Teeter Totters and other obstacles

Does anyone have obstacle stories?
I know it has taken some time to wrap my mind around small bridges and skinny's but I have yet to master the teeter totter. I hate to admit it, but the broken wrist has set me back more mentally than physically. I did not do the rollercoaster bridge, but instead, took the bail out flat bridge. I did a few log piles but took the bail out routs around a couple that I would have done a few months ago. I loved the rock gardens and took all but one by storm.

Here is a video of a teeter totter I avoided on Sunday, but I shot Kris and Chet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCp3gW3svTs

I've never tried a teeter totter, but I might give that one a shot. I've seen pictures of some really big ones that I wouldn't even consider. I'm still a pretty big wuss when it comes to obstacles, bridges in particular. I don't like em and I would have avoided that roller coaster one that you posted too. I need to get more confidence in my balance...

I have not come across any teeter-totters to try, but that looks like fun!

Obstacles are all new to me. The little MTBing I did before was basically fire roads and walking paths in the woods. I've only been out 3 times that I've had anything more difficult to try.

Mind over matter, right? When you're not in the right frame of mind, nothing comes together right. Just like with skiing. My biggest problem is definitely over-thinking. The stuff that threw me the first time I tried it, was immensely easier when I didn't think it through as much the 2nd time. But after I fell over and hurt myself, I got really cautious again.

That fear, anticipation of what it will feel like if you hurt yourself - it's a powerful thing.

bvibert said:

I've never tried a teeter totter, but I might give that one a shot. I've seen pictures of some really big ones that I wouldn't even consider. I'm still a pretty big wuss when it comes to obstacles, bridges in particular. I don't like em and I would have avoided that roller coaster one that you posted too. I need to get more confidence in my balance...

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I really wanted to get that voice out of my head, but I just had to take the bail out option and do the flat bridge.


There were two skinny bridges that I couldn't do, either. THOSE I would have done a couple months ago but, for some reason I just can't shake it out now.

Draw me an 12" wide path with some chalk on the road and I could likely ride it a hundred times without crossing a line. Put me in front of a 24" wide bridge 24" off the ground and I freak. What's that about? :-?

Greg said:

Draw me an 12" wide path with some chalk on the road and I could likely ride it a hundred times without crossing a line. Put me in front of a 24" wide bridge 24" off the ground and I freak. What's that about? :-?

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You're a scared wuss like me, that's what that's about.

I know for me it's the fear of falling off said bridge. I know that if I'm riding on the ground that if I bobble I have a pretty good chance of catching myself. On the bridge, if you mess up, you have a pretty good chance of falling into whatever the bridge is crossing. It's that fear that screws me up.

Greg said:

Draw me an 12" wide path with some chalk on the road and I could likely ride it a hundred times without crossing a line. Put me in front of a 24" wide bridge 24" off the ground and I freak. What's that about? :-?

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+1, that damn bridge after the washed out downhill got me last night(walked it) after nearly going off the side of it last time.

bvibert said:

You're a scared wuss like me, that's what that's about.

I know for me it's the fear of falling off said bridge. I know that if I'm riding on the ground that if I bobble I have a pretty good chance of catching myself. On the bridge, if you mess up, you have a pretty good chance of falling into whatever the bridge is crossing. It's that fear that screws me up.

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Thanks Captain Obvious. But seriously, how likely is it that you will need to step out and catch yourself on a path on the ground?

o3jeff said:

+1, that damn bridge after the washed out downhill got me last night(walked it) after nearly going off the side of it last time.

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And lemme guess. You were worrying about crossing it the whole time down to it, right?

I actually walked down it after watching Tim just about cut another butt crack in Brian with his tire when Brian went off course.

To give a perspective of the teeter totter set up in the Youtube above, Here is a still of the skinny after the teeter totter. They are adding obstacles on a project that is not completed yet.
The skinny is ramped up with a clay/dirt approach, with two clay/dirt bail outs.


This is VG's husband riding the big log. Again, I took the bail out
When will I get my mind wrapped around doing these?

Trekchick said:

To give a perspective of the teeter totter set up in the Youtube above, Here is a still of the skinny after the teeter totter. They are adding obstacles on a project that is not completed yet.
The skinny is ramped up with a clay/dirt approach, with two clay/dirt bail outs.

This is VG's husband riding the big log. Again, I took the bail out
When will I get my mind wrapped around doing these?

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I wouldn't have tried that second log either, might have attempted the first skinny though... I really am a big wuss.

Looks like a cool place to ride though.

Trekchick said:

To give a perspective of the teeter totter set up in the Youtube above, Here is a still of the skinny after the teeter totter. They are adding obstacles on a project that is not completed yet.
The skinny is ramped up with a clay/dirt approach, with two clay/dirt bail outs.

This is VG's husband riding the big log. Again, I took the bail out
When will I get my mind wrapped around doing these?

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I missed the YT vid it your initial thread. I might have tried that teeter totter. I have pretty decent balance on the bike (I think, for a newb) and it seems like there is definitely some speed control required there.

That log ride looks doable too with the nice soft grass to crash into. But looking a pics with a slight buzz is a million miles away from actually being out there. I can see why MR. evil is rocking the platforms lately. I think the "trapped" feeling us newbs get from the clipless pedals might add to the fear factor...

Makes me wonder if I'm making the right move going clipless and ditching the platforms.

Very cool obstacles, Trekchick! I have not come across stuff like that yet but as I progress, I'd really like to try more.

severine said:

Makes me wonder if I'm making the right move going clipless and ditching the platforms.

Very cool obstacles, Trekchick! I have not come across stuff like that yet but as I progress, I'd really like to try more.

