phillychris498
Well-Known Member
... Am I the only person on this forum who doesn't ride six mile run religiously even though I'm less than 45 minutes away?
If you're concerned about collisions I suggest more cowbell. I sometimes ride with a little cowbell hanging from my saddle. It's annoying as hell but effective at letting people know you're Coming ]
I always start from 27 and do the lollipop and I prefer blue and white in the clockwise direction. I think it flows better and the roller doubles jump better in that direction. Everyone else I see on the trail goes counter-clockwise though and it confuses me.
how do you get to the canal lot without going on canal road doe
First this across the canal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TRCroy3DKs
Then directly into this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1gRSxtGFFE
I designed most of the trails to be ridden this way on the canal side of S. Middlebush. I rarely ride that side counter clockwise.
I always start from 27 and do the lollipop and I prefer blue and white in the clockwise direction. I think it flows better and the roller doubles jump better in that direction. Everyone else I see on the trail goes counter-clockwise though and it confuses me.
you wont see as many people going in the same direction as you...think about it! :hmmm:
Tonight I rode the full loop (Canal Rd lot -Blue - Red - Orange - Red - 27 lot - Red - Orange - Red - White - Red - Done) for the first time using a computer of some sort (Strava). According to the GPS, the above is 13 miles and I did it in 1:36 w/ a 8.3 mph average. IIRC, some of the fast guys can do this loop in an hour or less (I forget where that "challenge" thread was). FWIW, I ride 99% of the loop in the big ring of my 2x10, using the small ring for that one steep climb after the plastic pipe on Red.
Maintaining speed through the corners is definitely a constant learning task. Again - this is why I like riding there - you are rewarded for good technique and punished when you get it wrong. Looking through the turn as far as possible is key, but another thing is for the really tight corners you need to be out of the saddle. In DH we called this the "attack position": elbows out, weight forward (but in reality - centered on the bike), and leaning the bike into the turn while keeping your body fairly square. This will make you feel like you're more in control as well as allow you to power out the turn sooner.
Late apexing some corners is important as well. Especially when a couple of tight corners are linked together. If you exit the first turn in the wrong position, your position for the next one can be all fubar. Some of this is looking through and seeing the next corner before the first and in the case of 6MR and occasionally limited sight-lines, simply remembering a section and knowing where you need to be.
The line isn't always obvious here either. Partly because so many ride the lines wrong and partly because the lines are completely different for the opposing directions so they tend to blend together.
You never stop practicing corners. As fun as the Carbine should be, it'll be really interesting when I (fingers crossed) bring the 951 next year.
Great advice, that's what I like about 6 mile, the challenge is more in your technique than the physical effort required to ride up a hill.
I think Fitness is also a key role. Not 100% reliant on fitness as I'm a fatty but some sections I can do pretty well but get gassed towards the end due to fitness lacking in the stamina section.