# Off Road technical



## Ian Watts (18 Oct 2013)

A few months ago I had my first experience of off road technical stuff at Cannock Chase (something to do with a dog and a monkey) and spent more time off than on. In the end I moved and went to the blue trail while the rest of the team carried on. I just wasn't prepared.

There seems to be a lack of places to practice these technical skills - all or nothing. And there is such a difference between blue trails (which my family do, including my 9 year old daughter), and the red/black trails.

Does anyone know of places where you can train / practice these sets of skills - I would love to do it, but just jumping straight in seems too hard, especially with tons of people overtaking me all of the time.

Any suggestions??


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## fossyant (18 Oct 2013)

Practice. You've just got to do it.


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## Ian Watts (18 Oct 2013)

Are there places that are better for beginners than others? Practicing at Cannock chase was almost impossible as everyone was faster than me, and just kept overtaking me - I had to keep stopping (I feel like a right wuss now )


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## dan_bo (18 Oct 2013)

Go and have a mess about in the park- find a slope (not too steep) and let it roll through. Find a rooty bit, approach it rolling and lean back to take your weight off the front wheel. Get used to moving your body around and the bike moving around underneath you. 

Jump off kerbs- forward and sideways-that kind of stuff. Before you know it, you'll start to pick up speed. Make sure you enjoy it though, cos it's not worth it if you don't!


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## Cubist (18 Oct 2013)

How close are you to Sherwood Pines (mansfield) ? The Kitchener trail there is a very light red, in fact, scrub that, it's a blue route, but can be ridden as fast and as hard as you like, and has the very occasional technical bit that takes a bit of thinking about. For beginners it's a fantastic place to raise your confidence, and it's very family oriented. There are a few chutes, whoops and berms on decent singletrack to teach you balance, cornering and weight shifting, but has very little by way of climbing or descending (though there are a couple of good fast sections if you pedal!) There are no rocks or rock gardens until you go and seek them out in the skills area.

Coed Llandegla would be a good progression as it's got a fun blue and a reasonably XC style Red route, albeit with a few more technical features. It's a fantastic family day out too, has a great cafe, and a skills are where you can go and practice the technical stuff. 


However, the biggest barrier to your riding is letting yourself get worried by what others are thinking. Trail centres are for everybody, not just fast experienced riders. I know it is easy to be self-conscious, but if you concentrate on your own riding you'll soon stop fretting. Just remember, it's good etiquette to let the rider IN FRONT of you take the lines they need, so next time some whippet/gnaaaarrboi is breathing down your neck, just remember this mantra. "If they were any good they'd be riding something more difficult.". By all means pull left and let them pass if you wish, but don't stutter to a halt in the mistaken belief that they have a right to get past you and spoil YOUR ride!


Ian Watts said:


> A few months ago I had my first experience of off road technical stuff at Cannock Chase (something to do with a dog and a monkey) and spent more time off than on. In the end I moved and went to the blue trail while the rest of the team carried on. I just wasn't prepared.
> 
> There seems to be a lack of places to practice these technical skills - all or nothing. And there is such a difference between blue trails (which my family do, including my 9 year old daughter), and the red/black trails.
> 
> ...


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## Crackle (18 Oct 2013)

Yep, you don't have to go to trail centres to have fun. Bridleways and forest roads can be just as much fun and there are lots of easier trails which are worth a visit in forests and country parks.

If you do want to get better at trails then go to different trail centres and practise on the blues. Also look at Youtube tips about how you should approach an obstacle, knowing where you should be on the bike is half the battle.


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## dan_bo (18 Oct 2013)

Get used to scanning the trail as well. Spend too much time looking close and you'll get a nasty surprise at speed. Look too far ahead and, again, you'll miss something you didn't want to. Use your eyes constantly.


