Gripping the bike

mitkoo
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mitkoo
Edited Date/Time 6/11/2017 11:00am
Hello Guys! Can someon explain me how to grip the bike with my ankles while riding on the balls of my feet. Because i cant grip it with my knees because my legs slide back
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FTB
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FTB 6/7/2017 3:22am
6/7/2017 3:22am
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake?

Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the frame might help.
Turbojez
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Turbojez 6/7/2017 3:42am
6/7/2017 3:42am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2017 3:42am
FTB wrote:
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake? Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the...
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake?

Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the frame might help.
All the PROs would disagree with you.
mitkoo
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mitkoo 6/7/2017 3:43am
6/7/2017 3:43am
FTB wrote:
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake? Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the...
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake?

Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the frame might help.
i just move my feet
Turbojez
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Turbojez 6/7/2017 3:59am
6/7/2017 3:59am
mitkoo wrote:
Hello Guys! Can someon explain me how to grip the bike with my ankles while riding on the balls of my feet. Because i cant grip...
Hello Guys! Can someon explain me how to grip the bike with my ankles while riding on the balls of my feet. Because i cant grip it with my knees because my legs slide back
Try moving your upper body more to the front of the bike, so that your feet are pushing the pegs back when you accelerate. See pic 2. I know it looks retarded but you get the idea.



2

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Acidreamer
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Acidreamer 6/7/2017 4:45am
6/7/2017 4:45am
Get some sharp footpegs and jam your feet against your frame. They should stick without much effort.
Harry Backmon 6/7/2017 4:49am
6/7/2017 4:49am
Mitkookbro! Bro, What a wise decision to come here and ask the Vital Brain Trust (VBT) for advice. What you must do immediately is really quite simple. Get a length of rope and have a bro tie your ankles together. The rope can be passed behind or under the motor, and then cinched up nice and tight. ,Also, have your track bros film your first ride. After you recover, come back here and post it up so the VBT can evaluate and offer further instruction.
1
mitkoo
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mitkoo 6/7/2017 4:52am
6/7/2017 4:52am
mitkoo wrote:
Hello Guys! Can someon explain me how to grip the bike with my ankles while riding on the balls of my feet. Because i cant grip...
Hello Guys! Can someon explain me how to grip the bike with my ankles while riding on the balls of my feet. Because i cant grip it with my knees because my legs slide back
Turbojez wrote:
Try moving your upper body more to the front of the bike, so that your feet are pushing the pegs back when you accelerate. See pic...
Try moving your upper body more to the front of the bike, so that your feet are pushing the pegs back when you accelerate. See pic 2. I know it looks retarded but you get the idea.



But that way I lose traction. I ride enduro-climbs
Harry Backmon 6/7/2017 4:58am
6/7/2017 4:58am
mitkoo wrote:
But that way I lose traction. I ride enduro-climbs
No problem at all, bro. Between the Velcro on your 1987 cold war era nylon track suit, and having your ankles roped together, you'll be king of the dirt motor riders in your village in no time.
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 6/7/2017 5:38am
6/7/2017 5:38am
mitkoo wrote:
Hello Guys! Can someon explain me how to grip the bike with my ankles while riding on the balls of my feet. Because i cant grip...
Hello Guys! Can someon explain me how to grip the bike with my ankles while riding on the balls of my feet. Because i cant grip it with my knees because my legs slide back
Turbojez wrote:
Try moving your upper body more to the front of the bike, so that your feet are pushing the pegs back when you accelerate. See pic...
Try moving your upper body more to the front of the bike, so that your feet are pushing the pegs back when you accelerate. See pic 2. I know it looks retarded but you get the idea.



mitkoo wrote:
But that way I lose traction. I ride enduro-climbs
I'm lost. Are you trying to stand on enduro climbs? Like 100% of the time you're riding?
FTB
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FTB 6/7/2017 5:38am
6/7/2017 5:38am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2017 5:46am
FTB wrote:
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake? Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the...
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake?

Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the frame might help.
Turbojez wrote:
All the PROs would disagree with you.
Aha. So how do you change gears or brake when on the balls of your feet. Extremely long toes?

BTW, I've been riding a lot longer than most PROs.
I might get onto the balls of my feet at times, but for the most part, you need to be shifting or braking. Unless you ride on a highway.

OP. You don't always need to be on your feet when hill climbing. And on a typical hill climb you really shouldn't be on the balls of your feet, It'll just take longer if you need to down shift quickly.
BTW, I've been riding for 42 years and have never really gripped the bike with my legs. I prefer to let it move around like I'm riding mud.
Just do whatever works for you.
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 6/7/2017 6:20am
6/7/2017 6:20am
Oh boy. You're about to turn this joke of a thread into a serious riding debate?

