CodyDog

In most cases, the Pucker Factor happens on rocks or steep inclines (at least for me). Here's a few tricky spots on our local trail. Most of these you are coming in hot down a hill or around a corner. On the front end of our trail we have well over dozen and a half of these tight spots.

N00b_Cyclist

I'd more than likely be dead if I tried something like that. Looks fun though.

qclabrat

Tree gates like those are important to keep the atv/atcs out. Doe keep them pinkies inside the grips.
Practice the "sawing" technique to the get through gates which are narrower than your bars. Some of my bikes are running 810mm bars so, the technique is not much of an option.

CodyDog

qclabrat:

Can you elaborate a little on the "sawing" technique?

Thanks

ab_antiquo

I am not seeing any pucker-inducing anything in the pics. Are folks afraid of not very tight trees or something?

prj71

Agreed. Nothing scary in those pics at all.

BillyGuy

True.

Kapusta

Entering that first one at high speed (which I think the OP is indicating) would be.

CodyDog

Exactly!

Leebo

Roll up to the tight squeeze, alternate putting your left and right side of the bars through as you roll forward. Really skilled can wheelie through, twisting the bars as you ride through the gap. The later is above my pay grade however.

Kapusta

Yeah, sure.

Kapusta

Yeah, you could say I’ve “ridden for bit”.

And one thing I know from riding “a bit” is that threading a tree gate with an inch or less on either side at significant speed is something that nobody who has done it will take lightly.

But this is the internet, so people can pretend otherwise.

Kapusta

Anyone who tells me they do not pucker up at hitting gates at speed without slowing.with an inch or less on either side I give a 98% of being full of $#it. Either they have never actually done it (the more likely scenario) or they are lying about how non-chalant they are about it.

And I am saying that from riding with many, many people over the years and seeing how people react to gates that narrow.

Years of experience has indeed shown me some people of all skill levels. It has also taught me to know BS when I hear it.

Kapusta

WNo, only the first one.... and the fact that you don't differentiate between the first and the other two (which are MUCH wider) makes me wonder how closely you looked at those pics before dismissing them.

To be be honest, I do think there are a some folks out there that have ridden that sort of stuff enough to get comfortable with it at higher speed. But anyone who has that much experience would know better then to dismiss them so out of hand.

I think those who really think taking a gate with an inch on either side at speed is no big deal have not actually done it.

I can see why to someone who has not done it may look at the first pic and simply see a non-tech, flat piece of trail with a couple trees. And sure, riding slow through it would not be that big of a deal. Experience tells me what that is actually like when passing through it at higher speeds, and also what happens when you clip.

So, yeah, I think a lot of people really don't pucker when looking at that first pic... because they don't know any better what it is like to actually hit it at speed.

qclabrat

@CodyDog, back to programming
as Leebo said, side to side as you pass the obstacle
If you ride the same trails you'll know which you can get through. When I ran 740-760s I rarely clipped bark, but at 780+ it's no longer a sure thing.
I've hit some gates at races and got thrown to the back of the pack in a few seconds. So, yeah you may crash, but that just part of the fun...

CodyDog

Thanks.

CodyDog

I'm running 780's as well. Thought about doing a little trimming but like the wider bars overall. This particular trail has a lot of tree gates some with substantial roots in the in between which throws in an added challenge.

qclabrat

We got those too, keep your hands firm on the bar but unweight the front a bit. If you have too much weight up front and clip a tree you'll find it harder to recover.

NoWhammies

That first photo. Wow. That is a tight squeeze/fit. We have a couple of those on the trails I ride in my area. I keep my speed low but constant I just keep looking forward, hoping for the best. Definitely good for working on those bike skills.

Leebo

Ya'll have your bars/brakes set up properly? Whatever reach you need for your levers. Position the brake levers so the when your hand rests on the grips, and the levers are comfortable, your pinkie knuckle is inboard from the end of the bar. 3/4 in or so is good. That way when you do clip a bar, its the bar, not your pinkie that takes the hit.

CodyDog

Good suggestion.

prj71

And if you have ridden for a bit, it's not hard to understand that there is no "pucker factor" in any of those pics posted.

I've ridden for a bit. Have trees like that on my trails. Just slow it down and use "sawing" technique as noted above.

CodyDog

I rode extreme Mountain Biking for 10 years before I laid off for 10 years, now I'm back. With that being said, coming into a tight tree gate hot is and will be a "pucker" for me. Slow, no problem. Will just agree to disagree.

Kapusta

I think what he is trying to say is that it is not scary to go fast through those tree gates if you go slow.

Or maybe he meant those pics don’t look scary if you ignore the accompanying text. Sort of like a picture of a brick is not scary if you skip the text that explains that it is being thrown at you.

prj71

Well you said this was a local trail. This assumes you ride it frequently. This also then assumes you know these features are coming up. So if you know these features are coming up on certain sections of the trail...what is there to pucker about? You already know those trees are there so you slow down before you get there. POOF!!! No pucker factor.