How do you grip the bike with your knees?!

[OffRoadNewbieWoman]

When I flew off my bike and dislocated my collarbone, one of the things I was trying to practice, was "hugging" the bike with my knees. My husband tells me that I shouldn't have been trying that while I was trying to turn. I wasn't going uphill, I was just trying to get a feel for standing up:mad: .

Anyway, I felt no grip at all, it seemed like the bike was too slick. I WAS wearing jeans, now I have mx pants. My husband tried practicing today, wearing mx pants with nylon inside the knees and he said it felt slippery.

Are the leather lined knees a lot better? Do you need to put sticky tape (or whatever the proper term is) on the bike, in order to really be able to control it with your knees?

I haven't been on my bike since my wreck, and am having surgery on April 26th, so it will be awhile before I ride again. What do you all recommend? If it makes any difference, I'm 50, and 3 hours shy of being a total newbie.

Thanks

[ThreeJane]

You were trying to hold your bike with your knees while you were standing up? Did you hit a bump?

I usually only grab when I'm in ruts, sand, gravel and in turns where I'm not putting my foot down.

I'm wondering if you were knee-grabbing when you were standing up if your center of balance was off and that's why you bailed?

Hell, I've been riding since I was 20 and I'm still clueless about half this stuff.

[DRZCatastrophe]

Hmmm, I don't grab with my knees.

It may be a left over from my dressage/jumping days but using your knees for stability is a big no-no for balance and seat. You grab with your inner thigh and calfs.

I never really thought about it since I don't have the balance issues.

Maybe someone else can chime in here, but I can't help thinking that gripping with your knees is really not the best way to go about this...sorry, I really haven't given it much thought.

[chewgravel]

Hmm, as DRZCat said, gripping with knees is a big no no. Well, if riding horses anyway.

Balance Grasshopper.

When I stand, I don't usually grip with my knees. I do keep that whole part of my inner leg against the bike, and hold tightly in certain cases. I do use my ankle area of my boots to hug the bike in the knarly stuff.

If you are quite new to riding, what probably happened to cause your crash is a moment of panic. I spilled quite a bit when I first started riding just because I lost my nerve when the bike got squirrly and chopped the throttle. WHen in reality if I had just stayed steady on the gas, I would have come out fine.

I talked to myself out loud a lot back then. Remember with the helmet and bike roaring only you can hear you, so no need to be embarrassed.

When I would get to deep sand (my worst fear), I would just say "steady, gas on, you're fine".

I found myself doing this with my street bike the other day. I ended up lost and on a back road that turned to deep sugar sand. Rather than freak, I went to my old habit and got through fine.

When you get the hang of balancing over your bike standing, you won't worry about gripping, or even holding tight to the bars.

Hope you heal well and get right back out there:)

[NiceUserName]

I use my lower legs to grip the bike as needed. I knee into the side of the tank to help push the bike underneath me in a turn.

[Firecracker]

Riding bikes is a bit different from horses and gripping with knees isn't a no-no in riding. Everyone has their own way of finding a stable position on the bike. Those from a trial background have said that you should NEVER EVER grip the bike but that's pretty inaccurate for those riding MX and hare scrambles. It's hard to say "always" or "never" about any aspect of riding.

When I'm standing, my knees end up right at the top of the radiator shrouds, somewhere in there. I will grip either there or farther back on the seat if I'm moving back on the bike.

I've never felt it was "slippery" though. Do you wear knee guards or braces under your pants? I think that helps.

[charlz]

Gripping with your legs is certainly part of riding, keeps you and the bike together when jumping or holding the bike while standing up to give your arms/hands a rest. When riding with my shin/knee guards the bike is definitely more 'slippery'. You can get grip tape, which looks like sandpaper, or Stomp makes some clear grip material that goes over your graphics and doesn't abrade your boots/clothes like the grip tape. I have not yet tried the Stomp product but I am going to get some the next time I put an order together.

[learning2fly]

When I flew off my bike and dislocated my collarbone, one of the things I was trying to practice, was "hugging" the bike with my knees. My husband tells me that I shouldn't have been trying that while I was trying to turn. I wasn't going uphill, I was just trying to get a feel for standing up:mad: .

Anyway, I felt no grip at all, it seemed like the bike was too slick. I WAS wearing jeans, now I have mx pants. My husband tried practicing today, wearing mx pants with nylon inside the knees and he said it felt slippery.