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## Ian Watts (18 Oct 2013)

Cubist said:


> How close are you to Sherwood Pines (mansfield) ? The Kitchener trail there is a very light red, in fact, scrub that, it's a blue route, but can be ridden as fast and as hard as you like, and has the very occasional technical bit that takes a bit of thinking about. For beginners it's a fantastic place to raise your confidence, and it's very family oriented. There are a few chutes, whoops and berms on decent singletrack to teach you balance, cornering and weight shifting, but has very little by way of climbing or descending (though there are a couple of good fast sections if you pedal!) There are no rocks or rock gardens until you go and seek them out in the skills area.
> !



I live in Stoke and grew up in Chesterfield - definitely the right area of the country. Might go and give it a look - cheers.



Cubist said:


> However, the biggest barrier to your riding is letting yourself get worried by what others are thinking. Trail centres are for everybody, not just fast experienced riders. I know it is easy to be self-conscious, but if you concentrate on your own riding you'll soon stop fretting. Just remember, it's good etiquette to let the rider IN FRONT of you take the lines they need, so next time some whippet/gnaaaarrboi is breathing down your neck, just remember this mantra. "If they were any good they'd be riding something more difficult.". By all means pull left and let them pass if you wish, but don't stutter to a halt in the mistaken belief that they have a right to get past you and spoil YOUR ride!



I find it intimidating when they are going right past me - I end up stopping when they are on my back - I know what you are saying, but the bit of trail i was on was os narrow I would have ended up with a tailback a mile long!!



Crackle said:


> Yep, you don't have to go to trail centres to have fun. Bridleways and forest roads can be just as much fun and there are lots of easier trails which are worth a visit in forests and country parks.
> 
> If you do want to get better at trails then go to different trail centres and practise on the blues. Also look at Youtube tips about how you should approach an obstacle, knowing where you should be on the bike is half the battle.


I do a fair bit of that - I should do more and practice the tougher bits more, It almost feels like there need to be some purple routes in between blue and red.



dan_bo said:


> Get used to scanning the trail as well. Spend too much time looking close and you'll get a nasty surprise at speed. Look too far ahead and, again, you'll miss something you didn't want to. Use your eyes constantly.


I made that mistake a lot - looking too far ahead and hitting a stump and coming off.

Thanks all for the pointers - I shall definitely try Sherwood.


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## 02GF74 (18 Oct 2013)

practising on bridleways isn't going to do it.. I've been riding them for years and years and years.
went down t swinley forest on he blue an parts of the red trail and just about everyone scooted past me - rather embarrssing..... only way to get better is to practise on the trail.


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## Ian Watts (18 Oct 2013)

02GF74 said:


> practising on bridleways isn't going to do it.. I've been riding them for years and years and years.
> went down t swinley forest on he blue an parts of the red trail and just about everyone scooted past me - rather embarrssing..... only way to get better is to practise on the trail.


Cheers - I've been in touch with a friend who knows some quiet places we can go in some woods and practice. That should help.


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## lukesdad (20 Oct 2013)

There are trails and enough space out on the chase to get all the practice you need, without using the centre itself.


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## Ian Watts (20 Oct 2013)

lukesdad said:


> There are trails and enough space out on the chase to get all the practice you need, without using the centre itself.


I think that's what my friend has in mind - the actual red/black trails at cannock are just too busy


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## lukesdad (21 Oct 2013)

Perhaps while we're on the subject, it's probably worthwhile repeating this;
It's up to the faster rider to make a safe pass! Not the other way round.


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## Ian Watts (21 Oct 2013)

lukesdad said:


> Perhaps while we're on the subject, it's probably worthwhile repeating this;
> It's up to the faster rider to make a safe pass! Not the other way round.


I did think this at the time, but just felt bad at slowing other people down.


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## lukesdad (21 Oct 2013)

Ian Watts said:


> I did think this at the time, but just felt bad at slowing other people down.


Everybody has to learn sometime and everybody slows someone down!


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## Ian Watts (21 Oct 2013)

lukesdad said:


> Everybody has to learn sometime and everybody slows someone down!