You should be on the ball toes of your feet the majority of the time. How do you keep from accidentally hitting your brake or shifter if your toes are always extended over them? When you case a jump, your ankles provide quite a bit of extra cushioning.

There's no way you're going to convince me that the majority of pros are wrong on this. Your 42 years of riding have been done at a much slower pace than pros unless you were a pro. In which case, you're the exception and not the rule.
JBecker 72
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JBecker 72 6/7/2017 6:20am
6/7/2017 6:20am
You need to be gripping the bike with your legs. If you aren't, you are just tiring yourself out faster by holding on tighter with your upper body. It's all about using your stronger leg and core muscles to support you when on the bike and especially over obstacles.

If it's hard to do that now on your bike, perhaps your pants are not grippy enough, or your seat cover is too smooth. I personally don't like grip tape on the frame, but do like a good seat cover that has aggressive side texture for the insides of your legs to grip on to when standing.

I also run my brake pedal and gear shifter high. So typically I'm riding on the balls of my feet and not the arch. I move my foot to the controls when I need to use them rather than cover them all the time and risk inadvertently shifting or braking when I don't want to. Also by running the controls higher it allows me to shift easier when standing, which I feel is important.
Camp332
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Camp332 6/7/2017 6:26am
6/7/2017 6:26am
FTB wrote:
Aha. So how do you change gears or brake when on the balls of your feet. Extremely long toes? BTW, I've been riding a lot longer...
Aha. So how do you change gears or brake when on the balls of your feet. Extremely long toes?

BTW, I've been riding a lot longer than most PROs.
I might get onto the balls of my feet at times, but for the most part, you need to be shifting or braking. Unless you ride on a highway.

OP. You don't always need to be on your feet when hill climbing. And on a typical hill climb you really shouldn't be on the balls of your feet, It'll just take longer if you need to down shift quickly.
BTW, I've been riding for 42 years and have never really gripped the bike with my legs. I prefer to let it move around like I'm riding mud.
Just do whatever works for you.
^ This guy is good Bro!
Harry Backmon 6/7/2017 6:29am
6/7/2017 6:29am
Don't worry, Wreckbro. Mitkook will be along shortly to ask the same question, again, and steer the Vitards back to chasing their tails for him.

Hard to believe at least half of Vital hasn't figured out the answers they give are never satisfactory when it comes to Mitkook, Huskey Trollmir, etc.

Mitkook, get a cat.
Skerby
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Skerby 6/7/2017 6:31am
6/7/2017 6:31am
Harry Backmon wrote:
Mitkookbro! Bro, What a wise decision to come here and ask the Vital Brain Trust (VBT) for advice. What you must do immediately is really quite...
Mitkookbro! Bro, What a wise decision to come here and ask the Vital Brain Trust (VBT) for advice. What you must do immediately is really quite simple. Get a length of rope and have a bro tie your ankles together. The rope can be passed behind or under the motor, and then cinched up nice and tight. ,Also, have your track bros film your first ride. After you recover, come back here and post it up so the VBT can evaluate and offer further instruction.
Can we get Vital Brain Trust T-shirts!? I would totally buy one of those, I'll even design it if this gains any traction.
Camp332
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Camp332 6/7/2017 6:34am
6/7/2017 6:34am
Here is why you guys aren't gripping with your legs. Your Rompers don't have any grip Bruh!

Harry Backmon 6/7/2017 6:38am
6/7/2017 6:38am
Harry Backmon wrote:
Mitkookbro! Bro, What a wise decision to come here and ask the Vital Brain Trust (VBT) for advice. What you must do immediately is really quite...
Mitkookbro! Bro, What a wise decision to come here and ask the Vital Brain Trust (VBT) for advice. What you must do immediately is really quite simple. Get a length of rope and have a bro tie your ankles together. The rope can be passed behind or under the motor, and then cinched up nice and tight. ,Also, have your track bros film your first ride. After you recover, come back here and post it up so the VBT can evaluate and offer further instruction.
Skerby wrote:
Can we get Vital Brain Trust T-shirts!? I would totally buy one of those, I'll even design it if this gains any traction.
Man, I hope so. A big pulsating brain on the front, or maybe this guy. Then have "VBT" with a couple of lightning bolts crossed under it.



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-MAVERICK-
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-MAVERICK- 6/7/2017 6:52am
6/7/2017 6:52am
Duct tape or Gorilla glue should do the trick.
Andy_Greenney 6/7/2017 6:59am
6/7/2017 6:59am
Never quite understood the balls of your feet thing in mx, do it on the road bike but on the MX bike it always seemed like it was a broken ankle/Achilles waiting to happen.
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 6/7/2017 7:15am
6/7/2017 7:15am
Andy_Greenney wrote:
Never quite understood the balls of your feet thing in mx, do it on the road bike but on the MX bike it always seemed like...
Never quite understood the balls of your feet thing in mx, do it on the road bike but on the MX bike it always seemed like it was a broken ankle/Achilles waiting to happen.
Either way you're compromising your knees or ankles.
Acidreamer
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Acidreamer 6/7/2017 7:16am
6/7/2017 7:16am
FTB wrote:
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake? Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the...
You shouldn't be on the balls of your feet. How do you shift or brake?

