Riding fast/open sections.....fast

[weimie]

These are the sections that scare me the most...the fast, open, loose sections at races. I can't seem to stop feathering the brakes, mainly because I feel as though my hands are slipping off my grips.

Do I just need to suck it up, get my hands off the brakes and let my bike dance underneath me?

Anyone else have problems with the open/fast sections?

[mohshee]

I'm with you there. I am not very good with open, fast sections. Especially fire roads. They really sketch me out. And today actually, I decided to take one at speed (it kind of curved and was off kilter) and I slid out and went rolling down the side of a hill. Not too far fortunately.

[MudGrrl]

I hit a small stump on an open section


and went into a schizoid superman

and into the emergency room (gravel in the arm)

[altagirl]

I hate 'em too. Off camber, rocks or stumps on the side just makes it worse...

I think it's just a matter of ignoring the off trail hazards, letting it go and looking where you're going, but definitely not my favorite.

I've also eaten crap at mach stupid and could go with not trying it again...

[MudGrrl]

I've also eaten crap at mach stupid

that is beautiful prose

[altagirl]

that is beautiful prose

Ya like that? You know it was a good one when you get up and try to straighten out your handlebars only to discover that your whole fork has twisted inside the clamps. Yay for body armor! :D

[SuperKat]

I bought it lightly on the fire road at Diablo on Friday. It was one of those when you catch yourself and kind of start running...Like you decided to put the bike down and run away from it for some reason.

[zoey]

My bike seat slapped me in the butt when I was trying to practice bunnyhopping. Somehow I got an odd bounce going, and wham, I got spanked.

Ouch.

[redFoxx]

I encountered this problem at Kamloops downhilling recently. The ruts are so bad on the fast open section I felt my feet bouncing on the pedals and it was hard to go fast when I thought I might lose control. I think I need better flats that grip. I also was using a bike whose suspension was setup for a guy alot larger than I am so it was r-r-r-r-rough. I hear people say it'll go smoother the faster I go, but when I went faster, my brake fluid started boiling and I lost braking. Ai yi ya.