isitafox Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Can anyone give me some good tips on how to minimize the amount of arm pump I get off my brakes? When I did that comp a few weeks ago by the end of the day I was really struggling to hold onto the bars cause my forearms were that pumped, there must be some measures I can take to stop this?? The brakes I have are front hope trial (old style) with 180 rotor and rear maggie with 2 finger lever, HS yellows, oil bleed and smooth rim. I have recently ground my back rim though but not really had a chance to try it yet and ordered a 4 finger lever but will a water bleed also help reduce things? Is there anything I can do to the front to stop it happening as I found that was the worst of the two! I am actually considering swapping back to dual maggie, would that help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i like cunning stunts Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 (edited) I would recommend getting either a 4 finger lever for both maggys if you do go back to two or something like a fresh products lever they really help ( which is what am running at the mo ) The most important thing for me was lever position though, i have just recently positioned my levers really high on the bars which takes a little getting used to but it has eliminated arm pump nearly completely for me and i used to suffer quite badly Other point is to just try and breathe too i know it sounds stupid but you are that focused that people forget to, try an find a point in the section and balance, relax, open and close your fingers on the bars and try and ride sections or lines when you are out on the bike really helps instead of just doing one move/ feet down/ sidehop/ feet down etc etc. Edited October 26, 2010 by Jake-Ansell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Ali C will come in here and say that he used to get arm pump from maguras, and a water bleed helped but switching to vee brake eliminated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted October 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 I would recommend getting either a 4 finger lever for both maggys if you do go back to two or something like a fresh products lever they really help ( which is what am running at the mo ) The most important thing for me was lever position though, i have just recently positioned my levers really high on the bars which takes a little getting used to but it has eliminated arm pump nearly completely for me and i used to suffer quite badly That's an interesting one and free, will have to give it a go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krisboats Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Get a powerball and use the endurance mode on it (the one where you have to get as high a score as possible in 90 seconds), this help strengthen the muscles in your forearms. Laying your arms on a flat solid surface with the wrist hanging off the end and curling a dumbell using only your wrist will also strengthen the muscles, though i found this to be in a much more targeted manner than the powerball (which seems to do all the muscles in the forearm) Change your riding style. Stay off the brakes as much as you can. The best riders flow through the sections without stopping to hop and without staying motionless with the brakes locked. It's constantly holding the brake on that is the biggest contributor to arm pump so try to only use them when you need them. The last point i found is the one that helped the most, although it's still a work in progress for me as i stop and sit still far too much, even now. If you can do a couple of moves then trackstand with the brakes off for a minute then continue with the section you'll get more used to staying off the brakes and eventually you'll only be using them every now and again as your confidence grows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Gibson Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 water bleed helps. as does a longer lever. set up of the lever too. so that it pulls parallel with the bars. not having about 2cm of movement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted October 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 (edited) water bleed helps. as does a longer lever. set up of the lever too. so that it pulls parallel with the bars. not having about 2cm of movement This is an interesting thought, will give it a try when I get the brake rebled and setup! Get a powerball and use the endurance mode on it (the one where you have to get as high a score as possible in 90 seconds), this help strengthen the muscles in your forearms. Laying your arms on a flat solid surface with the wrist hanging off the end and curling a dumbell using only your wrist will also strengthen the muscles, though i found this to be in a much more targeted manner than the powerball (which seems to do all the muscles in the forearm) Change your riding style. Stay off the brakes as much as you can. The best riders flow through the sections without stopping to hop and without staying motionless with the brakes locked. It's constantly holding the brake on that is the biggest contributor to arm pump so try to only use them when you need them. The last point i found is the one that helped the most, although it's still a work in progress for me as i stop and sit still far too much, even now. If you can do a couple of moves then trackstand with the brakes off for a minute then continue with the section you'll get more used to staying off the brakes and eventually you'll only be using them every now and again as your confidence grows. Very good advice, I used to do quite a lot of wristcurls but stopped going to the gym in January so that could be one contributing factor! As for the powerball I've been playing with mine this afternoon, found it in the back of my locker hence the idea for the topic, but the dial has dropped out a while ago so I may have to get another to do that 90sec challenge thing! And I'll give the flowing through a section thing a try, though the trial I did recently was mostly tight twisty climbs up a steep banking so was a proper hop fest to get up, and in a foret where the floor was covered with acorns meant you had to hold the brakes on for dear life! Edited October 26, 2010 by isitafox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Elson Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Armpump kills me, after 2 laps of 6 sections my arms hurt so much i cant continue, its happend in the last 2 comps iv done. Once i got it so bad i couldnt hold the brake in hard enough and i fell off pretty bad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Vandart Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Change to vee's eliminte armp pump, have better brking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy83 Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Armpump kills me, after 2 laps of 6 sections my arms hurt so much i cant continue, its happend in the last 2 comps iv done. Once i got it so bad i couldnt hold the brake in hard enough and i fell off pretty bad... hello,was that the barrow farm pipe section?looked well nasty from where i was standing i try and reduce arm pump just by giving my hands a shake and stretching my wrists back and forth.doesnt eliminate completely but anything helps i guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted October 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Change to vee's eliminte armp pump, have better brking. How did I know you'd pipe up at somepoint about switching to bloody V's!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Gibson Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 some say taking paracetamol, as it thins the blood. I ran a vee on the back of my stock back when I had it, but I make it feel light, as the rim was too wide. or maybe that was me not too sure. Vee brake on the front is just too loud! