March 2, 201412 yr Hi guys I would like to know how often you boyz train according to the weather? The sun shines here most of the time but its been raining for the last 2 days so I figured ill use the wearher to vary my training and learn a bit more about finding traction. Ill be up at 4am to load up and take advantage of this rubbish weather as the rain seems to stop by late morning. So, if any, how often or important do you think training in cr@ppy weather is necessary?
March 2, 201412 yr So, if any, how often or important do you think training in cr@ppy weather is necessary? if you live and ride in Scotland, you have next to no option but to.....
March 3, 201412 yr This time of year, in the Pacific Northwest of the US, pretty much every day...... We get about 80 inches of rain a year here in Sandy where I live...... If there's a good thing about this, it's that sometimes I don't have to wash my bike; the weather does that for me..... Jimmie
March 3, 201412 yr New Scotland - Nova Scotia isn't much better than Scotland except I think we get a wee bit more snow... unlike rain it can pile up even on high ground and can be tough to find traction on. My opinion is it is best to dress for the weather and get out and enjoy it a day on the bike is better than a day in the office I don't care what the weather .
March 4, 201412 yr Author Well that was a bad idea......guess it was a little too wet. No matter what i tried.....traction did not exist.
March 4, 201412 yr You just have to keep trying, you will learn how to get traction in poor conditions the more you do it. Still makes it hard though! Looks like you had fun either way.
March 4, 201412 yr Author This was one of those situations where I even doubt Mr Bou would have got any square inch of his tires to bite. I tried every gear, was gentle on the clutch, tried various amounts of throttle, played around with weight distribution. ......all to absolutely no avail. It was just too wet.
March 4, 201412 yr Hi Dylan, Well in Britain it's been the wettest winter on record so most of our trials have been wet and muddy and our bikes look like that after most events. It's good practice to try and coax some grip in that mud !
March 6, 201412 yr In the US Pacific Northwest we get plenty of rain. Much like parts of the UK. The resulting grip depends a lot on the type of soil. The worst is clay which will stick to your tires, fill the treads basically making it like a racing slick on grease. I remember one time, riding on flat ground, moving at about 0.005 mph regardless of engine speed, gear choice or weight distribution. I rolled up to a stick about 1/2" in diameter and could not get the front tire over it! LOL. But, only 2 feet on either side there was fairly good grip. Unfortunately, that was outside the ribbons. Riding in mud will definitely teach you about getting speed when you can and keeping momentum in the areas where there is no grip. This can be very helpful on slippery logs, roots and the occasional patch of ice in winter trials. Yes, we ride all year up here.
March 7, 201412 yr That bike isn't even slightly muddy, mine looks like that after the jet wash! If at least one wheel is still going round you can keep moving. Your riding gear is still clean, I have to scrape mine with a trowel before they can go in the washer. Man Up!! TLTEL
March 7, 201412 yr This was one of those situations where I even doubt Mr Bou would have got any square inch of his tires to bite. I tried every gear, was gentle on the clutch, tried various amounts of throttle, played around with weight distribution. ......all to absolutely no avail. It was just too wet. I was struggling with grip on a muddy hill until a fellow rider asked what pressure I had in the rear which was 4 psi he advised me to drop it to 2 psi and that made it a lot grippier.
March 7, 201412 yr That bike isn't even slightly muddy, mine looks like that after the jet wash! If at least one wheel is still going round you can keep moving. Your riding gear is still clean, I have to scrape mine with a trowel before they can go in the washer. Man Up!! TLTEL I turn my kit inside out so the mrs doesn't see how dirty it is and if it's really bad I put it in the machine myself! Edited March 7, 201412 yr by southwester
March 8, 201412 yr Not exactly "Trials Training", but mud is mud, and traction is traction, no matter the bike.... A scrambles race on New Year's Day callled "The Hangover Scrambles" (2009 vintage). Melting snow, rain, & mud. I'm the guy in middle bent over the orange KTM. This is also where our club has it's next trials at this Sunday...... We get to ride in this, or not ride at all, at certain times of year...... No offense, Dylan, but you & your bike weren't even dirty, bud...... Edited March 8, 201412 yr by mr neutron
March 9, 201412 yr Author Granted....I/my bike was not that dirty however I would have loved to see all you traction experts riding in the hole I was in. I guess it is one of those.....you would have had to have been there moments. Im not scared of mud at all and im putting in the time, and for me to give up in 10minutes is not my style. Sliding down a gentle slope backwards, forwards, sideways and upside down was not my idea of fun. If I cannot ride my bike for a meter, im not learning anything under those circumstances. Edited March 9, 201412 yr by mokwepa
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