Looking ahead

[Rick]

How far ahead are you looking while riding?  Surprisingly, too many riders don't look far enough ahead while riding.  For instance, if you are riding a 30 mph, that opject 100 feet ahead of you will be at your front tire in less than 2.5 seconds.  If your traveling 45 mph, that same opject will be with you in 1.5 seconds.  If your traveling 60 mph, it is less than one second.

In a nut shell, if your only looking 20-30 feet beyond your front tire, you don't have time to prepare for that 4 foot wide ditch, 1 foot tall rock/root/rabit/fox/etc.  At a minimum, you should be looking at least far enough ahead so you have time to react.  Is two second enough?  Proabably for most riders.  That means 88 feet at 30 mph, 132 feet at 45 mph, and 176 feet at 60 miles an hour.  

Here's a test:  Next time you go riding, step off the footage list above starting at your front tire.  Use 3 feet for each giant step, and mark each of the three measurments.  Go back to your bike, mount up, and check your distances.  Are you looking far enough ahead?  Most will find they are not.  

Practice looking far enough ahead to allow two seconds reaction time, and you will be amazed at how much your speed will increase.


Rick

[teamgreen500]

Awesome!

I'd chime in here; But, I like Rick's "Editorial License".

So, I'll ask. Rick, please comment on:
1. Looking as far ahead as possible, and then coming back to your line.
2. Looking where you are going in "Sections".
3. Pre-ridding...even as it applies to common areas...as in checking things out before you "Rip".
4. Not "staring" at objects you are trying NOT to hit!

This is an awesome post!

Manny

You can tell safe speed by a riders knowledge. I want to be on a team with you!

[Paul]

Ditto, I never "see" the guy I'm passing, I saw them long before and have now looked a long ways passed. Good tips Rick, that's generally the hardest thing to do is look farther than you think you should. The ONLY thing I'd add is where you look, IS where you go. For instance, if you watch the rock, you're gonna hit the rock

[Rick]

Don't you hate when that happens.  It took a long time to focus on where I want to go, and not where I don't want to go.  A few hard get-offs early on taught me well. Ah, the teaching experience brings...