I like your comment re speed very much, namely to adjust speed to what your brain can process. I'm 49 now and realise I can't do the things any more that were possible 25 years ago. I really feel very clearly the limit where the information starts flowing in too fast and I don't feel safe any more and have to slow down. You described that very well, and it's comforting to know that I may not be the only "slow" guy on a motorbike. What I could add re driving in a rut is: loosen the grip on the handle bars; let the rut determine your direction, like if you were a train on rails.
This video is SO helpful. I just had a "what the heck just happened?" event last week. In a rut, small obstacle ahead and I tried to leave the rut I was in. BAM. No good. Wasn't balanced, and should have stayed in my lane. Anyway, thanks again....
Thanks, seems like I am doing it mostly right and the decision to pick a rut and stick to it where possible is the right one. For me, if I want to swap over, I try to pick a clean spot to do it and use a little bit of throttle to drive out and over, but not too much. If the surface is slick, I don't bother.
Some very useful info - I'd add: 1, Tyres matter, having pants off road tyres like pirelli STRs aren't going to help you, the knobblier the better when it comes to ruts, 80/20 roads tyres are just dangerous in rutty scenarios and increase you're likely hood of cross rutting because they don't want to ride out of a rut so easily. 2, Ruts can be your friend, you can't just slip out of a rut, watch the MX guys, ruts can be safe and let you get the power down, so use them to your advantage. 3, Get yourself to an MX track and practice ruts - I think for most scenarios on the trail MX practice is better than enduro practice - if you wanna dial in your rut technique get yourself down to the MX track and practice. 4, Light is right - sometimes you can't help but paint yourself into a corner as you never know what the next bend is going to lead to, bottoming out in a big rut on a big adventure bike and having to lift the bike out because it's the only option can be infuriating, and if you're on your own it could be an epic few hours getting out of that deep rut.
Very good video! Thank you especially for saying that changing the rut is very difficult, cause I thought I suck so much. Well... I do actually, but now I feel better about myself. Changing a rut is like changing a wife. There is always one that looks more attractive, but the changing process can be costly and messy. And you still end up in a rut ;)
you helped me a lot this year: i just left MX and sold my sxf , i very nearly bought a truly beautiful and wonderful Tenere based on your amazing videos, i actually ended up with a ktm510 and couldn't be happier
You may have covered this in another vid but a "relaxed grip and upper body". Let the bike kind of go where it will while you are floating above with heels down and relaxed grip yes ? Somewhat like sand ? This helps as well, does it not ? Excellent content mate!
I wished that I watched this a week ago before my mid-week ride a few days ago when I got cross-rutted and spat off. I thought that I had already got to the end of the rut but as I turned slightly left, the rear wheel was still in the rut and tried to over take me. Oh well, back to rut school for me. Thanks for the video Llel.
Thanks for covering this, I thought I was ok at ruts until I encountered wet and muddy ones - now they terrify me lol, will take these tips on board and keep practicing.... Thanks Llew
Beginner here. Did some harder deeper ruts last weekend and learned the hard way not to change ruts but ride it out laid the bike on it's side and barrel rolled off and got wet but learned a lesson
Thanks for posting this. It's certainly helpful but I honestly would have liked to see you negotiate a few much more challenging ruts. I didn't see any rut in this video that I would have considered challenging and trust me, I'm NOT good at negotiating ruts. How about a 40 foot long rut that's 8 inches deep? And has a weird wiggle in the middle because the rut clips a large embedded rock? I see guys go through these seemingly with ease on motocross tracks. How!? Maybe it's just a case of applying your techniques on gradually more challenging ruts to build confidence and muscle memory. Still, it would be nice to seen you do this in your video.
