can'trideforshitonthefirstloopitis.

[Jay GTI]

The big thing i found was to do slow speed warm ups in the car park. Figure 8's at full lock, both puts your body and mind in the right gear and warms you up as well.

Ah perfect that is something I will definitely do then. Cheers!!

[scott411]

Ask anyone that competes and they will all have a different routine for starting the day.

Mine starts the night before and i just want quiet on the morning.
The big thing i found was to do slow speed warm ups in the car park. Figure 8's at full lock, both puts your body and mind in the right gear and warms you up as well.

But you will find what works.

DO NOT ride around the car park unless you want to piss off the organisers

[BoristheBiter]

DO NOT ride around the car park unless you want to piss off the organisers

????
Can't say I've pissed anyone off while riding in a car park.

[scott411]

????
Can't say I've pissed anyone off while riding in a car park.

i speak as an event organiser, plenty of people have pissed me off riding in the car park,

they mark km's of trail for you, use that,

[scott411]

as for warming up my arms, i use the front suspension and push up and down on them, and slap my fore arms like a junkie looking for a vein, also shake them a bit,

[Jay GTI]

Ok, so no figure 8's in the car park... but as it's primarily my arms that get me into trouble, that is where I need the most help. So junkie slaps it is...

[BoristheBiter]

i speak as an event organiser, plenty of people have pissed me off riding in the car park,

they mark km's of trail for you, use that,

I think you have mistaken what I mean.
Low speed figure 8's, no speed just balance, just enough to go around in a circle without falling off or stalling.

[scott411]

I think you have mistaken what I mean.
Low speed figure 8's, no speed just balance, just enough to go around in a circle without falling off or stalling.

i know what you ment, but you imagine 300 poeple doing that, thats why i would against it,

I have seen it here a few times, (and enforced it at supercrosses), but overseas it is not uncommon for you to have to push your bike to the start line, with no riding the pits at all, (infact i think its the enduro rule here as well)

[BoristheBiter]

i know what you ment, but you imagine 300 poeple doing that, thats why i would against it,

I have seen it here a few times, (and enforced it at supercrosses), but overseas it is not uncommon for you to have to push your bike to the start line, with no riding the pits at all, (infact i think its the enduro rule here as well)

I see what you mean but that's not how everyone warms up (only know one other rider that's does it) and with most of the car parks are actually roads I wouldn't think it was that much of a deal.

This is another reason I don't race, just sucks the fun out of riding.

[nzspokes]

This is another reason I don't race, just sucks the fun out of riding.

Agreed.

And I would hold everybody up. Have been tempted to do a maize race but thought I would be to slow.

[Jay GTI]

And I would hold everybody up. Have been tempted to do a maize race but thought I would be to slow.

It's a fair concern, one I've had as well because if there's a loop, there will be fast guys coming up behind me regularly. But I figure I have as much right to be there as anyone else and as long as I'm not block riding or intentionally getting in the way of the fast guys, they can get past me easily enough (they certainly do on some of the trail rides I've been on).

I've watched a maize race, they seem to attract a few novice racers, so I wouldn't worry in the slightest about being slow.

[Ocean1]

Yeah there may be something in the mental aspect, but it's really just a case of letting my body go through what I guess I could describe as a heat cycle.

I don't think your "issue" is all that uncommon. I used to spend the first little while on the bike deliberately reinforcing correct riding habits, just as you say. It's a good thing to do, and eventually it became a habit in it's own right. You can't ride "properly" while you're doing that though, it's your subconscious that manages riding your bike, and once you've done instructing it on how to do it's job, (practice) you need to fuck off and stop leaning over it's shoulder reminding it.

Check out "The upper half of the Motorcycle" by Bernt Spiegel. The ultimate authority.

[Jay GTI]

I don't think your "issue" is all that uncommon. I used to spend the first little while on the bike deliberately reinforcing correct riding habits, just as you say. It's a good thing to do, and eventually it became a habit in it's own right. You can't ride "properly" while you're doing that though, it's your subconscious that manages riding your bike, and once you've done instructing it on how to do it's job, (practice) you need to fuck off and stop leaning over it's shoulder reminding it.

Check out "The upper half of the Motorcycle" by Bernt Spiegel. The ultimate authority.