Sincve you can't afford Steg Pegz. Some grip tape on the frame might help.
Turbojez wrote:
All the PROs would disagree with you.
FTB wrote:
Aha. So how do you change gears or brake when on the balls of your feet. Extremely long toes? BTW, I've been riding a lot longer...
Aha. So how do you change gears or brake when on the balls of your feet. Extremely long toes?

BTW, I've been riding a lot longer than most PROs.
I might get onto the balls of my feet at times, but for the most part, you need to be shifting or braking. Unless you ride on a highway.

OP. You don't always need to be on your feet when hill climbing. And on a typical hill climb you really shouldn't be on the balls of your feet, It'll just take longer if you need to down shift quickly.
BTW, I've been riding for 42 years and have never really gripped the bike with my legs. I prefer to let it move around like I'm riding mud.
Just do whatever works for you.
We have a guy in our engineering office with more experience than the rest of us combined. But the truth is he doesnt know how to do anything correctly and tries to correct you when hes in fact wrong. You are that guy. You move your feet. Thats how you shift. Balls of your feet, shift your foot forward to change gears, then back on the ball.
kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 6/7/2017 7:22am
6/7/2017 7:22am
Sit down every where
Harry Backmon 6/7/2017 7:26am
6/7/2017 7:26am
But how does this help mitkoo?? Bro needs real world solutions from the VBT! Does anyone have some old riding pants they can send him? Let's at least get him out of his nylon track suit. mitkoo, post up a picture of you in your track suit holding a sign with today's date. That way the VBT can get an idea of the gear you need to become champion of the hill climb in your village. We can size it by looking at the picture as well.
mx317
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mx317 6/7/2017 7:28am
6/7/2017 7:28am
I would suggest a good riding school if possible. If not, Gary Semics has some great videos that explains how you ride on the balls of your feet moving them to shift and brake. I still have trouble doing this, but I'm still trying to learn even though I've been riding many years.
kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 6/7/2017 7:36am
6/7/2017 7:36am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2017 7:42am
mx317 wrote:
I would suggest a good riding school if possible. If not, Gary Semics has some great videos that explains how you ride on the balls of...
I would suggest a good riding school if possible. If not, Gary Semics has some great videos that explains how you ride on the balls of your feet moving them to shift and brake. I still have trouble doing this, but I'm still trying to learn even though I've been riding many years.
Semics doesn't speak German, Norse or Scandinavian! I heard he is working on learning Brielle tho
brian878
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brian878 6/7/2017 8:09am
6/7/2017 8:09am
I ride mostly in my arches when standing but I do move my feet to he balls when needed. I find the arches give me the control I need without blowing out my Achilles (local pro gave me this tip). Whenever I spend too much time on the balls of my feet, it always aggravates an old Achilles injury and I limp around the next day. For me the arches gave me a side benefit in that it allows me to get that locked in feel where my boots are tight around the bike and my toes in towards the cases. As a taller rider, my grip is mostly down low at the frame because my knees are above the seat. So the sides of my boots are aligned with the frame when I am in my arches. On the balls of my feet, the boots are further back and I can't grip the bike as well. I can shift and get on the brake no prob. For me I find grip on the bike is the number one thing I can do to be in control.
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mattyhamz2 6/7/2017 8:53am
6/7/2017 8:53am
mitkoo wrote:
But that way I lose traction. I ride enduro-climbs
Harry Backmon wrote:
No problem at all, bro. Between the Velcro on your 1987 cold war era nylon track suit, and having your ankles roped together, you'll be king...
No problem at all, bro. Between the Velcro on your 1987 cold war era nylon track suit, and having your ankles roped together, you'll be king of the dirt motor riders in your village in no time.
Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
Myke
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Myke 6/7/2017 9:28am
6/7/2017 9:28am
Mostly balls of my feet here, I don't realize it but that's the part of my boot soles that show the most wear.
Turbojez
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Turbojez 6/7/2017 9:59am
6/7/2017 9:59am
Harry Backmon wrote:
No problem at all, bro. Between the Velcro on your 1987 cold war era nylon track suit, and having your ankles roped together, you'll be king...
No problem at all, bro. Between the Velcro on your 1987 cold war era nylon track suit, and having your ankles roped together, you'll be king of the dirt motor riders in your village in no time.
Hello you wild cow boy dirt rider! Will this advice work good on Yakov's 1987 CR500?I This make me fastest motor king?

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