You don't learn these things in insanely difficult ruts but if you wanna see footage of that go watch our last T7 Project video. Riding difficult ruts is exactly the same as I describe in this video, on any bike. We didn't film in the difficult ruts because they're too overgrown to use a camera in 🙂
You have to use your best judgement because situations vary. Where I live there is usually tall grass growing between the ruts which can hide a good many things you wouldn’t want to hit such as stumps, rocks, the odd muffler and the like. Often the space between ruts is crowned not flat and your always fighting to not slip into the rut on one side or the other, especially when it’s wet clay or muddy. Again, it a judgement call and totally situational.
Back brake kinda does the job, but being constant on that throttle is super important. From memory, I really liked that manual gearbox for technical riding too.
Ruts are ruts. Just stay inside the cleanest one. If you change ruts, speed up and kind of .. jump out of it then, hop in the next one smoothly. Shift your weight, forward and back, practice without and Cargo or packs. Slipping the front wheel on the edge of the rut is dangerous.. learn to, Hop in, and jump out. ✌️
I find downhill stay middle, up hill outside, makes sense 90% of the time because downhill the rain runs off to a ditch, and so does the rut. Uphill a rut tends to take you to the middle. Means nothing if you aren't head up, eyes ahead.
You should be able to feel the rut you’re in while looking for the rut you’ll be in soon. No need to look at the rut you’re already in, you already looked at it moments ago and you’ll feel if you’re going astray
Great question. It's about the balance of your whole body. Like anything, a balanced platform starts at the bottom. When we ride with our feet flat on the pegs or even our toes down/heel lifted. it's effectively the same as standing on tip toes. It changes everything from there upward. You balance will be difficult to maintain, your knees will move past your toes, hips will come forward and you'll start to rely on the handlebars or tank for balance. None of these are good things. By starting with out heels down we start in a much more balanced position. It's easy to move well, regain balance and generally have efficient movement patterns. We have two videos on body position for various states of riding on the channel. :)
It helps but the right gear can be very different in different situations. It depends on the bike, the ground and and how fast your brain works. Second is often nicer than first but not if the bike moves to quick for your brain to process.
I love your videos guys..what tires are you using? And you keep using OEM rims to go on offroad or you switched for Excel with 2.5 on the rear or similar.. Thanks
I kept the OEM rims. New wheels are really expensive for the T7 and I didn't have the time or desire to build my own. I found them to be fine. It'll be better with narrow rims for pure dirt riding but in general, it's an expensive upgrade. The tyres are Metzeler Karoo Extreme. They do a 150 rear too, which is rare for dirt bike style tyres. Amazing grip.
Correct, it must be New England because the last time I looked England wasn't in Wales 🏴 where the offroadskills place is. Either way Fee, it's still a bit too far for you. Oh, and his hairstyle is very popular in Wales , all the sheep 🐑 are sporting it this season. Still, he might not know his geography and doesn't tip at the barbers, ol' sheep bonce is good at what he does.
@@terryrance2662 I’m not entirely sure I follow. I feel like I’m missing something. Why is everyone taking england. I thought New England was…like the New England or whatever. Is there still an England, truthfully? I thought it became the land of 1,000 names, but didn’t know england was one of them. I know there’s UK, Britain etc…& a bunch of others I won’t be able to think of until I get some coffee in me or cheat with the google machine. I knew that there was a Brexit situation where the right to determine your own future and elect 37 PM’s a year and see your own way out of any economic crisis was restored and no longer under the threat of EU manipulation of your borders etc. but not really up to date beyond that. But yes if England still exists and he’s there not in New England than he’s even farther than I thought.
@Fee The United Kingdom consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You, wouldn't follow because if you look the offroadskills place it's in Wales not England. Wales also was or still is, highly populated with sheep. At one point Lel took off his helmet and his hair looked like a mop of wool balancing on his head. Some Welshmen like to worship sheep amongst other things, so his hairstyle was a tongue in cheek indication to Lel could be Welsh and he made a slip up in saying England. Anyway, the pun fell flat on it's face, like me when I'm on my dirtbike. That's why I'm here, I've picked up a lot from Brake Magazine and enjoyed other things he puts on. Got to go now, me and a couple of guys are going out trick or treating the sheep.
