Switching among bikes
Lee,
First off I must say that you website is a daily visit for me and I appreciate all the time and effort you put into it.
I have been biking steadily for just over 2 years now. I started with a Kona Shred and now I have an 05 Bighit FSR as well since I discovered my passion for extreme sports carries over to DH as well. My problem is that when I switch between the bikes they feel so different that I almost kill myself in certain scenarios. Do
multi bike owners try to keep to specific hardware or configuration to avoid this feeling? Will I eventually get used to the feeling? Any tips or tricks are greatly appreciated.
Thx Lee.
Dan the Man
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Hey Dan,
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
I always loved that quote. It tells me that, while consistency is cool, foolish consistency is not. On your bikes, strive for consistency, but don’t be foolish.
Consistent setup: Try to rock the same bars on all your bikes. If you’re hardcore, rock the same stems too. Brian Lopes runs a 27-inch Easton bar and 70mm stem on all his bikes — 4X, DH, XC, AM. I have a mishmash of bars, but I almost always run a 50mm stem. Use the same grips and controls, and set them up identically. Oh: Make sure your suspension is set up correctly. I’ll bet you $1 million that it isn’t.
Flexible technique: If you worry about the position of your feet, butt and hands, every bike will feel different. If you rock the leelikesbikes style — find your feet, keep your hands light and ride from the middle of your bike — every bike feels the same.
In a given week I’ll ride my P.3, SX, Enduro SL, Demo, GSR Hardtail, CRF250R, CRF450X and other random bikes (especially in clinics). I balance on the pedals (or pegs), and let everything else flow from there. I can ride just about anything with the same level of proficiency.
BTW: This principle of balance works in skiing, yoga, picking up groceries and riding bulls. I’ve done that last one a few times, and it feels just like DH!
Have I said BRAAAP?
— Lee
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