Skinny Question

[pirate]

Alright, so I've been working on getting better at riding skinnies... My balance is getting a little better with practice, but I've been having a problem with turns. The problem I've been having is that my back wheel doesn't seem to want to track around the turn. So, my front wheel will still be on the skinny, but my back wheel will fall off to the inside. Is there a trick to getting your back wheel to follow the track of your front?

[Brizn]

Alright, so I've been working on getting better at riding skinnies... My balance is getting a little better with practice, but I've been having a problem with turns. The problem I've been having is that my back wheel doesn't seem to want to track around the turn. So, my front wheel will still be on the skinny, but my back wheel will fall off to the inside. Is there a trick to getting your back wheel to follow the track of your front? This is the nature of how a bike turns. Front wheel has the turning radius, rear wheel is just pulled along. Ride thru some water once, and turn a circle and have a look at your tracks- the rear is perpetually 'cutting the corner' that your front is making (if that makes sense). Anyway, the trick is to lift your rear into the air and place it 'in line'. Take note on some youtube vids or sumfin. Good luck. Glad you're back up and at it.

[jabberwocky]

Yup. Turn the front wheel through the corner, and as the rear starts to get close to slipping, you lift it and move it sideways. I practice by riding around planters (90 degree turns) on my street bike. Doing a 90 degree turn, you need to lift and recenter the rear wheel multiple times.

There is one planter I practice on that not only turns 90 degrees, but has a 6" step up on the corner as well.

[jagayers]

Are there any skinnys on the trails around here (meaning dc va md)? i haven't seen any...

The only ones that I know of for sure at at White Clay Creek in DE.

[punga]

Patapsco probably has the most condensed group along the infamous L&C trail. There are a few around Schaeefer, Wakefield and (I think) Fountainhead. In most cases, they're just the tops of logs, no ladders or elevated structures.

Their might be some more up in the 'Shed, but first rule of the 'Shed is "Don't talk about the 'Shed" ;)

punga!

[BikerMiker]

If you turn as deep as possible in the turn, it will help with the rear wheel. The sooner you turn in the turn, the worse off you'll be.

Good luck.

mike