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 If it was as easy as that, loads of MX riders wouldn't have to have operations to help relieve it As has been said though, longer blades do help, as does having a water-bleed in my experience. I also set my levers so they started off pretty close in to the bars using the reach screws, and had my brakes set so the bite-point was pretty close to the bars too. Puts less strain on your finger so it's a bonus! Ultimately though, using them less will help a lot. There are a lot of situations in comps where it feels like you need to have them on, but a lot of the time pedal pressure or using your front brake instead can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted October 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Is there anything that can be done with a front disc brake though as I found that was more of a problem?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azarathal Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Is there anything that can be done with a front disc brake though as I found that was more of a problem?? Use the reach adjustment and make sure it has quite a short travel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellingtj Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 some say taking paracetamol, as it thins the blood. I ran a vee on the back of my stock back when I had it, but I make it feel light, as the rim was too wide. or maybe that was me not too sure. Vee brake on the front is just too loud! lol Paracetamol doesn't have massive anti-inflamatory properties, Ibruprofen and Asprin are much better in this respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Vandart Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 (edited) How did I know you'd pipe up at somepoint about switching to bloody V's!!! lol If it was as easy as that, loads of MX riders wouldn't have to have operations to help relieve it As has been said though, longer blades do help, as does having a water-bleed in my experience. I also set my levers so they started off pretty close in to the bars using the reach screws, and had my brakes set so the bite-point was pretty close to the bars too. Puts less strain on your finger so it's a bonus! Ultimately though, using them less will help a lot. There are a lot of situations in comps where it feels like you need to have them on, but a lot of the time pedal pressure or using your front brake instead can help. this i'm lways being told not to use my brkes so much, you would hve thought i would hve lernt by now. thing is i dont get rm pump edit 2 of the keys on my keybord re f**ked so tht is why my spelling sucks Edited October 26, 2010 by Matt Vandart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali C Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 I have tried nearly everything in the book as I struggle really badly with arm pump. People say use Powerball, wrist curls and there is a good one about tieing a weight on the end of string, then the string to a pole and winding the weight up only using the wrists (my personal fave<) but I never found any to make much difference. I have tried Paracetamol, but I didn't notice any difference. I tried compressive garments, but again no avail. The one single biggest thing that helped me (well, practically eliminated it) was a vee brake. I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear, but if it is that much of a problem, then that is the BEST solution. As mentioned, riding style makes a huge difference, probably the 2nd biggest in my eyes. Stay off the brakes, only use them if needed. Do you really need to backhop that rock or can it be rolled? Use underlations in the floor or rocks to get your front wheel in and use them to keep you still while trackstanding while not using brakes. It all makes a huge difference and makes you a smoother better to watch rider. If you really want to stick with a rear maggie, then a water bleed is the first port of call, that makes a massive difference, I can't ride a oil bled brake without getting arm pump within mins. A longer blade will help too. Another thing I found helped was to wrap an elastic band around the lever blade and handlebar, this counteracted the strong return spring in the body and made the brake easier to pull....try it, it really works! As has been said again, have your levers so they pull closer to the bar Try different thickness grips too. Oh, and GRIND THAT RIM! As for your front brake, all I can suggest is a larger rotor so you don't have to pull it so hard, maybe the elastic band trick and as I said, lay off the brakes where possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 See i used to suffer really badly with it and found setting my brakes further out and obviously using them less helped loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbon on an Orange 2 Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Take up DH racing. That'll sort you out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted October 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 I have tried nearly everything in the book as I struggle really badly with arm pump. People say use Powerball, wrist curls and there is a good one about tieing a weight on the end of string, then the string to a pole and winding the weight up only using the wrists (my personal fave<) but I never found any to make much difference. I have tried Paracetamol, but I didn't notice any difference. I tried compressive garments, but again no avail. The one single biggest thing that helped me (well, practically eliminated it) was a vee brake. I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear, but if it is that much of a problem, then that is the BEST solution. As mentioned, riding style makes a huge difference, probably the 2nd biggest in my eyes. Stay off the brakes, only use them if needed. Do you really need to backhop that rock or can it be rolled? Use underlations in the floor or rocks to get your front wheel in and use them to keep you still while trackstanding while not using brakes. It all makes a huge difference and makes you a smoother better to watch rider. If you really want to stick with a rear maggie, then a water bleed is the first port of call, that makes a massive difference, I can't ride a oil bled brake without getting arm pump within mins. A longer blade will help too. Another thing I found helped was to wrap an elastic band around the lever blade and handlebar, this counteracted the strong return spring in the body and made the brake easier to pull....try it, it really works! As has been said again, have your levers so they pull closer to the bar Try different thickness grips too. Oh, and GRIND THAT RIM! As for your front brake, all I can suggest is a larger rotor so you don't have to pull it so hard, maybe the elastic band trick and as I said, lay off the brakes where possible. Taking all this in, may try some foam grips aswell as currently using echo rubber ones which are a bit hard and thin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe O'Connor Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 I used to get it heaps doing motorbike trials. Making sure you concentrate on being relaxed helps because you end up squeezing the crap out of your bars. I think its also just a matter of riding a lot for long times. I used to get it a lot when I did trail rides but it went after I had done a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 the strong return spring in the body and made the brake easier to pull Having never taken a maggie lever apart, is this spring accessible enough to simply swap out for one that's not so stiff at all? Since being on stock I'm having to run a hydraulic brake and not enjoying the feel nearly so much as the vees I've been on for the past few years. Also not a fan of the way the pads rock about on the pistons, giving a few mm of rock on the wheel. Hideous stuff, need to have a proper play once I've bled the brake again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali C Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 yeah you could swap the spring. I havn't looked for a new one that fits, but I have tried cutting it down and stretching it, but it never worked that well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Ah fair shout. Might pull a lever apart at some point and have a little look at what's going on in there. Got a feeling it'll never feel as sweet as my old vees though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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