GasGas EC200 2011 first ride

[firffighter]

Interesting topics here.

1) Gearing. The 200 seems to need geared down for most of us who ride woods. 13/50ish seems to be what most prefer. I've tried 13/52 and even went to 12/52 on my last ride to test. 12/52 lets you do your steep work in 2nd and 1st is really not used unless in extreme up hills. 13/52 seems perfect for most woods work and you use 2nd and 3rd most of the day with 1st for the real tough stuff.

2) Hill climbs. This topic gets brought up from time to time and is often bantered about when referring to what bike is right. Having now owned a Gasgas 200,250 and 300, I of am the opinion that I could climb the same hill on all 3, but each differently. Now riding a 200 all season I've climbed every nasty hill without issue that I climbed on my other rides. The 200 lugs very well for a smaller cc bike and actually doesn't cause wheel spin and puts power to the ground very well. Yes, some clutch work may be needed, but it climbs the steep stuff just fine. For me, the 200 has so many more advantages for 95% of woods riding and I don't think I'd want to trade for a larger cc bike for the 2-3 hill climbs that may be challenging on a 4 hour ride. If I had a bike just to make a hill climb, I'd ride a 300 or 450, but too many disadvantages the rest of the day.

 

[liv2day]

This is the first lap we did for the day. i followed a team mate of mine. You can see the terrain a bit better in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMbik8K_ujE

That's some tough terrain

Has to make you wonder what the folks laying out the course were thinking: "Let's throw them into this creek and find their own way about"

"That wasn't planned" - LOL

 

[liv2day]

12/52 lets you do your steep work in 2nd and 1st is really not used unless in extreme up hills.

Not to hijack the topic, but what did you think of 12/52? I've thought about going up a couple teeth on the rear (currently 12/50) so I can stay in 2nd and 3rd most of the time. I still find myself shifting down to 1st on a regular basis

 

[firffighter]

12/52 works pretty good. I can make most of the climbs at the burn in 2nd with it. I used it at gifford too and it worked good on the climbs. Makes the bike a bit more snappy though. Think I'm going back to 13/52 for Moab trip for transfer sections where I don't want to run out of gears.

 

[FDB]

I agree with firffighter.
I prefer running my gearing so i can do most of my technical riding in second gear and up, and have 1st gear as my crawler. Hitting neutral on the rocks by accident is a bad idea.
The 12 front sprocket is on now with the stock 48 at the back, and Sunday we are doing some rocky hills again so i will see how that goes.
The 12/48 ratio is the same as a 13/51 ratio.

liv2day
LOL. Yeah. i know that part of the track. usually i just keep my front wheel on the left bank and let my rear wheel grind in the rut and i'm up and out. Epic fail there. Ryderod was at the top cheering me on and was very helpful. Assisted me nicely there. NOT!

 

[Ryderod]

I've never ridden an event like that, do you have to stay within a set boundary and just pick whatever line works for you, or do you have to follow a trail? I saw the tape marking one side, wasn't sure how that worked.

We are very fortunate (for now), in having huge open tracts of land where we can ride, everything from flat out pinned throttle stuff, to very technical rocky terrain. This clip is of a local track in Jhb, it is a set out route that gets changed by the owner from time to time to mix things up a bit, and to rehabilitate the land. There one must follow the route as much as humanely possible.
The section shown is the red loop, and that is way easier than the "technical koppie", koppie being a local word for any hill type terrain that has lots of rocks and step ups + drop offs. It's a pity everyone's helmet cams were either flat or full before we got to the koppie as there was some choice footage there!

 

[FDB]

"there was some choice footage there!"
There was some choice cursing and falling there.

 

[kyton]

Just an example of what my friends are making learn to ride on here in EC.

 

[FDB]

That looks like great terrain!
I'm also new to the rocks thing.
Just keep your feet on the pegs, lean back, stay on momentum.
Slower is more difficult.

 

[kyton]

Got to get used to standing on the pegs, find them quite narrow. All this is new to me so even trying to get used to wearing all that kit and stuff. I also find that I feel restrictive with the body armour I wear. Maybe I should change to a roost guard. But in the end it is a new found sport and hobby that I do not want to stop.

 

[Ryderod]

Looks like you also have some great terrain there, I must haul out some old photos, always brings back great memories!

 

[kyton]

I actually don't get to enjoy the terrain. I'm normally looking at the ground trying to pick the bike back up.

 

[FDB]

LOL!
It's ok. We all do that.
I would keep wearing the body armor if i were you. You will get used to it.
It will save you from injuries.

Best tip for rocks ever is that there must always be at least one foot on the pegs. Even when you paddle. Rather keep one foot on the pegs, raise your behind off the seat a bit and just dab-dab-dab your other foot on the terrain for balance.
If you are riding a rocky off camber, dab with your foot that is on the uphill side of the camber so that if you miss-dab and fall over, you fall towards the incline, not downwards.
That woks for me.

That is also where in my opinion the GasGas shines. The lower seat height makes it way easier in the hectic stuff.

 

[Ryderod]

LOL!
That is also where in my opinion the GasGas shines. The lower seat height makes it way easier in the hectic stuff.

Being vertically challenged I must agree, also coming from a fairly aggressive enduro modified YZ 250, I find the bottom end torque, smoother power delivery and the plusher suspension all adds up to a far less tiring ride..

 

[liv2day]

I actually don't get to enjoy the terrain. I'm normally looking at the ground trying to pick the bike back up.

Bahahahaha...that reminds me of when I jumped back into this sport a few years ago. We'd be out riding and someone would ask if I noticed XYZ and I'd simply look at 'em and respond with a middle finger solute

+1 to what FDB says about keeping the body armor; much better for protecting your torso/upper body compared to the roost deflectors. I've abused the hell out of my Fox Titan jacket and have a buddy that just switched from roost to that body armor and cannot believe he waited so long to do so.

The shots you posted look awesome, though that middle shot would make me want to find a route around those big rocks. Nothing like baseball sized loose stuff to contend with whilst trying to climb a hill