Long Legs vs Arm Pump

yzinger
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yzinger
Edited Date/Time 3/21/2014 5:15am
Hey guys, what words of wisdom or any bits of advice have we heard over the years concerning taller riders. I hear all the time about gripping the bike more with your legs etc but when your knees are above the seat/tank area what then? Lower pegs?

Discuss.
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disbanded
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disbanded 3/20/2014 9:47am
3/20/2014 9:47am
If you are still riding that YZinger you might want to think about getting a bigger bike. Maybe move up to a 65 and see how that works.
BAMX
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BAMX 3/20/2014 9:48am
3/20/2014 9:48am
Moto Soul Mag wrote:
Tall seat. You can get them for most bikes.
I tied the tall seat but didn't like giving up the handling so, I went back.

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Bret
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Bret 3/20/2014 9:55am
3/20/2014 9:55am
I am 6' 3" and understand what you mean. Squeeze your knees together and your boots will grab onto something for sure. Your knees will almost touch if you squeeze them together hard enough. I have tried a taller seat and I did not like the way it affected cornering. I tried to get used to it but couldn't. I just felt too top-heavy. Lower pegs will help but you can only drop them so far.
yzinger
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yzinger 3/20/2014 10:25am
3/20/2014 10:25am
disbanded wrote:
If you are still riding that YZinger you might want to think about getting a bigger bike. Maybe move up to a 65 and see how...
If you are still riding that YZinger you might want to think about getting a bigger bike. Maybe move up to a 65 and see how that works.
haha, i like it. It is a yzinger but a 250 smoker Smile
bryan
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bryan 3/20/2014 11:42am
3/20/2014 11:42am
I'm 6ft, went with lower pegs and really like the added contact area with the bike. I haven't noticed any real bad arm pump since getting the pegs, but I'm slow, out of shape, and have tons of other variables that affect arm pump more than foot peg position.
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 3/20/2014 11:42am
3/20/2014 11:42am
Bret wrote:
I am 6' 3" and understand what you mean. Squeeze your knees together and your boots will grab onto something for sure. Your knees will almost...
I am 6' 3" and understand what you mean. Squeeze your knees together and your boots will grab onto something for sure. Your knees will almost touch if you squeeze them together hard enough. I have tried a taller seat and I did not like the way it affected cornering. I tried to get used to it but couldn't. I just felt too top-heavy. Lower pegs will help but you can only drop them so far.
I'm 6'0 which is just entering the tall zone. The taller you are the more difficult this is but lately I've been focusing on slightly bending my knees that way it lowers your contact point a bit and leaning over the front of the bike. It does feel like you're trying to ride in a squatting position but I've found a position that I'm comfortable with where my knees are able to touch. Might have to work on the leg muscles a bit this way. Otherwise, I just make sure that whichever leg is on the outside of the situation is making contact with the bike at all times. Some riding gear is more sticky than others so if you can find some gear with a good stick on it, that helps.

YZinger, how tall are you?
DBerg
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DBerg 3/20/2014 12:23pm
3/20/2014 12:23pm
I'm 6'2" and I try to make sure the balls of my feet are on the pegs rather than my arches and then like WreckAlot said, try to ride forward on the bike in kind of a squatted position. It's something I struggle with and am working on but it does help to try to keep my knees gripping around the tank rather than the seat. Also being taller, if I get lazy and sit back, my weight ends up being so far back that it's easy to end up in the front end high position on jumps. Nothing worse than a tall guy on an old 125 pulling a boner air everywhere.
thorns
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thorns 3/20/2014 1:26pm
3/20/2014 1:26pm
Have a look at steg pegz as an option. I have the same issue of not being able to grip, bought some steg pegz and they help massively. Doesn't totally eliminate arm pump for me, but that's probably more to do with lack of fitness. Definitely feel locked into the bike though.

If your a top level rider you might find they restrict the movement of your legs back and forth, never bothered me, but I'm a slow vet rider in the first place.
blowin_trannys 3/20/2014 1:41pm
3/20/2014 1:41pm
6'4" here. Lowered pegs kept hanging up and getting my feet pulled off the pegs. I found the best thing was a new triple that allowed me to move my bars forward (protaper windhams). Helps me stay forward and down over the bars comfortably. Tall people have more leverage on them when riding, so making sure you maintain good technique and are always being pushed through the pegs help a lot. Ride on the balls of your feet, my feet naturally go toes out, when i ride on the balls of my feet it twists my ankles in so they grip better.
Whoops_Blitzer 3/20/2014 1:56pm
3/20/2014 1:56pm
I think there's a correlation. Usually the longer her legs, the harder I pump my arm.
Grizz
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Grizz 3/20/2014 5:04pm
3/20/2014 5:04pm
Even if you're the best at gripping with your legs, you'll still get arm pump unless you ride frequently (at least once a week I would say). That's what I think anyways.
Crush
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Crush 3/20/2014 5:24pm
3/20/2014 5:24pm
Whoops_Blitzer wrote:
I think there's a correlation. Usually the longer her legs, the harder I pump my arm.
YES!!!

You win the internet for today
mxrider28
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mxrider28 3/20/2014 6:50pm
3/20/2014 6:50pm
Im 6ft 3 and have horrible arm pump all the time. My knees are above the seat so i tend to grip with my calves.
FGR01
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FGR01 3/20/2014 9:49pm
3/20/2014 9:49pm
Spartacus wrote:
Take up basketball.
Exactly.

I'm 5'3" and am having trouble dunking? What can you guys do to help me??
RobKacp
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RobKacp 3/21/2014 5:15am
3/21/2014 5:15am
thorns wrote:
Have a look at steg pegz as an option. I have the same issue of not being able to grip, bought some steg pegz and they...
Have a look at steg pegz as an option. I have the same issue of not being able to grip, bought some steg pegz and they help massively. Doesn't totally eliminate arm pump for me, but that's probably more to do with lack of fitness. Definitely feel locked into the bike though.

If your a top level rider you might find they restrict the movement of your legs back and forth, never bothered me, but I'm a slow vet rider in the first place.
+1 for steg pegz. First thing I thought of when I saw the thread. I have a pair on my KTM and they definitely help with contact/gripping the bike - they fall at the top of my boots and def make it easier to grip with the legs. Seems like they also provide a cue to me to grip more.

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