# Skinnies/Log Rides



## Greg (May 28, 2009)

Cleaned my first full log ride yesterday. A really short one on the 69er at Nass. Took a few tries. I was having no trouble getting up on the log, but I would get nervous and look down. Bad! The key is just looking ahead once you get the bike up there and pedal straight and smooth. Fun stuff, but nerve-racking for a wimp like me.


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## bvibert (May 28, 2009)

That log is on my short list of things to complete.  I've gotten up on it a couple of times, even got my front tire about half way, but like you, I freak and look down


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## Greg (May 28, 2009)

bvibert said:


> That log is on my short list of things to complete.  I've gotten up on it a couple of times, even got my front tire about half way, but like you, I freak and look down



Scott cleared it and then he was ahead of where I was riding to. When he saw that I got on it, he calmly said, "now look at me." Once I got it, it felt so easy. Just a mind f@Ck.


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## bvibert (May 28, 2009)

Which direction did you ride it?  The direction you were going?  I've only tried it in the direction heading north.


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## Greg (May 28, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Which direction did you ride it?  The direction you were going?  I've only tried it in the direction heading north.



I rode it southbound. The approach seemed easier that way, but I never really gave it a serious attempt going north.


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## JD (May 28, 2009)

Log rides are a total head game.  Ride along a line on the pavement and you can stay on a 3 inch wide line for 50-60 feet...get on a 8 inch wide log and it feels like a tight rope.  You have to commit.  Having a good wheelie drop helps because you know if you start to fall off, you can at least land on the bike....


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## bvibert (May 29, 2009)

Honestly, I don't know if I could stay on a 3 inch line on the pavement for 50 or 60 feet.


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## JD (May 29, 2009)

Well, I guess you could always give that a shot.....no much consequence there...
The only limits are the ones we place on ourselves.


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## bvibert (May 29, 2009)

JD said:


> Well, I guess you could always give that a shot.....no much consequence there...
> The only limits are the ones we place on ourselves.



You are absolutely correct.  Starting with trying to follow a line on the road is probably more my speed anyway. :lol:

My wussy brain is good at putting limits on myself...   Sometimes I gotta tell that bastard to STFU.


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## Greg (May 31, 2009)

I wasn't feeling these little log rides today. Total mental game, and we're talking logs that are laughable by most standards...


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## bvibert (May 31, 2009)

I was psyched to get that one a couple of times today. :beer:






I was thinking it was my first skinny, but then I remembered that I rode that longish 2x6 swamp crossing at the res last year.  This was the first time riding a log like that though.


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## Trev (Jun 1, 2009)

Southbound I found easier..  done that a couple of times...

Northbound I get messed up on the mounting of the log.. /shrug  

Total noob to riding though.. /shrug..


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## bvibert (Jun 24, 2011)

Skinnies still make me nervous.  I think part of if it is my inability to do wheelie drops, which seem essential on some to get off if you get in trouble.  The other part of it is that I have no balance.  I can do some short ones if I'm going fast enough (which means more likely hood of getting hurt if something goes wrong).  But I really need to work on my balance for doing low speed maneuvers...

I've ridden the trail that has the short on pictured above twice this year (southbound), and both times I just rode right up on the skinny and kept going just like it was part of the trail.  So I guess I'm getting a little better.


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## prophet0426 (Jun 24, 2011)

Long rides always freak me out.  Need to unplug the head to get it right.  There is one log ride at NAM that I have olny cleared once, and tried about 30 times.  It freaks me out becasue it start at ground level but then elevates to about 4' off the ground, but the hard part is that it has a turn about half way through.  So great now you build your confidence for the long ride, and then there is a turn.....  Just keep riding it and you will nail it with out even thinking about it, and when you do you will start doing it with the flow of the trail that make it even better!!!


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## MR. evil (Jun 24, 2011)

prophet0426 said:


> Long rides always freak me out.  Need to unplug the head to get it right.  There is one log ride at NAM that I have olny cleared once, and tried about 30 times.  It freaks me out becasue it start at ground level but then elevates to about 4' off the ground, but the hard part is that it has a turn about half way through.  So great now you build your confidence for the long ride, and then there is a turn.....  Just keep riding it and you will nail it with out even thinking about it, and when you do you will start doing it with the flow of the trail that make it even better!!!