This vid seemed like a 5.5 minute long product placement ad, with ruts as the theme. Less than a minute of real content. If your message is "watch the OTHER video to learn to ride ruts", what was the point of this one?
@@billsimpson1876 I'm not really sure what the issue is here, but for sure I can give you back your money for this free thing you watched. 😂 The only reason you can watch this video that I spent days making without paying for the privilege is because someone else pays for it. Camera gear, computers, time and bills don't magically get paid without the support of sponsors like Leatt or support from our Patreon members. You're entitled to your opinion and to how you spend your time, but I'd ask that here on RUclips you be a little respectful toward the small, independent channels that work their asses off so you have something to watch that involves a bike. If that means you have to listen through the ads for 10 seconds, or give me a minute to include some products I like and get paid to include, I don't think that's so hard. Kind Regards Llel
@@BrakeMagazine Hey, I'm not your mother, you aren't going to get any sugar from me. I clicked because YT suggested it to me, and offered honest feedback (although I'm regretting it now, somewhat). Furthermore, I watched your channel intro vid to see if I was off-base, but a good part of your message there was asking again for $$ by way of Patreon support. Comes across as needy, and is a turn off. Just my honest $0.02, but if you're trying to capture more subs (I assume you are, since it seems you're trying to make a business out of your channel) you might want to dial up the content and turn down the obligation on (and digs against) your potential viewers. I have no obligation to you or any other channel, that's the nature of YT, like it or not. Take that feedback however you like; I, for one, won't be back. Good luck with your channel.
Respectfully, I kinda disagree. I think light bikes are great to learn but really it doesn't matter. Lots of people can't ride ruts well on light bikes, because they have bad technique. Learn the skill and for the most part the bike is irrelevant. 🙂
I like your comment re speed very much, namely to adjust speed to what your brain can process. I'm 49 now and realise I can't do the things any more that were possible 25 years ago. I really feel very clearly the limit where the information starts flowing in too fast and I don't feel safe any more and have to slow down. You described that very well, and it's comforting to know that I may not be the only "slow" guy on a motorbike. What I could add re driving in a rut is: loosen the grip on the handle bars; let the rut determine your direction, like if you were a train on rails.
Good tips👍🏻 through 40yrs of trial and error I’d say the most important one is the vision thing,keeping your head up with just quick glances down
This video is SO helpful. I just had a "what the heck just happened?" event last week. In a rut, small obstacle ahead and I tried to leave the rut I was in. BAM. No good. Wasn't balanced, and should have stayed in my lane. Anyway, thanks again....
Thanks, seems like I am doing it mostly right and the decision to pick a rut and stick to it where possible is the right one. For me, if I want to swap over, I try to pick a clean spot to do it and use a little bit of throttle to drive out and over, but not too much. If the surface is slick, I don't bother.
Exactly!
Some very useful info - I'd add: 1, Tyres matter, having pants off road tyres like pirelli STRs aren't going to help you, the knobblier the better when it comes to ruts, 80/20 roads tyres are just dangerous in rutty scenarios and increase you're likely hood of cross rutting because they don't want to ride out of a rut so easily. 2, Ruts can be your friend, you can't just slip out of a rut, watch the MX guys, ruts can be safe and let you get the power down, so use them to your advantage. 3, Get yourself to an MX track and practice ruts - I think for most scenarios on the trail MX practice is better than enduro practice - if you wanna dial in your rut technique get yourself down to the MX track and practice. 4, Light is right - sometimes you can't help but paint yourself into a corner as you never know what the next bend is going to lead to, bottoming out in a big rut on a big adventure bike and having to lift the bike out because it's the only option can be infuriating, and if you're on your own it could be an epic few hours getting out of that deep rut.
Very good video! Thank you especially for saying that changing the rut is very difficult, cause I thought I suck so much. Well... I do actually, but now I feel better about myself. Changing a rut is like changing a wife. There is always one that looks more attractive, but the changing process can be costly and messy. And you still end up in a rut ;)
🤣🤣
Hahaha 👌
😂🤣😂🤣✌️
Thank you - may save me having to pick my bike up next time [no fun in one’s 60’s]. It’s the muddy ones I find hardest.
