A portion of our route included some elevation change and rocky trail.
The wide angle view of action cameras makes the terrain look pretty flat so it is difficult to get a sense of the incline angle. Some of the terrain we were on was, in fact, fairly steep and this can be observed when you see the bike wonder off the path at various points along the trail.
One of the reasons a bike might leave the trail during an uphill event is because the front end becomes too light which causes the front wheel to lose its ability to change the direction of travel. At that point the rider is simply a passenger except for some ability to direct the machine from the back by changing the weight distribution and applying more or less acceleration through the rear wheel.
As you ascend a hill the weight gets shifted towards the back of the bike and this leads to the loss of control. This effect is exaggerated when using luggage systems because they add even more weight to the back of the machine.
The solution is to stand up – leaning up and over the handlebars in order to keep the weight forward. This video is evidence of us getting acquainted with these dynamics when we add our luggage systems and their contents. The need to perform this forward leaning maneuver is one reason why some riders prefer very small tank bags or no tank bag at all. ( luggage mounted in front of the rider on the gas tank – handy but hazardous )
While this get-off looks impressive Jack did not experience any injury because of the protective gear he was wearing. We subscribe to the idea of ATGATT ( all the gear, all the time ) because you never know when you will need it.
There are also get-offs where it is not all that impressive from a crash perspective but they can result in real injury. In our first day out Jack hit a patch of sand that caused the bike to dive to one side. As he put his leg out to stabilize the machine he ended up tearing a muscle in his leg. It was nauseatingly painful for a few days and we feel fortunate it heeled up faster than expected. As a result he is healthy and ready for the 6 week trip next month.
Hope you enjoy this portion of the ride as much as we did.