Downed trees

[Pittenger5]

How the fuck do you deal with downed trees that are at like a 45 degrees angle across a trail? Not talking about big motherfuckers either, just normal slippery as fucking trees. Seems no matter what I try to do my bike kicks so hard I gotta put my foot down to keep the bike up. Both front and rear depending on how I hit it.

[b0xmonkey]

Chainsaw.

[Kitt]

This is what I do:
approach it as perpendicularly as I can, lighten the front end (blip - little to no negative effect), transfer weight forward quickly before rear tire hits and the "side kick" will be reduced somewhat.

Get a trials bike, it will help! KLX 110 + $2400 gets a nice 06 gas-gas!

[Paul_E_D]

Slippery ones at a 45 are tough. You need to get the front wheel over, or at least kiss it on top of the tree. Squeeze the bike with your knees and pretend you are going to bunny hop over it. Even though you can't bunny hop a motorcycle, that technique will let the rear wheel get over without sliding down the log too far. You need to have rolled off the gas as you unweight the back of the bike.

[BluGixxer]

American loggers sugest primacord and or several sticks of high explosives.
Make sure you use enough so you don't have to do it a second time. And most important, use a long fuse, lite it , and run really fast.
Away from tree

[Pittenger5]

Get a trials bike, it will help! KLX 110 + $2400 gets a nice 06 gas-gas!

Ha, KLX + some moneys = TTR125 for Leeza, plus, no new bikes till we have space for them.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Drop one tooth on the the front Sprocket.

You will be able to loft the front over them and transfer weight to the front Lots of throttle lots of momentum,

[slammp]

On my iPhone I can do a double backflip over them - should transfer to real life right?

[TTD]

This is what I do:
approach it as perpendicularly as I can, lighten the front end (blip - little to no negative effect), transfer weight forward quickly before rear tire hits and the "side kick" will be reduced somewhat.

Yep... exactly what I do.

The only thing I'll add is that I will look for a rock or something before the tree that can help me unweight the back tire first. Basically, I will attempt to "jump" the down tree by doing a bunny hop type jump starting before it.

Ideally the item you use is less than your wheelbase away from the tree. So you pre-weight the suspension and then hit that "item" which should let you get both tires airborne ... when your front tire passes the downed tree, push weight forward and down on bars, and your back tire should clear the tree completely... or at least skim the top with no ill effects. (assuming you can't easily just jump the entire log)

If I can't pre hop the log, I slow down a lot due to the risk vs benefit thing.

I'm not racing so going fast doesn't matter, but the type of crash that could result is pretty nasty.

The back end usually slides quickly and violently to one side... enough that you're sent over the high side pretty quickly.

[gregp]

Another method is to scan the very edges of the trail. The log/tree is often closer to the ground there, with more bark left on it. You can often use the edge/embankment to jump right over the log.
As mentioned here, if the log is laying in this direction / swing to the right, and turn quickly to the left to cross the log as perpendicularly as possible - if you can not use the edge method. Often, a combination of pre-jumping, edge riding, and attack angle can be used.

[NeverlosT]

if the log has no bark or smooth bark and is wet you better jump all the way over or you are f-ed. some bark or not a full 45 deg angle and you are in there.

mountain biking is easier, you just bunnyhop that bad boy.

[gregp]

Easy! Like this: YouTube - ‪Pre-Jumping Logs Riding Tip‬‏

[typeone]

tons of good stuff in Shanes DirtWise DVD, highly recommended

[R7]

I take a non technical approach to those types of trees. When I get close, I twist the throttle and close my eyes...when I open my eyes, i'm either on the ground or continuing on my way. It's a 50/50 shot sometimes, but keeps things exciting.

[breakdirt916]

^^


shane watts is sick though!

here's another option: I had a harsh riding MX bike that kicked my ass all the time anyways, with its stiff suspension and light-switch like power delivery...so what I did was just downshift, get it into the top of the power curve, stand up, lean back while pulling on the bars, and let the bike buck wherever it wanted to, hoping that the forward momentum was enough to keep it going straight

surprisingly, staying pinned on a 2-stroke MX bike is the fastest way that I got over the hardest obstacles

[Awesome]

Slippery ones at a 45 are tough. You need to get the front wheel over, or at least kiss it on top of the tree. Squeeze the bike with your knees and pretend you are going to bunny hop over it. Even though you can't bunny hop a motorcycle, that technique will let the rear wheel get over without sliding down the log too far. You need to have rolled off the gas as you unweight the back of the bike.

This and don't be on any power when the rear wheel goes over it. Have the momentum before you hit it.