Rock riding can easily get out of hand as the rocks get bigger and closer together. If you have full suspension, it can be a blessing and a curse in heavily rocky terrain. Sure the suspension smoothes out the ride, but it can also work against you if you are traveling slowly and the rocks are big. You hit a rock, and instead of rolling over it, your fork stops and compresses and you can go right over the handlebars. For this reason, it is good to keep up momentum and ride in a slightly higher gear. Pull up on the handlebars for every prominent rock you have to go over. You must also remember the rear tire may go over the same rock, and if you simultaneously hit another rock with the front tire at the same time, the bike may come to an abrupt halt. Good ground clearance is a good thing to have if you ride rocks a lot. Your selection of "the line" is also critical. A good line thru the rocks may make the difference between satisfaction or demise. Don't expect to do a lot of turning either. A good visual scan thru each section ahead of time is important if you hope to make it thru. Also, have a good idea of the length of the rock garden you are entering so you know how long you need to really ramp up your effort. Sometimes you can get carried away and end up in rocks that are really not rideable, so STOP if you need to rather than wiping out and going down (or more likely over the handlebars). After many years of rock riding, I have become quite adept at doing a "walkoff" when the bike stops and tries to flip over. Try to land on your feet, and make sure they clear the handlebar, which will probably be near the ground level at this point as the bike goes vertical and then flips over! Be prepared for sudden stops, stay out of the saddle, and ride with a firm grip on the bars - use momentum to your advantage, and try to look ahead and not focus on each rock.... next tip  Fox Racing Chain Smoke Video Description A Telly Award winning video! The original Fox mountain bike video that set the standard for all others to live up to. This video quickly became the best selling mountain bike video of all time with over 30,000 copies sold! Shot entirely on 16mm film |
