How To: Bike Setup and Line Choice

May 11, 2012 at 1:17
by Urge Bike Products  
Every week a new video chapter will be release: straight lines, braking, climbing, climbing a step, jumping, drop off and line choice.

This week we've got two videos to check out: bike set up and line choice.

Bike Set Up:

Bike Set Up

by urgebikeproducts
Views: 22,752    Faves: 127    Comments: 12



Line Choice:

Line Choice

by urgebikeproducts
Views: 18,025    Faves: 130    Comments: 4


Picking your lines is probably the hardest technique in all MTN riding compared to DH. As most of the time you don't know the track, anticipation will be needed. Your vision will be key to the bike placement into the corners and generally on the track.

Join us at Fabien Barel's Facebook Page, and check out Fabien Barel's Training camps at Les Gets Mtb resort - more info at trainingcamp-lesgets@barel.co

Author Info:
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Member since Feb 16, 2012
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49 Comments
  • 30 1
 Love this kinda stuff. Always good to keep learning good habits no matter how experienced you are.
  • 5 4
 If there was one Dh rider I could choose to be taught by it's Fabien , such a professional with perfect technique , explains things very well inspite of his thick french accent Razz
  • 5 0
 I vant dis bicycle
  • 4 0
 dont ve all?
  • 1 0
 so good. awesome article.
  • 9 3
 Guys, instead of waiting, here's the whole thing that they are "splitting" over a few weeks....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVEh9Tby54g&feature=b-vrec

It's from a free DVD that i once got in a magazine...
  • 2 2
 Was it not in dirt or mbuk or something? It was suspiciously familiar...
  • 5 0
 yeah it was, MBUK
  • 1 0
 now its been taken down
  • 2 0
 no surprise there really
  • 1 0
 Bennett, we can both share a little of the blame for this video being taken down :-/
  • 3 1
 I'm impressed to see that he is still riding a non-round chain ring... That mean he is able to know how hard he can pedal on each leg, and when he's gonna push the pedal down. All right, we are out of game guys, that's a profession, not just a passion ! Ah ah
  • 1 0
 What's the advantage of the non-round chainring?
  • 1 0
 The hype has always been that a non-round chainring can minimize flat spots by increasing the leverage at the places in the rotation of the cranks where there's comparatively little leverage and torque -- mainly at the 6 and 12 o'clock positions. Shimano did this years ago with "bio-pace" rings, but gave up on it eventually. Not sure why . . .
  • 1 0
 Having a chainring that is oval (rotor chainrings) means you can get more power at your optimum leg position by tensioning the chain. it is then easier when the chain slackens (when you're not at your optimum pedal stroke position)! I ride them on my road bike and they are ace!
  • 4 0
 For Fabien, the slightly oval chainring is to help him with a knee injury he developed after breaking his leg, it prevents hotspots from developing in his affected muscle areas.
  • 3 0
 How can an oval chainring possibly work with a chain device?? Surely, it would be impossible to set up, and would risk dropping at the 'low' points.
  • 1 1
 most chain guides have a 4t difference tolerance, one side is say 36, the other way its measured at 40t effectively.
  • 1 0
 That is correct, but you can only set ip up for one size chainring. If the non-round chainring is like a 36t in one place and a 40t you would have to set the lower guide to 40t to get enough clearance, but when the size "decreases", the chain can drop. The upper guide would be impossible to set up without serious modifiactions, which would weaken the strength and performance. edit: Just realised the solution, running a chain guide ment for bashguards. Like a straitline silent guide.
  • 1 0
 Or, if your a factory rider like Fabien, you can get a chainguide made specially for the oval ring. Making the plastics a lil' bit taller should be enough to keep the chain from going off.
  • 1 0
 Yes, that's what it looks like from the video.
  • 5 1
 Aren't these clips from his All Mountain Skills DVD?
  • 2 0
 I was thinking that... I believe I got mine from MBUK magazine
  • 2 0
 Fabien is a great technical rider putting a great deal of emphasis on his bike settings...just love those vids...hmmm, I wonder where those 29''ers went ???...Wink
  • 1 0
 I came to mountain biking after years of motors sports (road racing) and have brought the concept with me. It's good to see this being taught here as well. It'll make you faster and keep you out of trees.
  • 1 1
 Am I the only one that feels the bike setup video completely useless? OK so you need the right width handlebar ... obvious, but ok I am with you, but then doesn't bother giving best practices. It would be useful if he said something like start with a handlebar that is x inches wider than your should and then adjust from there.

So anyways, I am sure you are an excellent rider but if I wanted someone to explain the obvious I could pick up a rock and chuck it in a random direction and hit someone that could do that.
  • 3 0
 Well I guess he knows a thing or two....
  • 2 0
 Great advice. This whole video, not divided into chapters, is available on youtube.
  • 2 0
 Agreed! Here it is if you wanted to watch it all at once: youtu.be/cVEh9Tby54g
  • 1 1
 umm. so i noticed his chain ring is an oval.. can someone please explain as to why? wouldnt it just feel like constantly changing gears?
  • 1 1
 In the 90's Shimano brought out Biopace elliptical chainrings - the idea being that when you are pushing down on the cranks it is effectively a bit bigger (i.e. higher gear) than when they are in the dead spot in between pedal strokes.

The theory makes sense but I thought it was proved pointless and they had died a long time ago - I guess not!
  • 1 2
 I assume it has the same number of pros and cons as the circular one, otherwise we would all ride oval ones. I also assume that since everything is CNCd and pressed these days, it does not matter for production costs if it's round or oval.
  • 11 0
 It's because Fabien broke his leg and as a result one leg is stronger than the other so it keeps pedalling efficiency the same...
  • 1 0
 Have a look at Rotor chainrings and cranks (Rotor are a high end road brand).
  • 3 1
 I think its something to do with his legs being slightly different lenghts as well.
  • 1 0
 Would an elliptical chainring have more of an impact with flat pedals?
  • 1 0
 yeah, i remember him saying in a mojo trail diaries vid that his left leg is an inch and a bit shorter than the other.... tup really helpfull techniques in the write-up too! cheers!
  • 1 0
 Where can i get/buy a copy of this vid as its been taken down from all vid sites?
thank
  • 2 1
 Is it just my imagination, or is he running an elliptical chain ring towards the end of the first video?
  • 1 0
 Pretty cool! Just one question. I thought you were suppose to get your brakeing done before the corner?
  • 1 0
 10x Dude, this is very helpful!
  • 2 1
 Doesn't look to challenging
  • 2 0
 If you ever want to play a fun drinking game, whenever the DH WC broadcast is on, drink a shot everytime Barel says that... and another when Gee Atherton says "you know"
  • 1 0
 Is it me or all the guys like Barel make riding look way too easy...? Razz
  • 1 0
 Love Barel, wish I could go on a skills course done by him.
  • 1 0
 Did you eat some peanut butter or something?
  • 1 0
 Got this as a free DVD in MBUK Big Grin
  • 1 0
 i swear i got all these on a dvd somewhere
  • 1 4
 So bad i cant watch this! Photo and text tut pls?







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