Stand up or sit down?

Bryce R

Bryce R

Hey guys after riding with a couple of guys I thought were very experianced riders. I noticed they were almost always sitting down. I thought maybe I'm wrong standing up. I was alway taught you stand up and if your feet hit the ground your ass will follow. Well our ride was not really technicol just loose gravel and sand on hard packed roads for about 55 miles. We averaged about 30 mph. After one of the guys put his bike down for the 3rd time I really started to wonder if I was right or wrong. In fact I started watching him going around the switch backs. It didn't look like either had as much control as I felt I did standing up. I road 55 miles standing and I think they road 53 miles sitting.

Do you ride standing or sitting?

Is one better then the other?
 
CDA

CDA

It all depends on what you are riding on. I for one (when I actually take my bike off the stand) stand most of the time.
 
CDA

CDA

Bryce R:
Depends on what?
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If you are running tight twisty trails, you will find yourself sitting down more and motocrossing the corners. If you are in more open or straighter trails, then you should be out of the saddle to allow your legs to soak up the bumps and have more control over the bike. It all depends on the terrain that you are riding on.
 
Travace

Travace

yea i think CDA hit it... it all depends on what you are riding on. its both for me. sometimes im just tired so im sitting but at the track its mostly sitting ... always in corners i sit. and some jumps i stand off the lip and others i do what ive been told is a seat bump... where you stay sitting while you go off the lip and as you elave the lip you kinda let the seat fall away a little which makes you stand... it has to do with your suspension being preloaded and it gives you a bit of spring when you leave the lip.

as for trails/desert if there is whoops im ALWAYS standing but if its smooth trail or fire road or some washes im usually saving energy and sitting.
 
rezrider

rezrider

It really depends on the terrain. whoops or rutted out trails I'll stand and let my legs absorb the pounding, flat straights, hills going up I'll sit, hills coming down depends on how steap it is...may need to stand with your ass back over the rear fender, sand washes, sitting but constantly sliding back and forth on the seat in the turns...:prof:
 
cleonard

cleonard

It's about balance and aerobic capacity. Standing allow you to be a human suspension and to go faster over rough terrain. However, it's tough and takes a lot more energy than sitting. In slow going technical stuff sitting gives a lower center of gravity. That can help you negotiate the trail. I stand as much as I can, but eventually I have to sit and rest.

One other factor is the seats that are on current bikes. They resemble a 2x4 with a vinyl cover. Not exactly made for sitting. By comparison my XR is an overstuffed couch.
 
Neversurfaced

Neversurfaced

Not much to add except that I listen to my bike - it tells me when to sit and when to stand. There's no real rule - after awhile it just becomes second nature.
 
cleonard

cleonard

Standing through the rocks lets the bike kind of dance around under you. If you sit you feel them all. The first pic is the most sit friendly and the last is the least.

If you do decide to sit slow down. I could see not standing through the last, but it will take a lot longer.

We have lots and lots of rocks out here in California so those don't even look that rocky.
 
Nighthawk016

Nighthawk016

probably sit, keep my center of gravity low, because you don't wanna go down if a rock rolls out from under your wheel, or you will end up worse than james :smirk:
 
timoyz

timoyz

Nighthawk016:
probably sit, keep my center of gravity low, because you don't wanna go down if a rock rolls out from under your wheel, or you will end up worse than james :smirk:
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Rocks are like sand, take an aggressive stance, and gas it. As long as your rear wheel is driving foward, the bike will catch itself, if a rock "rolls" out from under you.
 
M

MikeinFresno

stand to lower your center of gravity

I would stand on that section cuz those small rocks are the kind that make your bike dance around under you. Like said it will keep going generally in a straight line if you keep the throttle cracked open.

I now sit more than stand in my old age. My knees and back give out after standing too long unless its smooth enuf to fully straighten my legs. I do stand in whoops and for jumps n such.
 
Bryce R

Bryce R

MikeinFresno:
stand to lower your center of gravity

I would stand on that section cuz those small rocks are the kind that make your bike dance around under you. Like said it will keep going generally in a straight line if you keep the throttle cracked open.

I now sit more than stand in my old age. My knees and back give out after standing too long unless its smooth enuf to fully straighten my legs. I do stand in whoops and for jumps n such.
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Okay this is what I have been taught. if you stand it lowers your gravity on the bike. Also your body doesn't move as much because the bike just dances between your legs. Also when it does move your body naturally wants to be up right so it reacts to balance itself. Keep a touch of speed and let the bike do the work.
 
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