Cheers Mate - i will try again


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## I like Skol (21 Oct 2013)

Keep at it! I'm lucky, I started as a kid and just like Danbo says, I would spend ages trying to ride the same obstacle until I mastered it. Anything that came to hand was fair game, steps, roots, ledges, old railway embankments, rivers, walls, anything! Now I'm older (turned 40 this year) I still push myself to ride new things in new ways. Just in the last 12 months I have learnt how to ride onto and off a bench outside the local market hall, considering it has armrests at each end it isn't easy but I stuck at it until it all came together.
It all comes down to practice. Do it again, and again, and again etc. There's still loads of stuff I'm not good at, like clearing tabletop jumps or wheelies, but I keep trying and I'm improving a little bit at a time and so can you


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## Chris1983 (21 Oct 2013)

I ride sherwood pines a lot, when I first went it took me 70mins to do a lap. I can now get round in 47mins....pushing for a sub 45min lap. Its a good place to learn,

I went there as a complete novice and never found the red trail to intimidating but I was on the brakes a lot, picked bad lines, poor posture etc. But the guys I went with are good riders and easily get a sub 40min lap. To start getting better they would slow down so I could follow them, watch their lines, how they weighted the bike etc and it really works, learn from your peers

With regards to feeling pressured, try to go when its quiet and don't worry about holding others up. i tend to find most riders are patient, after all well had to learn the ropes, yes there will always be idiots that think they own the trails but thats just life. Just ignore them

Just keep practicing and your confidence and skills will improve massively. The biggest factor I had to over come was learning when speed is your friend and when its not.

Above all enjoy your riding


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## Ian Watts (22 Oct 2013)

I like Skol said:


> Keep at it! I'm lucky, I started as a kid and just like Danbo says, I would spend ages trying to ride the same obstacle until I mastered it. Anything that came to hand was fair game, steps, roots, ledges, old railway embankments, rivers, walls, anything! Now I'm older (turned 40 this year) I still push myself to ride new things in new ways. Just in the last 12 months I have learnt how to ride onto and off a bench outside the local market hall, considering it has armrests at each end it isn't easy but I stuck at it until it all came together.
> It all comes down to practice. Do it again, and again, and again etc. There's still loads of stuff I'm not good at, like clearing tabletop jumps or wheelies, but I keep trying and I'm improving a little bit at a time and so can you





Chris1983 said:


> I ride sherwood pines a lot, when I first went it took me 70mins to do a lap. I can now get round in 47mins....pushing for a sub 45min lap. Its a good place to learn,
> 
> I went there as a complete novice and never found the red trail to intimidating but I was on the brakes a lot, picked bad lines, poor posture etc. But the guys I went with are good riders and easily get a sub 40min lap. To start getting better they would slow down so I could follow them, watch their lines, how they weighted the bike etc and it really works, learn from your peers
> 
> ...


Thanks both - I'm going out in a couple of weeks - I'll let you all know how it goes


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## YIMan (23 Oct 2013)

1) Just keep riding and practicing. In time you will get better and faster. This is what most people do.
2) Some trail centres have "skills areas" where you can practice technical skills on obstacles.
3) Go on a skills course and your riding will improve leaps and bounds. This is the best option for fast learning and learning how to do things "properly"....


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## Cubist (25 Oct 2013)

YIMan said:


> 1) Just keep riding and practicing. In time you will get better and faster. This is what most people do.
> 2) Some trail centres have "skills areas" where you can practice technical skills on obstacles.
> 3) Go on a skills course and your riding will improve leaps and bounds. This is the best option for fast learning and learning how to do things "properly"....


Skills course? Definitely. For the cost of a tankful of fuel which you'd otherwise use to get you to and from places to practise you can be given expert assessment and tuition, but most importantly you'll have it all to yourself so you can concentrate on you!


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## Ian Watts (27 Oct 2013)

Cubist said:


> Skills course? Definitely. For the cost of a tankful of fuel which you'd otherwise use to get you to and from places to practise you can be given expert assessment and tuition, but most importantly you'll have it all to yourself so you can concentrate on you!


I have looked up the chase skills courses at cannock and they seem reasonably priced. I think I shall do that.


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