You gotta move quick jeff!
you helped me a lot this year: i just left MX and sold my sxf , i very nearly bought a truly beautiful and wonderful Tenere based on your amazing videos, i actually ended up with a ktm510 and couldn't be happier
Glad to help!
You may have covered this in another vid but a "relaxed grip and upper body". Let the bike kind of go where it will while you are floating above with heels down and relaxed grip yes ? Somewhat like sand ? This helps as well, does it not ? Excellent content mate!
Exactly!
I drag my rear brake slightly when going downhill on a rutted trail to squat the ass a little for better rear tire grip.
I wished that I watched this a week ago before my mid-week ride a few days ago when I got cross-rutted and spat off. I thought that I had already got to the end of the rut but as I turned slightly left, the rear wheel was still in the rut and tried to over take me. Oh well, back to rut school for me. Thanks for the video Llel.
Thanks for covering this, I thought I was ok at ruts until I encountered wet and muddy ones - now they terrify me lol, will take these tips on board and keep practicing.... Thanks Llew
Give it a few more goes. Wet ones are easier I promise!
Beginner here. Did some harder deeper ruts last weekend and learned the hard way not to change ruts but ride it out laid the bike on it's side and barrel rolled off and got wet but learned a lesson
@@jb-km3pu 😂 Good job for giving it a go!
Message from France👋😋: very clear and great video . Tanks for your detailed advice 👍
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for posting this. It's certainly helpful but I honestly would have liked to see you negotiate a few much more challenging ruts. I didn't see any rut in this video that I would have considered challenging and trust me, I'm NOT good at negotiating ruts. How about a 40 foot long rut that's 8 inches deep? And has a weird wiggle in the middle because the rut clips a large embedded rock? I see guys go through these seemingly with ease on motocross tracks. How!? Maybe it's just a case of applying your techniques on gradually more challenging ruts to build confidence and muscle memory. Still, it would be nice to seen you do this in your video.
You don't learn these things in insanely difficult ruts but if you wanna see footage of that go watch our last T7 Project video.
Riding difficult ruts is exactly the same as I describe in this video, on any bike. We didn't film in the difficult ruts because they're too overgrown to use a camera in 🙂
Damn, this man is good at riding ruts cause he is running on spice! Gonna be able to space travel soon.
the rut is the line !
I like ruts they get you from A to B , nothing wrong in changing ruts , just plan ahead , also remember you can feather the rear brake. Great video.
Very true!
*_Great tips thanks for sharing this._*
Great great advice
Loving the leatt gear, awesome prices on great pieces of kit!
I know right!
Enjoyed this video. Common sense approach and applying good technique.
Exactly.
Excellent video! Thanks.
Thank you for amazing tips 👍
Pleasure
Great video, thanks for this tips.
ruts are friends, they offer stability, grip , cornering assistance
Great stuff... For me the ruts are one of the most difficult things to ride off-road. Much worse than sand...
Pretty damn hard. Takes time, patience and accepting you'll never get them right 🤣
@@BrakeMagazine That's easy... I never get anything quite right... 😀
If you can’t be in the rut you love…love the rut your in.
What about riding the "hump" between 2 ruts (like deeply grooved dble track)? safer? more dangerous?
You have to use your best judgement because situations vary. Where I live there is usually tall grass growing between the ruts which can hide a good many things you wouldn’t want to hit such as stumps, rocks, the odd muffler and the like. Often the space between ruts is crowned not flat and your always fighting to not slip into the rut on one side or the other, especially when it’s wet clay or muddy.
Again, it a judgement call and totally situational.
Always the most useful tips! 👍👍👍
Glad to hear that!
Great clip - like your style to explain things - so - looking forward to the next episode to come ;-)
Glad you enjoyed it!
