Gap To Front Help

[isitafox]

I've been practicing my gaps to front but I'm really struggling with the technique of it.

Been trying between 2 pallets so as not to kill my wheel, I backhop upto the edge and when I go to jump i preload, give the pedal a kick and jump forward (as if doing a normal gap to rear wheel) but then as soon as I put my weight forward to get over the front wheel it just drops down.

Should I be waiting till the front wheel is over where I want to land before shifting my weight or am I going about the whole thing wrong??

Determined to figure this out as gaps and up to fronts are the things that are really holding back my riding at the moment, there'd be so much more stuff I could ride near my house if I can get them nailed!

[davey1991]

I've been practicing my gaps to front but I'm really struggling with the technique of it.

Been trying between 2 pallets so as not to kill my wheel, I backhop upto the edge and when I go to jump i preload, give the pedal a kick and jump forward (as if doing a normal gap to rear wheel) but then as soon as I put my weight forward to get over the front wheel it just drops down.

Should I be waiting till the front wheel is over where I want to land before shifting my weight or am I going about the whole thing wrong??

Determined to figure this out as gaps and up to fronts are the things that are really holding back my riding at the moment, there'd be so much more stuff I could ride near my house if I can get them nailed!

They're weird to learn, you have to go at them like your gapping for the rear wheel to hit slightly down the wall.

Go at it like you would a normal gap in every way, except aim to miss by about half a foot, then when your front wheel hits the wall or whatever else, grab your brake and throw your weight forward lifting the rear wheel before it hits.

Takes time to get it perfect but basics should be simple.

If it doesn't make sense i'll clarify with images.

Edited June 21, 2010 by davey1991

[forteh]

They're weird to learn, you have to go at them like your gapping for the rear wheel to hit slightly down the wall.

Go at it like you would a normal gap in every way, except aim to miss by about half a foot, then when your front wheel hits the wall or whatever else, grab your brake and throw your weight forward lifting the rear wheel before it hits.

Takes time to get it perfect but basics should be simple.

Do you mean aiming to fall short by half a foot? I need to get these sorted aswell, how well do pace forks last with gaps to front?

[davey1991]

Do you mean aiming to fall short by half a foot? I need to get these sorted aswell, how well do pace forks last with gaps to front?

Not fall short but aim to put the rear wheel on the side of the obstacle not the edge, basically aim to put the front wheel where you'd put the rear but slightly further on.

Then the second the front wheel hits handfull of brake and throw your weight forward to keep the rear wheel from landing on the side.

Feather the brake until the rear wheel is about over the edge then let your weight fall onto the rear or throw your weight if you want to do a wheel swap.

[isitafox]

Will have to try it with a few pallets stacked up then as I reckon 1 on its own will be too low

[davey1991]

Will have to try it with a few pallets stacked up then as I reckon 1 on its own will be too low

Yer that is a little low. i'd say 3 or 4 so its the height of your wheels?

[Captain Scarlet]

The way I learnt was down a quiet road/street, if you start in the road and then gap to the kerb landing front wheel first of course.

I started by being on the back wheel and my front wheel literally hovering over the top of the kerb, then without a pedal kick I changed my weight from the back to the front, literally just flicking your weight forward. This gives you the feeling of the weight transfer technique required.

Then from there you just start building it up, start half a foot back from the point where you was and add a pedal kick into it, you should be able to pick it up very soon.

I found it much easier to learn from flat up to something (like 1 pallet or a kerb) as you are dropping your front wheel or changing your weight a lot, which of course you do when you gap from 1 pallet to 1 pallet. I find it much scarier to gap to front on two flat objects, whereas having one more raised than the other is less daunting (as your front wheel it nearly at the right height for it).

Edited June 21, 2010 by Captain Scarlet

[isitafox]

The way I learnt was down a quiet road/street, if you start in the road and then gap to the kerb landing front wheel first of course.

I started by being on the back wheel and my front wheel literally hovering over the top of the kerb, then without a pedal kick I changed my weight from the back to the front, literally just flicking your weight forward. This gives you the feeling of the weight transfer technique required.

Then from there you just start building it up, start half a foot back from the point where you was and add a pedal kick into it, you should be able to pick it up very soon.

I found it much easier to learn from flat up to something (like 1 pallet or a kerb) as you are dropping your front wheel or changing your weight a lot, which of course you do when you gap from 1 pallet to 1 pallet. I find it much scarier to gap to front on two flat objects, whereas having one more raised than the other is less daunting (as your front wheel it nearly at the right height for it).

Will give that a try either tonight or tomorrow when I finish work, cheers!