10/11/2008

After a very busy 2004 year of riding and monkey business, I wondered if I was ever going to get to tickle my computer keys again. Luckily, thanks to all of those people who introduced themselves and nagged, bugged, and poked me to start writing again, I'm back! Thanks tons for all your kind words and support and welcome to the Yo Hoots Jay kinda advice sorta article or something rebirth! WooHoo!

Over the last year I have been responding to all sorts of wicked-cool questions so let's open up the 'tickle trunk' and drag some of these bad boys out public style.

Yo Hoots Jay

Since I've had some time to think about my riding lately I found that I lack confidence when I ride. I am reluctant to try new and challenging things even if I know I can do them. Is there a way to become a more confident rider? If so, how?

- Chase

Yo Chase

Wicked subject! There are so many variables, and this is perhaps a question that is truly all encompassing.

First off, it's great to hear that you are thinking about your riding (at any capacity) because visualization is everything. Just by thinking about your bike, your riding and just plain riding in general, you will start to influence your riding abilities. But, this effect can be either positive or negative, so try to be fair to yourself and think positive and constructive.

Another way you increase your confidence for a ride is by taking the time to limber up and stretch. Stretching prepares your body for balance movements and muscle flexion. When you feel anxiety your body becomes tense. This will affect your riding, but a good stretch can take all the jitters away and give you a fresh approach.

You can also break down your riding into several categories like: things you can do, things you are shaky at, and things that you would love to be able to do. Write it down then go have a few rides and enjoy. Walk some tough stuff and look at the forest, after a couple of rides start doing trails where you take one shaky thing and work on it but ride all the easy stuff as smooth as possible - make sure you take pride in conquest for victory is sweet!!!

Safety First!

Another way to gain some confidence is to vary your style of riding. For example, when I felt a bit overwhelmed from intensive riding and was injured, I joined the cruiser club. I built me an old school cruiser and went out and rode around the sea wall with friends, and just had a great time! Saddle time is saddle time, and it all tallies up in the experience column (experience = confidence).

I would also recommend taking a camp or trying to get an instructor's certificate. I have coaching/teaching certificates for bikes (NCCP1, CMIC) and I'm also certified as a snowboard instructor (CASI 1). All of these courses taught me how to look closely at my riding style and practice simple basic technique. Practicing basic skills and understanding where I needed work has served to give me a solid base! Plus, in addition to seeing your weaknesses, you also get to find out what you're doing right. Ah-ha - confidence

Hope this helps get things on track...
Confidently Yours Hoots Jay : )

Yo Hoots

Hey I want to learn how to pull barspins on Specialized big hit comp. I ride with hydraulic disc brakes and I've heard it is bad for the brakes, is this true or not?

thnx
- Jamie

Barspins rule!
I love a good spin to keep things honest. I have been spinning with Hydro brakes for 2 years now and have a system that won't be bad for the brake system. The idea is that you make sure that your hydro and cable housing is extra long so that you can get about 400 degrees of turn wrapped around the stem. More times than not you'll end up turning out of a bar spin, so you want some extra cable housing to make sure that you don't stretch it, and more importantly, you don't want to stress the barbed tube that the brake housing goes over as it will mean having to replace the master cylinder.

You can also try re-routing your housing to the same side of the lever; this buys more space on longer wheel-based bikes. I usually buy rear brake housing to replace front brake line for extra turns.

You can also pick up a top cap for your stem that has a hole through it to run your housing through the head tube - then all you need worry about is the rear derailleur and brake cables. The only down side to this setup is that if you need to change your forks, you'll have to cut your brake line and have re-bleed it again to get the housing through the headset.

Let the Spin Begin!!!
HJ :)

Yo Hoots Jay!

I live in Nova Scotia and I recently went out there to the west coast and rode with these freakin' AWESOME dudes who were like bouncing off roots and doing cartwheels off 30 foot high skinnies and stuff, and I was wondering, like, how much do you have to hurt yourself before you get good at that sh*t (or at least good enough not to hurt so bad that you can't ride)?

Your biggest fan,
Bikergrl!

Yo Bikergrl!

Great question! As always I must promote one word: 'progression' - it sure does reduce the amount of pain one suffers! *true story*

When I consider my own personal quest on a bike, injury is an unfortunate risk I've had to take. I've had many injuries as repercussion for my learning curve. I think most the time the severity of an injury is a reflection of the speed of your progression (minus the dumbass moments). So, if you're pushing yourself hard on a regular basis, you'd better expect some bumps and bruises (more than someone who's learning at a slower pace).

Geez, now that I am replying, this is a really tough question, nice going bikergrl, it's like you have your own column or something.

I know that there are definite exceptions to rules, but even the smoothest riders crash. I ride with some very talented bike stunters who have only been at it for a few years and haven't had many injuries. Despite that, I still think the more you put yourself out there the more chances you will meet with injury… Reality check starts here. Since I have stopped throwing myself off of the edge of the unknown and started really working on progression and stretching, I've reduced my injury count dramatically.

Having a sound relationship with your doctor and a great physio therapist is also key, although in my case it would also include an incredibly talented orthopedic surgeon.

I am sure it is possible to have bike mastery without injury but I can't think of anyone who hasn't bumped themselves good at least once. Maybe it's all a matter of how bad a injury is, as opposed to whether or not you will get one.

Ryan Leech, Shaums March, Aaron Chase, and Roland Green are all world class athletes with incredible bike skills, but all of them have all suffered injuries in their careers - imagine the amount of practice and progression they must focus on in order to ride at their level so consistently.

Ride On Bikergrl...
Hoots Jay

So there it is, ol' Dready-boy makes his advisory comeback on NSMB just a couple months before bike season starts full force! Props to Trailside Physio in New West for the outstanding effort in getting my knee back into riding condition. I am back on the bike and ready to start learning some new stuff just in time for all the questions the NSMB.com readership have to throw at me.

Ride on
Hoots Jay