Bloody ruts

[Deleted account 200123001]

Out doing some lanes today and this happened...new crash bars helped a lot...but how to you deal with ruts without being spat off because the frobt wheel is trying to run out of the rut your in?

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Ruts are never easy, but, essentially look as far ahead as you can along the rut you're in (you go where you're looking). The minute you look just ahead of your front wheel all is lost.

Having said that, those look more like wheel tracks than ruts

Andres

 

[David Nimrod]

Reminds me of my own rut related idiocy

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/david_nimrod/4379495774" title="R1150GS - 90 Degrees Wrong! by David Sillitoe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4005/4379495774_4ac7d0c436_o.jpg" width="780" height="630" alt="R1150GS - 90 Degrees Wrong!"></a>

 

[Norfolk Tiger]

Reminds me of my own rut related idiocy

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/david_nimrod/4379495774" title="R1150GS - 90 Degrees Wrong! by David Sillitoe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4005/4379495774_4ac7d0c436_o.jpg" width="780" height="630" alt="R1150GS - 90 Degrees Wrong!"></a>

Is that the husky that now lives in my garage lurking in the foreground.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Is that the husky that now lives in my garage lurking in the foreground.

Yup

Andres

PS Still got the pillion pegs/hangers for you

 

[Norfolk Tiger]

Yup

Andres

PS Still got the pillion pegs/hangers for you

Cheers if I'm passing your way I'll give you a shout.

 

[corsicandreamer]

Out doing some lanes today and this happened...new crash bars helped a lot...but how to you deal with ruts without being spat off because the frobt wheel is trying to run out of the rut your in?

Putting some off road tyres on will help but wot Andres said makes sense, I am stuck in the UK now until December so will be looking to get out into the peaks again if you are up for it.

 

[Timolgra]

Having said that, those look more like wheel tracks than ruts

Andres

Hey Blue, get a decent front tyre on then come over and I'll teach you how to ride in ruts

 

[Deleted account 200123001]

Yeah, been weighing up options for tyres. I think im probably going to end up with K60 scouts as im doing atleast 12k yr

 

[Wreford Miles]

Like this http://youtu.be/RTPkfQ1lvw4

 

[Timolgra]

Like this http://youtu.be/RTPkfQ1lvw4

Like throwing a dart, you're eyes know where to take you.

 

[GrinningGSer]

When a big lardy, heavy GS, is in a rut, then you'd better get used to staying there . Knobblies will help you to get out but you can't climb up, out and all over the show like a light proper off-road bike.
If you try doing what Wreford Miles has shown, on your big lardy GS , then please make s movie for us to see.

 

[David Nimrod]

You want a proper off road bike for those lanes, like this:

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/david_nimrod/4760401103" title="Trail riding on my BMW R100RT. by David Sillitoe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4074/4760401103_e959f41269_z.jpg" width="640" height="484" alt="Trail riding on my BMW R100RT."></a>

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

You want a proper off road bike for those lanes, like this:

Pretty much the exact same spot as the previous picture of you which goes to prove that RT's are better off road than GS's

..........and to prove that even the mighty KTM can struggle in ruts; this was taken about 20m further up the track



Andres

 

[Wreford Miles]

If you try doing what Wreford Miles has shown, on your big lardy GS , then please make s movie for us to see.

Ok not the deepest ruts but they are some in places - Moly showing what you can do on a 1200. http://youtu.be/hMXmB2NP2NI

I should add although I'm posting these clips I hate ruts

 

[Deleted account 200123001]

How should the body be positioned?

Should for example you be forward over the bars as it to weight the front wheel or should you be further back?

I thought I was looking ahead, but if I recall the front wheel started to snag on the sides then off I went.
So maybe once the wheel snagged I looked closer....on that particular trail there we places where the dry stone wall had collapsed over the track so was having to steer round some pretty hefty rocks and I did have to keep pushing myself to look pick a route through then look ahead again and I did catch myself getting target fixated...so I suspect that I entred the ruts looking up then bottled it when the wheel snagged and look down and lost it.


Bloody frustrating becuase when skiing and mountain biking I'm always looking well ahead

 

[Timolgra]

For now just keep your body weight fairly neutral, it's not going to make a huge difference riding a GS in ruts at slow speed, concentrate on being relaxed, pick a point ahead which keeps moving further ahead and is never less than say 10 meters or so. Doing this you have already picked your way around the obstacles.

At each point, tell yourself.... Blue, you're going there, ....Blue you're going there etc etc.

Remember, as with all riding, the bike never go's anywhere your heads not been 5, 10, 15 seconds beforehand.

On a GS with road tyres you'll have very little room for error if it's at all slippy in ruts, get at least a decent front tyre on.

 

[Deleted account 200123001]

Thanks Tim, thats quite reassuring as that pretty much what I was doing already and its just a matter of practice and confidence to allow the sub-concious to control the bike. Practice makes.....
Just booked in with Sky God to get some K60 scouts fitted hopefully next week...then prepare to be harassed.

 

[corsicandreamer]

Keep your legs wide and away from the bike so that you can move your body across to help keep your balance.

 

[grez]

For now just keep your body weight fairly neutral, it's not going to make a huge difference riding a GS in ruts at slow speed, concentrate on being relaxed, pick a point ahead which keeps moving further ahead and is never less than say 10 meters or so. Doing this you have already picked your way around the obstacles.

At each point, tell yourself.... Blue, you're going there, ....Blue you're going there etc etc.

Remember, as with all riding, the bike never go's anywhere your heads not been 5, 10, 15 seconds beforehand.

On a GS with road tyres you'll have very little room for error if it's at all slippy in ruts, get at least a decent front tyre on.

Finally managed this technique at Bakermans Hogroast this year, though did take me half a day to get it right. Realised how hard I was making it for the guys following riding so slowly. By mid-afternoon upped the pace and thought "yep - got this sussed now" followed immediatly after by a crossed rut, bike sideways, flying through the air situation.....serves me right for getting cocky.