Is that the REALLY long one you ride about 50 plus feet, slight turn right onto another log ride 50 plus feet long to a small drop? First time I rode that I feel off at the high point on the 1st segmant. Landed right on my face...lucky I was wearing a full face helmet that day. Re-grouped and then cleaned the first half. After the fall I knew if I didn't try again right away, it would get in my head and be much harder the next time. 

I have since been back and done both parts of that log ride.


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## prophet0426 (Jun 24, 2011)

Yeah that's the one.  Thankfully all the times I have fallen have been off to the sides on my feet or knees.  I haven't ridden it for about a year becasue I always psych myself out prior to getting there.  Might try it again soon though.  
If you haven;t been there lately I highly recommend it as nemba has been putting in a lot of work and have made some really sweet new sections.  If you head up there let me know and I'll try and join you for a ride since i live in Medway right next door.


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## Nick (Jun 24, 2011)

I can handle a drop of up to 2 - 3' but I don't think I've ever had a real great log ride. I'd like to practice this some more thought for sure.


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## MR. evil (Jun 24, 2011)

Nick said:


> I can handle a drop of up to 2 - 3' but I don't think I've ever had a real great log ride. I'd like to practice this some more thought for sure.



you want some practice riding logs, and skinnies? Lets do an AZ mtb ride at Millers Pond near Middle Town CT. Literally about 100 skinnies / log rides. Good place to practice 

If you ever want to fool around with us at Case Mt let me know. Ride there quite a bit and know where all the fun stuff ti ride up, down and off is 


Here is some footage of us last fall at Case. There is a sizable elevated log ride in the vid. Was the first time I ever tried it, and it took me about 20 tries to clean it. Now I can do it first or second try everytime.


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## prophet0426 (Jun 24, 2011)

WOW!  I justed checked out a few videos of Millers Pond, that place looks sick.  How far is it from Nam?


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## Nick (Jun 24, 2011)

Awesome riding. I can do bunny hopping pretty well, but how do you do that back wheel hop? i never could get that down. Argh.


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## MR. evil (Jun 24, 2011)

prophet0426 said:


> WOW!  I justed checked out a few videos of Millers Pond, that place looks sick.  How far is it from Nam?


It's about 15 minutes south of Hartford, So maybe 50 minutes from exit 8 or 9 (I 84) on the MA pike. Check out BikeRag.com for good info on the place. The guy to runs BR also built all the trails & stunts at Millers.


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## MR. evil (Jun 24, 2011)

Nick said:


> Awesome riding. I can do bunny hopping pretty well, but how do you do that back wheel hop? i never could get that down. Argh.



That's not me. I'm the hack on the red bike. I'm still trying to learn how to pedal kick (back wheel hop) myself.


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## eatskisleep (Jul 4, 2011)

Me and Austin did this one yesterday... there are a few more good ones here:


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## bvibert (Jul 5, 2011)

That looks pretty crazy!  Not much room for error...  How long is it?


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## eatskisleep (Jul 5, 2011)

You can see the first half from the picture; certainly a mind game...


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## bvibert (Jul 5, 2011)

Wow, I don't think that would end well for me.  Mostly because I'd probably over think it...


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## Riverskier (Jul 5, 2011)

Looks wide with a lot of room for error. That said, I wouldn't be caught dead on that thing. Not worth the risk in the off chance that something went wrong.


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## mattm59 (Jul 5, 2011)

too bad we couldn't get Maribeth "the bimbo millionaire" Blonski to ride that:flame:
Maybe if we put a 2 lane wide yellow gate at the end she'll "go for it":wink:

http://www.ihatebikes.net/site/news/mtb-rider-crashes-into-locked-gate-is-awarded-2-9-million/

Personally, I'd barely be able to walk that bridge:roll:


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## bvibert (Apr 20, 2012)

There's a been a few new skinnies popping up at my local haunt.  Now I just need to get the nerve up to try some.  I gotta get over being worried about how I'm going to bail if something goes wrong, and just go for it.