While much is similar, what’s different between ridding ruts with a manual transmission vs DCT?
Any advice for DCT rut riders? I’ve missed that Clutch on a few occasions and now I simply avoid ruts as much as possible (i.e.: on a CRF1100 AS ES).
Back brake kinda does the job, but being constant on that throttle is super important.
From memory, I really liked that manual gearbox for technical riding too.
Another consideration for how fast to ride a rut is deciding how fast you’re willing to hit the ground with your body.
Ruts are ruts. Just stay inside the cleanest one. If you change ruts, speed up and kind of .. jump out of it then, hop in the next one smoothly. Shift your weight, forward and back, practice without and Cargo or packs. Slipping the front wheel on the edge of the rut is dangerous.. learn to, Hop in, and jump out. ✌️
ruts: always look at the end - 9/10 removes any issues - yours, mx racer 🙂
Agreed!
Love your work mate 👍
Thanks 👍
Make your own trails.
Nice gloves
They really are.
Front up on top,rear down in rut grind it out stay up the power,low triangle essential,,done.
KTM 1090R...
I find downhill stay middle, up hill outside, makes sense 90% of the time because downhill the rain runs off to a ditch, and so does the rut. Uphill a rut tends to take you to the middle.
Means nothing if you aren't head up, eyes ahead.
I'll have to pay more attention, but it does seem to make sense.
Uh? Can you pls elaborate?
great, thank you!
You are welcome!
You should be able to feel the rut you’re in while looking for the rut you’ll be in soon. No need to look at the rut you’re already in, you already looked at it moments ago and you’ll feel if you’re going astray
why do you keep your heels down?
Great question. It's about the balance of your whole body.
Like anything, a balanced platform starts at the bottom. When we ride with our feet flat on the pegs or even our toes down/heel lifted. it's effectively the same as standing on tip toes. It changes everything from there upward. You balance will be difficult to maintain, your knees will move past your toes, hips will come forward and you'll start to rely on the handlebars or tank for balance. None of these are good things.
By starting with out heels down we start in a much more balanced position. It's easy to move well, regain balance and generally have efficient movement patterns. We have two videos on body position for various states of riding on the channel. :)
For a smooth throttle it helps to find the right gear?
It helps but the right gear can be very different in different situations.
It depends on the bike, the ground and and how fast your brain works. Second is often nicer than first but not if the bike moves to quick for your brain to process.
What tires are you running on your bike in this video?
Metzeler Karoo Extreme. You can learn everything in the four part project bike series.
I love your videos guys..what tires are you using? And you keep using OEM rims to go on offroad or you switched for Excel with 2.5 on the rear or similar..
Thanks
I kept the OEM rims. New wheels are really expensive for the T7 and I didn't have the time or desire to build my own. I found them to be fine. It'll be better with narrow rims for pure dirt riding but in general, it's an expensive upgrade.
The tyres are Metzeler Karoo Extreme. They do a 150 rear too, which is rare for dirt bike style tyres. Amazing grip.
May l ask where are you riding?
This lane is near Salisbury
Step 1) Pick a good rut
Step 2) Hope you didn't fuck up Step 1
Lovely dry Mediterranean conditions, entirely different to wet grassy UK type ruts.
This is literally a rut in Dorset 🤣
Don't fight ruts, let them guide you. Be one with the rut.
2:02 did you just say “buddy blip” or?
Bertie blip
@@BrakeMagazine interesting I am not familiar with that term. What’s it come from? Must be a New England term or something.
which bike is this
Some people call it Tim, timicorn
Tenere 700
The best bike
What if your life is in a rut?
Ride your bike as much as you can.
What state are you in? Will you coach me irl?
England. Visit offroadskills.com for training. I'm there ever other teaching block but you can request me 🙂
@@BrakeMagazine oh New England is pretty far from me sadly
Correct, it must be New England because the last time I looked England wasn't in Wales 🏴 where the offroadskills place is. Either way Fee, it's still a bit too far for you. Oh, and his hairstyle is very popular in Wales , all the sheep 🐑 are sporting it this season. Still, he might not know his geography and doesn't tip at the barbers, ol' sheep bonce is good at what he does.
@@terryrance2662 I’m not entirely sure I follow. I feel like I’m missing something. Why is everyone taking england. I thought New England was…like the New England or whatever. Is there still an England, truthfully? I thought it became the land of 1,000 names, but didn’t know england was one of them. I know there’s UK, Britain etc…& a bunch of others I won’t be able to think of until I get some coffee in me or cheat with the google machine. I knew that there was a Brexit situation where the right to determine your own future and elect 37 PM’s a year and see your own way out of any economic crisis was restored and no longer under the threat of EU manipulation of your borders etc. but not really up to date beyond that. But yes if England still exists and he’s there not in New England than he’s even farther than I thought.
@Fee The United Kingdom consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You, wouldn't follow because if you look the offroadskills place it's in Wales not England. Wales also was or still is, highly populated with sheep. At one point Lel took off his helmet and his hair looked like a mop of wool balancing on his head. Some Welshmen like to worship sheep amongst other things, so his hairstyle was a tongue in cheek indication to Lel could be Welsh and he made a slip up in saying England. Anyway, the pun fell flat on it's face, like me when I'm on my dirtbike. That's why I'm here, I've picked up a lot from Brake Magazine and enjoyed other things he puts on. Got to go now, me and a couple of guys are going out trick or treating the sheep.
How you didn’t name this “stuck in a rut?” Or something similar is Beyond me. Hire me as a writer pls.
So much for Stay On The Trail, eh?
Huh?
didn't see any ruts in this video.
😂😂
This vid seemed like a 5.5 minute long product placement ad, with ruts as the theme. Less than a minute of real content. If your message is "watch the OTHER video to learn to ride ruts", what was the point of this one?
Did you watch it or just write a grumpy comment? 🤣
@@BrakeMagazine Both, to my chagrin. Don't worry, I won't waste any more time with them.
@@billsimpson1876 I'm not really sure what the issue is here, but for sure I can give you back your money for this free thing you watched. 😂
The only reason you can watch this video that I spent days making without paying for the privilege is because someone else pays for it. Camera gear, computers, time and bills don't magically get paid without the support of sponsors like Leatt or support from our Patreon members.
You're entitled to your opinion and to how you spend your time, but I'd ask that here on RUclips you be a little respectful toward the small, independent channels that work their asses off so you have something to watch that involves a bike. If that means you have to listen through the ads for 10 seconds, or give me a minute to include some products I like and get paid to include, I don't think that's so hard.
Kind Regards
Llel
@@BrakeMagazine Hey, I'm not your mother, you aren't going to get any sugar from me. I clicked because YT suggested it to me, and offered honest feedback (although I'm regretting it now, somewhat). Furthermore, I watched your channel intro vid to see if I was off-base, but a good part of your message there was asking again for $$ by way of Patreon support. Comes across as needy, and is a turn off. Just my honest $0.02, but if you're trying to capture more subs (I assume you are, since it seems you're trying to make a business out of your channel) you might want to dial up the content and turn down the obligation on (and digs against) your potential viewers. I have no obligation to you or any other channel, that's the nature of YT, like it or not. Take that feedback however you like; I, for one, won't be back. Good luck with your channel.
@@billsimpson1876 Flounce much....? ;-)
What is your issue with the letter "T"? Are you T-PHOBIC?
I appreciate the comment on my accent 🤣🤣
thats not a rut , your foot pegs should be dragging
Thanks for your valued opinion.
You get a lightweight bike. Then it is not as hard. Xt250. Xt225 crf300 xr250, klr650 is about as heavy as you can go .
Respectfully, I kinda disagree. I think light bikes are great to learn but really it doesn't matter.
Lots of people can't ride ruts well on light bikes, because they have bad technique. Learn the skill and for the most part the bike is irrelevant. 🙂
Great tips...thank you for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!