials hop or side hop and you keep ed on trying and trying and adventurously you got it.Mac.Not sure if this helps but one of my mate's found if he took off slightly diagonal and gap sideways a bit he could get a lot more distance on his gaps.I find that as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyyork Posted January 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Thanks to everyone for the ideas and tips. I would spend the time on the bike before a weight bench anyday! Not sure if this helps but one of my mate's found if he took off slightly diagonal and gap sideways a bit he could get a lot more distance on his gaps.I do tend to gap with the bike angled slighly toward my good (right) foot as all the flat spots are on the left side of the rim!I'm riding the same frame/gear ratio as you and I've been struggling to get past 8 latley since I got a longer stem, with my shorter one was getting 8 and a half. Regarding technique, you want to kick the pedals as fast as possible in the shortest amount of time, and try to go upwards aswell as forwards and concentrate on jumping towards the front of the bike.Pulling upwards as well as forwards does seem to help too. Does any one else find stem length affects how far you can gap? I run a Zhi 120mm x 20deg and was thinking to get a 130 x 15deg Echo but now I'm not so sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil H Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 I'm stuck on just over 7 foot at the moment. I think trials in general requires a certain amount of strength but its mainly a case of technique. For example you see so many 14 year old dweebs who can sidehop like 40" no problem. Would be cool if you could post up a clip of you gapping and then we could pick apart what's from with your technique and give advice.Also do you pinch gap it or take a massive kick?Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh beef Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 just launch yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam-Griffin Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 just launch yourselfBest post On TF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 I can do 3 or 4 foot max... No joke. I suck!I've been riding for years but don't tend to do much - in fact my biggest move these days is "saddle sit music play"... Anyone heard of it? All you need is lazy legs and an MP3 player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duck Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 I can do 3 or 4 foot max... No joke. I suck!I've been riding for years but don't tend to do much - in fact my biggest move these days is "saddle sit music play"... Anyone heard of it? All you need is lazy legs and an MP3 player And a saddle, which most on here haven't got Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaMmY Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 I'm stuck on just over 7 foot at the moment. I think trials in general requires a certain amount of strength but its mainly a case of technique. For example you see so many 14 year old dweebs who can sidehop like 40" no problem. Would be cool if you could post up a clip of you gapping and then we could pick apart what's from with your technique and give advice.Also do you pinch gap it or take a massive kick?PhilI agree that its about technique aswell as strength because too of my mates are smaller and weaker than me but have good techniques and are able to sidhop bigger than me aswell lol! but they have been riding a tad longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Pinch gapping is the key to big gaps.Once you learn to pinch gap you can really ping off from the edge which will get you futher in turn.Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyyork Posted January 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Pinch gapping is the key to big gaps.Once you learn to pinch gap you can really ping off from the edge which will get you futher in turn.MattI haven't heard the term 'pinch gap' before. Phil mentioned this also. What is the difference from this to a normal pedal kick?This is a vid of some of my riding, some is a bit old footage where I try gapping to a rail. I don't have anything newer at the moment, I will have to get out and do more filming.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuyXr7adETMTo my knowledge I still feel as though I still kick off the edge the same way.Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean/pashley Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 i think its just down to practice. because ive been riding for 8 years and can only do a bikes lengh from wall to wall but on flat just a bit bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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