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## MR. evil (Apr 20, 2012)

bvibert said:


> There's a been a few new skinnies popping up at my local haunt.  Now I just need to get the nerve up to try some.  I gotta get over being worried about how I'm going to bail if something goes wrong, and just go for it.



How's your wheelie drop?
If you can nail down a wheelie drop to the side, log rides become much less intimidating.


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## bvibert (Apr 20, 2012)

MR. evil said:


> How's your wheelie drop?
> If you can nail down a wheelie drop to the side, log rides become much less intimidating.



Not very consistent, which is a big part of my problem.


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## o3jeff (Apr 20, 2012)

bvibert said:


> Not very consistent, which is a big part of my problem.



I was impressed with it a few years ago!


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## MR. evil (Apr 20, 2012)

bvibert said:


> Not very consistent, which is a big part of my problem.



Just setup something in the backyard to practice them on. Only needs to be 12" off the ground.


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## bvibert (May 1, 2012)

Practiced my wheelie drop a little last night during my ride, including on the infamous rock that Jeff witnessed a few years back.  I think I'm getting the hang of it...


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## o3jeff (May 1, 2012)

bvibert said:


> Practiced my wheelie drop a little last night during my ride, including on the infamous rock that Jeff witnessed a few years back.  I think I'm getting the hang of it...



lol, were you able to complete the back flip on the bike, you were close a few years ago!


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## bvibert (May 1, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> lol, were you able to complete the back flip on the bike, you were close a few years ago!



No, I managed to tame the pedal kick this time around... :lol:


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## MR. evil (May 1, 2012)

When I first started getting consistent at wheelie drops and then venturing into elevated Skinnies I ran into a small problem. The 2 or 3 gear combos that I hade down for wheelie drops were not the gear combos I like for riding skinnies. This resulted and a badley failed bail attempt from an elevated log ride at Vietnam that saw me landing on my face. I was lucky enough to be wearing a full face helmet that day, but it still hurt pretty good. From that day on I worked on both my wheelie drops and skinnies to make sure my proffered gear ratios for each matched up so that when ever I am on an elevated log ride I KNOW that I will have no issues pulling an emergency wheelie drop.


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## awf170 (May 2, 2012)

What are you preferred gear ratios for each?  Seems weird to be that different.  I run a 32 up front and prefer to wheelie drop from anywhere between the 2nd biggest and 4th out back.  And those are also the rings I use for log skinnies.  Actually I pretty much never use another other rings beyond those three useless I'm riding somewhere that is really fast or has really long and not very technical uphills.


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## MR. evil (May 2, 2012)

awf170 said:


> What are you preferred gear ratios for each?  Seems weird to be that different.  I run a 32 up front and prefer to wheelie drop from anywhere between the 2nd biggest and 4th out back.  And those are also the rings I use for log skinnies.  Actually I pretty much never use another other rings beyond those three useless I'm riding somewhere that is really fast or has really long and not very technical uphills.



Now I use the same gear ratios for both, 32T up front, middle of the cluster out back. I used to like to ride skinnies in a much lower gear that didn't give me enough umph for wheelie drops; resulting in said fall on face at Nam....which I belive you were present for


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## bvibert (May 3, 2012)

I imagine that the speed at which you're traveling would have an impact on which gear works better for the pedal kick, wouldn't it?  I guess that most skinnies are done relatively slowly though..


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## awf170 (May 3, 2012)

But if you're not going super slow there is really no need to wheelie drop. If you get most your weight over the rear wheel and pull up a bit on the handle bars it amazing how slow you can drop without giving a pedal kick.   After I learned how to do this I rarely find a need to wheelie drop.  Basically the only times I'll wheelie drop now is when falling off the side of a log ride or if I'm track standing a few feet away from a take off.


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## bvibert (May 3, 2012)

Maybe I'm just weak, or it's my bike setup, but I have a hard time pulling my front wheel up without using some sort of wheel kick.  I could probably manual enough to keep the front from dropping in that sort of situation though.


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## o3jeff (May 3, 2012)

bvibert said:


> Maybe I'm just weak, or it's my bike setup, but I have a hard time pulling my front wheel up without using some sort of wheel kick.  I could probably manual enough to keep the front from dropping in that sort of situation though.



Get your ass off the seat and try.


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