Yeah this is what I've been getting back, talking to other people. There is nothing unusual about my "issue" and in fact it isn't even an issue, just how the body copes with what I'm trying to put it through. Hence a bit later on I posted about the mental aspects of the warm-up, because that is where I am failing. I know my technique leaves a fair bit to be desired, so there are improvements to be made, but you're right, I need to spend time focusing on reinforcing the good riding I do. So, next time I'm out, I plan to do the first loop slower than usual, but really work on moving around on the bike properly, trying to get myself comfortable, before trying to turn the wick up.

Cheers all for the advice though, it has been very useful. Really looking forward to the first race now

[nzmikey]

Pay attention to this thread for a bit ...

I have managed to score an 08 TTR230 till I get my road licence back in JAN, so I hooked up with some mates & went out on sunday to the ride that was up in south head, we did the short loop first ( 15km loop ) what no 1 told me about riding in sand is that the Pin it or Bin it saying was true ... so needless to say I was pucked when I got back to the carpark.

My arms were sore my legs were ok my hands could hardly roll up a smoke my brain was wondering what the fuck just happened .

So after a 15min break we topped up the gas on the bikes & hit the 35km loop ... was a bit better as there was less sand ... & by less I mean more trees & pine needles & stumps & dirt & & & & ... yeah you get the idea .

when we arrived back at the carpark 5 bins later I was hot, sore, tired, thirsty, broken ..... after talking to a couple of guys out there to see where i was going wrong in the corners it turns out it was body position & lack of power ... with that changed we tanked up & went out for another crack at it .... by the time i got 1/4 of the way in my legs & fingers were giving out ( cramp ) & when the other 2 stopped to wait for me in the clearing / major roads ... I got off & had a walk around & it did not help ... but by the 1/2 way point I was fine .. the muscles had figured out a rhythm I was in the zone & got rid of the road bike riding mentality & my mind was relaxed ...

SO on the 3rd of November myself & a few others are heading north for a farm ride 50km out of Whangaraei.

The plan of attack it to stretch before hand, drink lots throughout the day, relax & have fun & try not to think about what could go wrong . the other advantage is that this is dirt not sand ( going to hurt if one falls .... not that I will )

[BoristheBiter]

Pay attention to this thread for a bit ...

I have managed to score an 08 TTR230 till I get my road licence back in JAN, so I hooked up with some mates & went out on sunday to the ride that was up in south head, we did the short loop first ( 15km loop ) what no 1 told me about riding in sand is that the Pin it or Bin it saying was true ... so needless to say I was pucked when I got back to the carpark.

My arms were sore my legs were ok my hands could hardly roll up a smoke my brain was wondering what the fuck just happened .

So after a 15min break we topped up the gas on the bikes & hit the 35km loop ... was a bit better as there was less sand ... & by less I mean more trees & pine needles & stumps & dirt & & & & ... yeah you get the idea .

when we arrived back at the carpark 5 bins later I was hot, sore, tired, thirsty, broken ..... after talking to a couple of guys out there to see where i was going wrong in the corners it turns out it was body position & lack of power ... with that changed we tanked up & went out for another crack at it .... by the time i got 1/4 of the way in my legs & fingers were giving out ( cramp ) & when the other 2 stopped to wait for me in the clearing / major roads ... I got off & had a walk around & it did not help ... but by the 1/2 way point I was fine .. the muscles had figured out a rhythm I was in the zone & got rid of the road bike riding mentality & my mind was relaxed ...

SO on the 3rd of November myself & a few others are heading north for a farm ride 50km out of Whangaraei.

The plan of attack it to stretch before hand, drink lots throughout the day, relax & have fun & try not to think about what could go wrong . the other advantage is that this is dirt not sand ( going to hurt if one falls .... not that I will )

Those tracks didn't help, not beginner friendly that's for sure. after that first red down/up hill i had to wait 5 min to let my arms recover, not good to start on that.
The red sections were easier to ride than the rest as the sand wasn't so fluffy and deep.
Would like to know where the rest of the track was as our bike (and gps) showed 29 with all the reds and only 25 on the main trail.
And closing the 17k track at 2 was a bit slack.

Glad you had fun out there as that is a big part of it. funny how many roadies come to/back to dirt waiting for their licence to return.