Hello.....

[CheeseIsGood]

hey guys,

i've been into mountain biking and various disciplines since i was about 12 years old now. gone from XC, to dual slalom, to freeriding, and now i've started getting a huge trials bug. my bike is an azonic DS-1 with a rock shox psylo fork up front. i'll admit, it's not a pure trials bike, but i'm not enough into trials to devote a bike to it yet. i'm 18 years old and currently a freshman in aerospace engineering at purdue university. so there a little bit about me, i'm sure i'll be posting plenty on this site in the following years.

as for my problem......i can pivot about 180 degrees (only to the right), i can spin around on my bike tire about 120 degrees (only to the left). i can bunnyhop about 2 feet off the ground, sidehop up about a foot, and about a foot or two to the right....can sidehop about 6 inches to a foot to the left, and can do a trackstand for as long as you want me to. so that's where i'm at on riding.

the next logical step for me seems to be a lurch...i've been trying for quite some time now, and decided to really focus on it about 2 days ago....during my last two nights rides, i have tried for about an hour each night, and failed to get it. i'm close though.

my question lies mostly here....how can make myself let go of the brake while i pull up on the handlebars. it seems as that everytime i go to do a second pedal kick i clamp the brake down as i pull up on the bar, and no matter what i do i can't kick past it. anyone have some advice for this? it'd be greatly appreciated as my back cannot take to many more direct landings before i break something.

sorry for the long winded post.

~Nick

[MrMonkey]

I think you mean that as you try to lift the bike up as you put your pedal stroke in your pull the brake? If so it's just about practice and making sure you get it right, you can also pre-load the pedals so as soon as you release the brake they go and you can just lift and you shall fly. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[Max Quinn]

Are you using only one finger on th brake? If not do thisnow, most people use their index finger so try that.

If not then it's just practice i'm afraid.

Good luck, Max.

[N.Wood]

Click me for Trashzen fuelled happy and fun.

[CheeseIsGood]

yeah, i'm only using my index finger on the brake.... i guess it's a matter of practice then.....i like the pre-loading idea...that's a good way to go about it/think about it. maybe i'll try that and see what feels more comfortable.

my back is getting really sore from hitting the ground (thank god for soft grass).

thanks guys.

~Nick

[steve sturt]

You dont have to worry about pulling up on the bars, as the kick on the pedals pulls the front up for you. Try learning without the hop, and it will probably make a bit more sense plus really dial in your balance.

[Mark W]

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[PaRtZ]

Oh mate dont worry about it! I convinced myself that it was impossible to:

Let go of brake, pedal, jump, rewind pedals, brake, land

Thats the basic method and its a lot to think about. So dont think about doing it :(

I found learning two things helped alot:

1) Back wheel control. Do an endo then as your back end goes down, transfer to the back wheel and just get used to the idea of being on the back wheel. Nothing fancy just an idea :D

2) trackstand, then let go of back brake, put in a pedal stroke, then brake again. This sort of gets you mind going to the technique you have to use to later inco-operate the jump :P . When you think you've got this, put multiple pedal kicks into it with braking inbetween. And then finally try putting the jump in

Voila! Gappage (Y)

Hope this helps, my wrist hurts now