Hop-or-Not: crowed sourced video coaching

Magic

Magic

Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Inkedpearllog_LI.jpg
 
Delish

Delish

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
szymon said:
One thing that really helps is setting up a second barrier which doesn't sound like a big deal but getting the first barrier right at race speed is usually the easy part the second is either, goes smooth or oh shit this is going hurt moment. The main thing that keeps me from riding the barriers is 99% of the time is the spacing is too close to do them with enough speed for it to be faster then running, if you watch most of the euro races they space the barrier further apart. Also one thing I see a lot of is people forget is that hoping barriers when your at or above threshold towards the end of a race is a lot different and a lot harder.
Click to expand...

Agree with all this. Spacing too close is a thing. Also, IMHO (not that anybody cares what I think but anyway) too many local courses put barriers on slow sections....either just after a turn or on an uphill. Putting barriers on a slow speed section is dumb because it prevents them from being a decisive element in the race. Essentially, there's just one speed they can be run. Barriers should be used to break up fast sections or to force a dismount and reward those who are more technically competent.

Anyway, even when barriers are on a high speed section running is almost never slower but it does use energy. But then again, this thread was never about actually going fast. It's about getting more rad.

Going to try some more hops this week. I think my problem is that I'm all out of sorts on the landing because I've thrown my bike forward to clear my back tire. I've gotta work on landing in a ready position for the next hop. Probably need more speed.

@Pearl seems like you need to shift your weight back so you can extend off the rear wheel. More foot flexion from the calf muscles to get upwards momentum?
 
Pearl

Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Delish said:
too many local courses put barriers on slow sections....either just after a turn or on an uphill. Putting barriers on a slow speed section is dumb because it prevents them from being a decisive element in the race. Essentially, there's just one speed they can be run. Barriers should be used to break up fast sections or to force a dismount and reward those who are more technically competent.
Click to expand...
020888b0-bbaa-0132-46bd-0e9062a7590a.gif


I remember Nittany having some super fast barriers up by them trees
 
Last edited:
ChrisG

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Delish said:
Also, IMHO (not that anybody cares what I think but anyway) too many local courses put barriers on slow sections....either just after a turn or on an uphill. Putting barriers on a slow speed section is dumb because it prevents them from being a decisive element in the race. Essentially, there's just one speed they can be run. Barriers should be used to break up fast sections or to force a dismount and reward those who are more technically competent.
Click to expand...
I just had a flashback to one of the earlier editions of Cooper River. They had a high-speed set of barriers on the long backstraight that scared the crap out of me every single lap. You could essentially ride at them flat-out, so they were a pretty intense test of barrier technique, particularly as the race went on and fatigue started playing a role.

I'm not racing cross this year, but this thread has me wanting to set up some barriers and work on my hops anyway.
 
Delish

Delish

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
ChrisG said:
I just had a flashback to one of the earlier editions of Cooper River. They had a high-speed set of barriers on the long backstraight that scared the crap out of me every single lap. You could essentially ride at them flat-out, so they were a pretty intense test of barrier technique, particularly as the race went on and fatigue started playing a role.

I'm not racing cross this year, but this thread has me wanting to set up some barriers and work on my hops anyway.
Click to expand...

Back in The Day, Providence always had perfectly placed ludi-speed barriers, often at the beer garden. Providence Day 2, 2011, there were double barriers set up at the end of a fast downhill section, 50 yards before a right-hand hairpin which dropped you onto the pavement for the finishing sprint. At the time I was a middling Cat 4 but remember watching Edwin, Bill Elliston, and 2other super fast masters run the barriers at unbelievable speeds on the last lap. All 4 dudes were former pros and had great technique but even a slight hesitation at the barriers could have lost one of them the race. Bill won the 4-up sprint IIRC.

Man I miss racing at Roger Williams Park.
 
Ian F

Ian F

Well-Known Member
How to learn to hop on a drop-bar bike:

Be casually riding along on a quiet road and probably not paying as much attention as you should...

"Oh shit! Road kill!"

And you hop over it.

Tops. Hoods. Drops. Doesn't really matter. Instinct takes over.

BTW - I'm not the best person to follow on road rides. As I really do tend to jump over obstacles and pot-holes rather than going around them.
 
shrpshtr325

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Ian F said:
BTW - I'm not the best person to follow on road rides. As I really do tend to jump over obstacles and pot-holes rather than going around them.
Click to expand...


glad i not the only one, most of the guys at work hate riding behind me bc of this. . . . . . (among other reasons)
 
Ian F

Ian F

Well-Known Member
one piece crank said:
Back in high school Hunterdon County had more RR crossing remnants. I would always hop them on the hoods.
Click to expand...

My road riding loop at home in Bucks Co has a RR crossing that's been there for ages - on Aquetong Rd near New Hope, for those familiar with the area. You cross it coming down a hill, so having enough speed is never an issue (unless there's a slow car in front of you). I used to launch the crossing in my Toyota pick-up back in my youth. :p

But there is a difference between hopping to clear distance vs height. The former really doesn't need skill as much as speed and commitment. When I'm descending on a road bike, I feel more stable in the drops, so when hopping over that RR crossing, it's generally in the drops.
 
stb222

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Ian F said:
My road riding loop at home in Bucks Co has a RR crossing that's been there for ages - on Aquetong Rd near New Hope, for those familiar with the area. You cross it coming down a hill, so having enough speed is never an issue (unless there's a slow car in front of you). I used to launch the crossing in my Toyota pick-up back in my youth. :p

But there is a difference between hopping to clear distance vs height. The former really doesn't need skill as much as speed and commitment. When I'm descending on a road bike, I feel more stable in the drops, so when hopping over that RR crossing, it's generally in the drops.
Click to expand...
I came down the one on upper mtn yesterday, man is that one sketchy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom