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Photograph taken at Pilot Rock in Pisgah Forest, NC by lemonad
How To Attack A Rock Garden
Rock gardens provide an incredible rush and a challenge during a ride. There is something about blasting over a section of trail that you never thought you would be able to ride. The feel of the suspension soaking up every bump as you wonder if that next rock is going to throw you OTB or off your line is exhilarating. How do we tame these beasts on the trail?
What Is A Rock Garden?
A rock garden is a technical trail feature that is more rock than it is trail. These can be man made or natural to the landscape. Known by some to only be on downhill trails, rock gardens are becoming increasingly popular among xc trial builders as our definition of the xc bike changes. With the introduction of the light trail bike, riders are able to successfully ride more features due to the aid of technology. Rock gardens not only increase your technical riding ability, but they add excitement to the ride.
How Do You Ride A Rock Garden?
Now that you know what a rock garden is...how do you ride one? Conditions will vary depending on the trail, but there are certain rules that you can carry with you on just about every set.
- Speed Is Your Friend - When you ride through a rock garden, momentum is who you cuddle up to late at night. Carry as much speed as you are comfortable with straight into the rocks. Most rock gardens require you to be on your toes, so pedaling to gain back speed and momentum may not be an option. Your beginning speed will have to carry you through the entire run.
- Pick A Line And Stick With It - When approaching a rock garden...especially for the first time...pick a line and stick with it. It might not be the perfect line, but if you keep the front wheel straight and let the bike do it's job, you will probably make it through.
- Double Clutch - If you do have to pedal to make it through to the end, double clutch the pedals where possible. What is double clutching? It is producing forward motion by short, explosive pedal strokes instead of full revolutions. In many cases, you are only moving the pedals up and down several degrees. In really long gardens, you will have to use full pedal revolutions to get all the way through. Plan this carefully so you do not strike a rock during your spin.
- Trust The Bike - You have to trust that the bike's suspension will do it's job. Today's rides are built to handle much more abuse than the average rider will deliver. Hit the garden at speed, keep the bike straight and let it soak up the hits.
- Keep Your Weight Back - No one wants to go over the bars into a bunch of rocks. To prevent this and have better success accomplishing your goal, keep your weight back and centered over the rear suspension. This allows the front fork to soak up the hits, but it also keeps the bike straight while keeping you from flying through the air.
- Keep Your Arms And Legs Bent - Your best suspension is your body. While riding any feature, you should keep your body limber and use your arms and legs as your secondary suspension. If you stiffen up, the bike will bounce off its line and you'll go down.
- Hit The Garden Straight On! - There are some exceptions to this rule, but in most cases you are going to want to hit a rock garden straight on. If you try to pick the "cleanest" line through, you are probably not going to make it.
- Turning - If the garden is long or around a turn, use slow gradual movements to turn the bike. Do not make sudden quick adjustments where possible.
9 times out of 10...rock gardens never ride as rough as they look. If you are one of those riders with a 5.5" travel bike and really want to see what it is capable of, hit that rock garden you have always passed with these tips. The results are going to surprise you.
Extra Protection
For some riders (me included), you might want some extra, lightweight protection while trying new features. I use the Kyle Straight knee pads from 661 with their Chicken Wing elbow pads. I needed something that would add protection for my knees but be comfortable enough for all day epics. The KS's from 661 fit the bill perfectly, and they are now part of my "for every ride" gear. As an added bonus, they keep your knees warmer during the winter months but aren't so warm that they are too hot in the summer.
New for 2006! KYLE STRAIT KNEE GUARD. Vented side padding guards against top tube and other impacts. Easy side-in fabric covered knee cup is removable for easy cleaning.
661 Chicken Wing Elbow Guards have flexible multi layer neoprene for serious elbow protection. Two Velcro straps provide a secure elbow fit.
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October 29th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Great tips! I freaking love rock gardens, espicailly if they are technical climbs
Things might change somewhat though when I pick up my dually in a week or so though 
I’m looking forward to mixing up rock gardens of a dually as well as a hard tail.
Great advice (and explanation) about double clutching…. that technique is pretty much what I use during slow and technical rock gardens- and employing a rear hub with fantastic engagenment (such as King) makes a massive difference too.
Cheers.
P.
pauls last blog post..PORT HILLS TO GODLEY HEAD
October 30th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
As someone whose only mount is a hardtail, I share your excitement about riding rock gardens on a full suspension bike when I get one some day. I definitely find that my back tire gets thrown around by larger rocks adding to the challenge.
For me “double clutching” has become second nature and I find myself doing it to avoid pedal strikes on rocks and roots on non-rockgarden parts of the trail.
Another thing that applies to other technical trail features and could apply to rock gardens is lowering the seatpost. I tend to ride with my seatpost up so my legs are stretched out. In rock gardens this can lead to the seat jamming into my @ss when the non-suspended rear wheel hits a big rock–this shifts my weight forward suddenly increasing the risk of an endo.
October 30th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
@tenbsmith: Double Clutching is an art form that many riders don’t use enough. I use that method a lot while doing tech climbs too.
I can’t believe I let lowering the seat post not make the list! I guess using my Gravity Dropper has made it second nature. Great add…thanks tb!
October 30th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
@paul: Thanks Paul…you can do it on a hardtail (I know some guys *cough* Shane!) that can wear out rocky tech on a hardtail. You just have to really stay aware of want the rear end is doing and try to stay lighter on the bike. If you really get into them on a HT…when you switch to a FS…it will be a breeze.
October 30th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Good pint about the seat height. I find just lowering it a few cm helps alot…. just enough to stop it hitting my nads
and to increase ass clearance and balance 
As a HT rider of 15 yrs- I love it…. the dually I;m sure will be alot of fun- but I’ll always ride a HT- its in my blood! Its funny watching dually riders through rock gardens- they just hit stuff
While HT riders like you mentioned- have to ‘float’ and ’stay light’.
I get goose bumps just thinking of rock gardens- it that normal? HAHA!!
Pauls last blog post..2008 MARIN WOLF RIDGE - MUUHAH HA MUHHAHA
October 31st, 2008 at 10:40 am
I plan to continue riding my hardtail after aquiring a full squich too. My car has a manual transmissoin too, I’m just like that.
Gravity Dropper, dewd, I’m jealous. That is one upgrade I’d seriously consider. My evolution of seat post clamps started with a stock Bontrager quick release which kept sliding due to my somewhat aggressive riding style and clyde bulk. Went to a Salsa which required a wrench and didn’t slip, but was a pain to move up and down. Now, I’m running a Hope quick release which doesn’t slip and allows for fairly quick trailside seat height adjustments. No doubt, the Hope is a quality product, but the speed and convenience of a Gravity Dropper or the Joplin/Speedball seem like an ideal solution.
One other thought on double clutching. It won’t work well if you are in too low a gear since you are depending upon relatively small pedal movements to power the bike. So not only is it good to approach the garden with speed, but also in a reasonable gear.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Great points. As mentioned above, having a good rear hub is a big help on the double clutching. 29″ wheels help too on the gear side.
Especially on hardtails you have to be aware that transferring your weight fore/aft may be needed. The point of being loose is so that bike can rise over the rocks in addition to using the suspension if you have that. After you’ve cleared a rock in the front, you may need to get your weight away from the back of the bike so the rear wheel can get over too.