Jump!
G-Wiz and I met up last night to ride out at Binder. We both had our tuff bikes, and neither of us were looking to ride fast. We were looking for fun!
I am sure I drove G nuts last night will all the bragging I was doing. Every time I came to an obstacle I was lifting the front end over, I was ohhing and ahhing over the way the bike handled. Sure, it is a slug on xc trails, but but the bike excels at negotiating technical stuff.
So G, I am sorry for all the braggin. I was just digging the new/old feel.
Later, we hit up the new jump in the field. After the rain, the lip changed, but also it was better packed down. The soil type is nearly perfect for holding shape, but we need some real tools to form the lip.
As is, we had to launch from half way up the face (that is where the lip is right now). I took some video of G the first time he hit it up (nice work). Later I worked the face a bit and formed a better lip, and we spent about 45 minutes launching off this thing under the glow of a single halogen light laying on the ground. It was a blast, but you will have to take my word on this (the second half of this short video basically shows you how dark it was). That is G on the first run, and me in the second.
whut was that?
Yeah, a little dark on that second time through. From what I could see it looked like he got about 12 seconds of air on that second jump. Or not.
Too bad the sun sets so soon after work lets out these days. Today sunset is at 6:20, which is way too early if you ask me.
Yeah, it got dark...
By the end of the night, I was able to work the lip so that we had greater air time (still not enough for much hot-dogging).
G said I was getting a decent amount of void between myself and the earth, but you sure can not see it from that video.
I think that once we get that lip built big enough for the big-wheeled bikes to take advantage, things will get interesting. What I am going for is a serious launch that a rider can take advantage of at lower speed.
It is much easier to pull some tricks when you are not going at warp speed on the landing. I won't promise any big stunts, but that feeling you get when you launch will be a whole lot of fun...that is what I am after.
Landing gear down
I just hope you get the video of what's sure to be a 5-point landing - front and back wheels followed quickly by left pedal, right pedal and bottom bracket.
Just be sure to keep your weight back and hope the down tube doesn't auger in. This isn't a pole vaulting competition.