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Clipless is fine, but you unclip before approaching stuff that you're tentative about. Carrie, I think you'd love riding that area with us. There is a ton of natural terrain and swoops, with a few obstacle sections thrown in. All obstacles are an option, not mandatory. WHEW!

severine said:

Makes me wonder if I'm making the right move going clipless and ditching the platforms.

Very cool obstacles, Trekchick! I have not come across stuff like that yet but as I progress, I'd really like to try more.

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Well I have ridden clipless for almost 10 years. Just recently I decided to give platforms a try and I am loving them! Randi has seen how much fun I am having with them she is getting a set to play around with. I feel like a kid again riding a BMX. Now there is a huge difference between good platforms and the crappy stock ones that come on bikes. Mine are super grippy. Yesterday I went over the bars on a log pile but I was able to basicly jump over the bars and land on my feet becuase I was not clipped in. Sunday night I cleaned several technical rock race decents (that no one else even tried:wink in part to the added confidence the platforms have given me. Truth be told I probably would have done them with clipless too.

Now if you want to ride clipless becuase you feel it will make you a better rider then go for it. But don't rush into it just becuase it is what everyone else does.

o3jeff said:

I actually walked down it after watching Tim just about cut another butt crack in Brian with his tire when Brian went off course.

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It's not fualt he laid on the brakes like an old woman..... Actually that washed out DH was really sketchy. There is a huge rut in the middle of the lower half with about 10" of rocky uneven trail on either side of the rut and a very steep hill to one side of the trail. I am still not sure how I cleaned that section. When I stopped on the other side of the bridge my heart was really racing. It took a good 10 minutes for it to slow down.

Randi and I decided that we are going to build some practice obsticles in the back yard. So far I have a couple of things in mind. First is going to be a small 8 to 10" wide ladder platforms about 6 to 8" off the ground in (2) 8'-0" sections. Where the two section meet there will be a slight angle. I am going to make them so they can be raised higher at a latter date. I am also going to make a small ladder drop. Someting that I can adjust the height on as we progress. I am ok with small drops if I have some room to get some momentum. But when I have very little room and I have to really use my upper body to pull up and pedal hard to wheely bad things happen. I always pull to much with one side of my body, not enough with the other side and well crash.

I will be making a home depot run tonight or tommorrow. I will take some pictures as I get the first thing built.

I can't wait to see the results of that, Tim! Sounds very cool!

As for the clipless pedals, I want to use them because I do feel it will improve my performance. There have been many times when trying to do stuff that Brian had no problems with that my feet slipped off the pedals or I felt I wasn't having an efficient enough movement... both of which would be helped by clipping in. Still have to get the shoes....

severine said:

I can't wait to see the results of that, Tim! Sounds very cool!

As for the clipless pedals, I want to use them because I do feel it will improve my performance. There have been many times when trying to do stuff that Brian had no problems with that my feet slipped off the pedals or I felt I wasn't having an efficient enough movement... both of which would be helped by clipping in. Still have to get the shoes....

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Your feet are slipping off becuase you have some cheesy plastic platforms that come stocks on most mid to low end mountain bikes. My platforms have metal pins in them the dig into the soles of my shoes.....they are very grippy. I have to take my foot off the pedal to adjust my foot position, my feet do not slip off. No doubt that clipless pedals are more efficient, but they are not magically going to make you a better rider. Brain is not clearing these sections you are having issues with becuase he has clipless pedals. Its becuase he has more experience. There is nothing that I can get up riding clipless that i cannot get up riding platforms. But over the course of a ride I probably burn more energy using platforms that if I used clipless so that is one draw back to platforms. I am riding platforms now becuase while using them I feel more confident in pushing my boundries.

MR. evil said:

Your feet are slipping off becuase you have some cheesy plastic platforms that come stocks on most mid to low end mountain bikes. My platforms have metal pins in them the dig into the soles of my shoes.....they are very grippy. I have to take my foot off the pedal to adjust my foot position, my feet do not slip off. No doubt that clipless pedals are more efficient, but they are not magically going to make you a better rider. Brain is not clearing these sections you are having issues with becuase he has clipless pedals. Its becuase he has more experience. There is nothing that I can get up riding clipless that i cannot get up riding platforms. But over the course of a ride I probably burn more energy using platforms that if I used clipless so that is one draw back to platforms. I am riding platforms now becuase while using them I feel more confident in pushing my boundries.

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I agree. When I went clipless the only improvement I found was that they made it easier to climb hills (pushing + pulling) and they only did so when I wasn't being a lazy ass and actually pulled up on rotations. My overall ability has improved because every ride I try newer and harder things. To be honest, I lost a bit of confidence when I switched to clipless and on my first ride out at the ridge my bike and I almost went over a nice steep cliff and I couldn't clip out. That'll wake you up quickly.

If you are going to go clipless I'd recommend riding around your neighborhood and simply practicing clipping in and out for a while before you try them on the trails and panic at the wrong moment. I also had the "slip 'n stab" problem with my original platforms that came stock with my bike but, as Timmy said, it's because they were cheesy Kmart specials that just needed to get chucked.

The one good thing about clipless is that I did something stupid to my leg a couple weeks ago (i.e. endoed at WH rez and landed on a nice and sharp rock) and it still hurts to walk (or touch, or do anything else). So at Nass yesterday I was able to clip out on the left and let that leg ride while I used the right to do most of the work (MUCH easier done with a push + pull cycle vs. a pull only rotation). Then again, the whole problem I had at the start of the Nass ride was because I was too caught up in thinking, "holy shit there are a ton of trees in my way, am I gonna be able to clip out in time?" So, in the end, they did me as much damage as they did good.

Hijacked. Srry.

As far as obstacles are concerned, my biggest obstacle is most definately that frikkin' chail link bridge at the area. I scooted over that thing on my butt last time. Maybe...someday.... :lol: