Need help learning to stand up!!

[skid jackson]

The sitting down part i got figured out!! It's the standing part thats got me miffed. I ride in New Hampshire which means a lot of roots and rocks. When it's wet then its slipppery roots and rocks. Most trails are on the tight side too. In the wide open standing isn't such a big deal. It's in the tight stuff where i run into problems. The two biggest problems are shifting while standing and trusting the front wheel not to wash out. I've followed riders who stand through sections that have me sitting so i know it can be done.

As far as shifting goes i have small feet. Size 8 so when standing on my arches my foot still doesn't reach the shifter. this means moving my foot off the peg to get up to the shifter. In rough sections that means riding on one foot which seems to move too much weight around and throws you off balance. It is a bit unsettling. Right now the shifter is level with the foot peg. I'm going to move it up about an inch to see if that helps. I'm curious "foot techniques" the stand up guys use to shift.

The other issue that "whigs" me out is being up on the pegs head over the headlight and having the front end slide around like it wants to wash out. Remember, lots of big 2 foot round pine trees to kiss with your face if my front wheel lets go. This may be bike set up issues. if so the suspension is on its way back from les. But if not ... Whats up wit dat???

 

[Treesmacker]

I find it easier to ride standing in slow tight sections rather than sitting.
Maybe that is from riding a trials bike and steering with your feet. I have size 8 boots also and shifting is not a problem.
Take your seat off for a while, that may help!
Good Luck

 

[skid jackson]

ouch! might help me get some nice monkey butt!!

 

[flybars]

I've read that the pivot pegs and the power pegs help alot in the standing position. Both for shifting and rear braking. Personally I stand alot on everything but the harder technical stuff because (1) I have more control sitting and if I have to dab here and there I can. (2) If U lose control while standing, Your bike will hit the ground harder and so will U. At least me because I'm short.

 

[tm_enduro]

It just takes practice. Start off going slow and standing for everything. Remember to keep your weight on your legs, not arms. your thighs are likely much stronger than your arms / shoulders. What many folks suffer from is learning to balance while crouched. If you are not balanced, you end up putting lots of weight on your arms when braking or going down hill, and using a death grip on the bars when accelerating. I stand alot while riding, much like trials riders, but I still force myself to practice, even after 35 yrs riding. I often practice locking the front wheel while standing up in mud (1st / end gear) just to make riding that way second nature and reminding myself how to balance and stay neutral. Good luck.

 

[skid jackson]

I posted this similar thread over on another site and one member mentioned to weight the inside peg. I have been weighting the outside peg. Got to try it out today and i must say it worked killer. Buzzed right through a lot of stuff i would normally sit down through!

 

[FFRDave]

Outside peg

Yes, that is a huge tip that really works well. Theres a big sweeping rutted corner with whoops at my local MX track. Forever I have had to creep along seated, and often getting tossed because of the ruts. I started actualy lifting my inside foot a quarter inch and standing. Now I just cruise around with little or no bobbles.

I have trouble with my shifting while standing.

The ride is pure CHAOS through the sandy whoops where I live. To alter my hand grip at all to grab the clutch lever seems like suiside to me. I handle this by simply not using the clutch. I just shut the therottle with each up shift, and shift through the gears. Im still having foot troubles because I hate to alter my foot position on the peg for my shift. Fortunatly, my GG has a fairly wide third gear, so Im not needing to shift up a lot. The GG handles well enough, that I am working tword going in fourth.

Still, suggestions are always welcomed.

 

[jlk_250]

I was in the same situation years ago and I'm still at the point that I work on standing technique every time I ride and in some cases I am faster sitting. All the suggestions above are right on. Here's what helped the most for me. 1) Set the bike up so it is comfortable to sit or stand. For me that meant higher, more forward bar mount position, and less sweep bars. You want to be able to stand comfortably with all your weight on the pegs, not leaning forward on the bars. 2) Practice all the time, even if you don't need to stand. 3) Be patient and enjoy the learning experience. Those people who blitz through things while standing have probably been doing it for many years.

For shifting, I have size 11 feet and have always taken my foot off the peg to shift while standing. It seemed impossible at first and now I hardly notice I shifted. Just practice.

Jon
'01 XC300

 

[Alex401Smith]

Riding standing up lowers the center of gravity of your bike. Well it have the same effect.