Are the leather lined knees a lot better? Do you need to put sticky tape (or whatever the proper term is) on the bike, in order to really be able to control it with your knees?

I haven't been on my bike since my wreck, and am having surgery on April 26th, so it will be awhile before I ride again. What do you all recommend? If it makes any difference, I'm 50, and 3 hours shy of being a total newbie.

Thanks

Yes, the leather on the knees makes for a more 'grippy' surface, I usually wear Thor Core gear and the leather grips so well, it almost spoils me! I generally only notice the difference when jumping, when I wear other pants without the leather knees I find I have to compensate by gripping more with my boots/heels/calves or the bike seems to drop out from underneath me... I have to use more of a 'whole leg' grip than just a knee grip. Not impossible, just different.

When standing, I usually bend my knees slightly and let them naturally rest forward, against the beginning of the wider part of the radiator shrouds, both taking the weight of my body and naturally gripping the bike, saves energy and is an easy position to move forward or back from, as needed. This will vary bike to bike too, though... my year yamaha tends to be a little wider than some other model bikes, I've noticed. 'Thinner' bikes may need more effort for squeezing against the shrouds.

Turning... well, you aren't really grabbing the bike with your knees when turning, usually you weight the outside peg and shift to sitting on the outside edge of your seat... but there are tons of different situations you can get into in our wonderful sport, and each one is going to require slightly different technique depending on the conditions.... the one thing you can be sure of is there is no hard and fast rule for every situation. Experience will teach you more than anything else!

Anyway, sorry to hear about your collarbone, tough break when you are just starting out. Hoping for a full and quick recovery!

[charlz]

One other thing I meant to add. Since you are pretty much a total newbie you might want to see if you can rent 'The MSF Dirtbike School', I know it is available through Blockbuster Online. I got this for my son and then for my wife. It covers the very basics, basic riding gear, getting on and off a bike, clutch control and then moves into standing up on the bike, turning while standing, cornering etc. You might already be beyond most of it but it does cover holding the bike with your knees/legs, standing etc. For me it covered a lot of things that I don't even think about when riding so probably wouldn't think to mention to a newbie.

Here is a link to it: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6944649

[TexN343]

gripping the bike with your knees becomes so much easier when you have knee pads on. If no pads I would try gripping with my boots to the frame. Without pads my knee get bruised badly.

[Sun]

all I know is after a good day of hard technical riding where I feel like I was dialed in and riding really well, I sometimes have bruises on my inner thighs near my knees.

[Country Girl]

I would have to say that I stand up a lot on my bike, as it has practically no seatfoam:crazy:. I notice that I absolutely dig in there with my knees. It's what gives me control over my bike.

I race harescramble in Southeast Kentucky and I have to say this is probably one of the most important things that I do when riding. It softens the blow when riding fast through rocky sections and makes it a lot easier on you. Give it time and you will get more and more comfortable.

Hate to hear about that broken collarbone. I broke mine in late September last year and it's not a fun injury. However, mine was a clean break and healed right up on its own. Sounds like your separated collarbone is gonna have to be surgically repaired. Good luck and I hope you make a speedy recovery.

[CRF RedRider]

Sorry to hear about your fall. Hope you get well soon. I had both my shoulders mucked up about three years ago, painful. Take it easy.

I stand a lot while riding, my knees don't get as bruised as they use to. Takes some time I guess for your body to get use to anything new. Give it time and a little more practice - things will work out.

[Flyin Hi]

I'm just starting to stand more while I'm riding but I don't really grip my knees tight. Only way my knees get bruised right now is falling. Hurts.

Hope you heal quick.

[fun in dirt]

To me, the "gripping with your knees" really means don't totally hang on by the strength of your arms to the handlebars - use your whole body. If you're in a situation that gets a little wiggly & rough, gripping too tight on the bars causes me to fight the bike & suspension rather than ride with it.

A good set of sharp pegs helps too!

[shotlady]

newbie here too. I had heard they make a colar to put on your neck to help prevent colar bone injuries. so i got one. only 35$. they make one that is fatter and 1 that is more slender.

I hope you get to healing very soon. my best to you.

Charlz, thank you for the link. I shall be watching it whaen i get the chance. hopefully sooner rather than later.

also www.admotours.com is where i learned dirt bike school. I am taking my two teenage sons this summer. I am always looking for good information and tips on a better, more confident ride.

Brandi