Hi, Lee!

I wasn’t sure how to post a question to your website – and thought you might filter them through your own inbox? I had a question for you about gaining some confidence on riding down gravel fire roads … I feel like a pretty confident rider on fairly technical terrain, but loose gravel just freaks me out. I feel like the ground is moving down the hill with me as I descend, and I’m just a moments away from washout and total disaster … I have gotten better on straight tracks – getting into my attack position and adjusting my position to react to traction (or lack thereof) on my front and rear wheels. But then adding a curve to the road and steering in this stuff really throws me for a loop! Do you have any tips on riding loose gravel on a downhill?

Thanks so much for your continued dedication to this sport! We preach the Gospel of Lee at all of our High School team practices – with attack position and cornering being our primary focus with the kids. They’re really getting the hang of it – even the “tried and true” racers that have been riding for years are breaking their bad habits!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Denise
Coach – Austin High School Mountain Bike Team

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Lee,

My son and I are spending the weekend at Ray’s MTB in Cleveland. We like to ride the small jump line – it’s a series of tables.

Sometimes, I land perfectly – heavy feet, light hands – and it feels great. I pump the landing and launch the next one. But sometimes I overshoot and land flat between two jumps (ouch). And sometimes I land short (oomph).

In MMBS you talk about placing the wheels with precision when touching down. But how do I do that? Should I look down at the landing? I’ve always made it a point to look far ahead, not at the landing or at the next jump.

Does this answer apply to every time we are in the air? When I do drops, for instance, I don’t look down at the landing. And, since I haven’t solved the tabletop question, I leave the doubles alone.

Sincerely yours in ripping,
Jim

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Hi Lee,

The two main things I need to work on I think are keeping my weight mostly on the pedals with heavy feet (less on the hands) and weighting the front wheel more in loose fast corners (I have had my front wheel wash out a few times recently, no I’m not braking).

How do I combine these two skills? They seem to be saying opposing things. When in your book you indicate that more weight should be put on the front wheel to stop it washing out and to track better, is this moving the hips forward and is it only a momentary change from the normal attack position with most of the weight through the pedals during loose corners?

I know you can weight and unweight, for example, pumping on a flat surface, but what about on an extended long corner which is loose gravel or mud and I am worried about the front washing out?

Thanks in advance

John

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Lee,

Throughout 2011, I’ve been trying to get to grips with flat pedals on my Enduro SL. After a couple of decades riding clips and straps then clipless, this past year has been about the worst I can remember. Admittedly, I haven’t managed to ride as much as I’d have liked, but when I do get out, I don’t feel secure on the bike and live in mortal dread of becoming detached from the bike should the rear wheel ever leave the ground… I’d really like 2012 to be different. So, would I be better served by a hardtail for re-learning some basic skills or am I kidding myself that switching to a hardtail will make any difference? Should I just knuckle down with MMBS and the Enduro?

Thanks,

Don

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ONE SPOT JUST OPENED UP! NEVERMIND, SOLD OUT.

Co-coach Lars Thomsen, owner of Trail Head Cyclery, rips a DH run at Santa Teresa in 2003.

Stoked:

I’m teaming up with Trail Head Cyclery to rock a NorCal skills clinic.

When: Friday, Feb. 17; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Santa Teresa County Park in San Jose, CA

What: We will work skills and drills in the morning, eat some tasty lunch then apply our new kung fu on trails. Expect to learn about:

• Body position
• Braking
• Cornering
• Going up and down obstacles
• Pumping terrain
• Reading lines and just plan ripping

How much: $200 per rider, 10 riders max

Click here for more details or …

... sign up now
Using the below button, you can quickly and easily pay with Paypal balance, credit card or bank account. You do NOT need a Paypal account.

Hey Lee,

One section that I’ve been rolling has eroded a bit and I need to get up to task (read: grow some) and drop this sucker! Chunky approach to a 4 foot ledge with a rutted downhill landing and runout… I ride a Santa Cruz Nomad with a coil fork and I’ll be sporting my body armor for sure.

Here’s a photo of the drop. Any tips for me?

Tony

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Lee, I am in need of a new bike and was about to write off 29ers because I want the most versatile bike for the bucks. When you endorse 29ers for pump and jump I’m back on the fence. I own an old copy of Mastering MTB Skills and it really helped to improve my riding. Here is the clincher Brian Lopes is not impressed with 29ers but you highly recommend them. If you are racing them in DH/DS events that require considerable technique I can only assume that they are up for the task. Is Lopes just set in his ways or is it that the level that he operates at demands a 26” bike.
Billy

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Sunday on the Enduro, Monday on the Stumpy.

How can any bike feel better than this?

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This question is spurred by Pedaling in attack position?

Lee,

Do you have any pro tips how to pump-manual while still pedalling? It’s OK to me if I want to do it on a table-top or with a small speed, but when the speed goes up and bumps get bigger I can’t keep up with the terrain…

Jakub

WITH VIDEO

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(But you already know that.)

When I imagine riding trails, this is what I look like.

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