 

[Hawkeye]

Skid,

Regarding the front end washout feeling while standing, it sounds like you're body postion is correct. You should be up over the headlight. I just had to keep standing until I felt comfortable with it. Sounds like practice and fresh, dialed in suspension from LTR will help you out.

 

[zero_chances]

Ill start off by saying my feet are kinda big, i have size 14 fox boots. I moved the shifter up a little to make shifting easier while sitting. But while standing, i either rock my foot back on the peg to up shift, or grip the bike with my legs and kind of lift my leg up to shift. Thats the way I usually do it, but im not a professional or anywhere near

 

[Loosenut]

A technique that I have found very useful is to practice full lock turns. In order to do this, you will be using both rear and front brakes as well as the clutch and to a limited extent, the throttle.

This is great stuff for new riders as well as good practice for seasoned riders. Once you can get comfortable making slow controlled full lock turns (in both directions) while sitting or standing, your ready to make it harder. Do it on the side of a hill. Try it in mud, rocks, everywhere.

Once you have this skill down, you might be able to pull off the feet up slow speed 180-degree power slides while standing and be ready for the next obstacle. I practice this skill all the time and it helps me tremendously!

 

[Bearman]

full lock? is that when you have the handle bars turned all the way to one side or is it something else? im not sure what you mean

 

[lufc]

full lock? is that when you have the handle bars turned all the way to one side or is it something else? im not sure what you mean

i rekon he means when the bars are turned so they wont go any further

i'll be giving this one ago this weekend
good advice

 

[Loosenut]

Yes, "full lock" in this case means to turn the bars until they won't turn anymore. Remember to look where you want to go and not at the front wheel.

This exercise will teach you clutch control, brake control and other things. It's easy to push the front end when learning this drill and you will learn how to save the front end from washing out or use it to your advantage on occasion. You may also learn to finish a tight turn with a feet up power slide.

The best thing that this is done at really low speeds and can be done in a very small area. I do it in the street at least once a week.

 

[skid jackson]

Thats a basic move that trials riders practice all the time. I'll have to give it a go. Lock to lock on my gasser isn't too bad comapre to beta trials bike. Beta has about a 180 degree swing on the bars. Lock to lock on that puppy takes some skill!!

 

[Malcolm]

I hvae been paying more attention to standing over the last 6 months as you seem to have a much smoother ride.This weekend while going down a deep rutt and trying to keep out the middle I was using my footpegs to counter balance the bike , the front washed from the side of the rutt into the middle causing me to be flung over the bars into the dirt. At this point I think its a good idea to sit down when going down hill.

 

[Loosenut]

I just sold my '97 GasGas JXT270 last week. That bike made me into a much better rider.

 

[Magellan]

Funny, I have a post out there with the opposite problem.
I've always preferred slow technical riding, and after riding Trials for a year, found it hard to sit down in enduros. 50+ miles of standing (short course) had me plenty tired by the end.

I second (third?) practicing full lock turns at low speed. Try to keep your shoulders parallel to the bars. That will mean your hips have to rotate and your ass will be hanging off the outside of the bike. Essentially, you want to lean the bike into the turn and counter balance with your body. Pay attention to your outside knee. You'll find this easier to do if you point it away from the bike a little. As a matter of fact, being in a bow-legged stance will help with this in general. This will feel exaggerated, but is a good way to practice.

If you find that you are dabbing the inside foot, you aren't leaning out far enough. I watched a guy pretty much drag the handgrips in the dirt on a trials bike at walking speed.

I took a trials/offroad course (Moto Ventures) where one of the drills was to slalom through some cones without turning the bars. Pure steering with your feet. It's sketchy at first, but after a few passes, you start to get used to the front end drifting (what happens when you lean the bike but don't turn the bars). The purpose of the drill is to learn to steer with your feet. It's a good drill if you have the space. I often find myself reminding myself to "steer with your feet," when I feel like I'm fighting my way through something. Usually, I am just getting tired and trying to muscle the bars around.

If you have the opportunity, get on a trials bike and ride an event. Lots of fun and a good way to build skills.

 

[bens25au]

If you can get your hands on a copy of 'Dirtwise' with Shane Watts, he demonstrates the full lock turns and heaps of other useful techniques used in trail/enduro riding.