The Snitz
8th May 2004, 04:07 PM
The McMetz is getting into a quite advanced trick. Not many pro's do this trick simply because of it's high risk to end up in tragedy. Though, some riders find this trick relatively easy, such as the likes of Dayne Kinnaird who can pull 2 McMetz and finish it off with a No-Hander Lander all in the one jump. It all depends on the style that you have and what you feel confident in doing.
If you want to be able to do a McMetz, you need to be extremely confident in doing Barhops and Also Suran Wraps. You can find a "How-To" guide on both:
Barhop: http://www.fmxaustralia.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3407
Suran Wrap: http://www.fmxaustralia.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3401
1. When you approach the ramp, keep your body back a bit, with your arms straightened a little (Still keep elbows bent though). This is getting ready to put your feet through the bars at the exact same time. It's simply taking the same stance as the Suran wrap.
2. When you leave the ramp, you want to bring your knees up to your chest with your toes pointed, straighten your arms out to let your legs come up to your body as far as you can.
3. Now once your legs are up high enough, keep your body where it is, keep your arms locked at this stage. You want to have your ass back from the handlebars, but you want your legs to actually push through the bars like a normal barhop.
So now your in a position where your body is fairly low to the bike, your ass is above the tank cap, your legs are over the bars, and your knees bent and your legs are touching.
4. What you want to do now, is spread both of your legs apart at the same time. Keep your knees bent over the handlebars whilst your spreading your legs. Make sure to keep your body in almost the same spot above the tank during the trick.
5. When you see your legs getting about 10cm's from your hands whilst holding onto the grips, you need to take a "Leap of Faith" and let go with both of your hands. REMEMBER, you only have to lift your hands up as high as your legs, so you won't be leaving the bike very much at all. Quickly spread your legs hard to make sure they get past the end of the handlebars and grab back on as soon as you can.
6. Once you have grabbed back on, you can push your body back onto the bike and legs back to the pegs for a safe landing.
Remember this is a very dangerous trick to do, and you need to be confident within yourself and within the bike to do exactly what you want it to do. Get Barhops down, get Suran Wraps down and you will be half-way prepared to do a McMetz.
My Story
Like I said, this is one of the tricks that has put me out for a little while with injury. I had my legs through the bars, and spread my legs to the side, and both my feet were close to the side, As I've let go, only my right foot came out past the handlebars and came down, my Left boot got caught on my clutch cable or bracket and that's when I panicked and froze. I grabbed back onto the bike with my hands, got my right foot back down to the peg and tried to land with my left foot over the bars kinda "Half-Steriliser". People can land like this, but the bike was off-centre by this stage, so as soon as I hit, the bike washed out, Knocking me out for a split second then breaking my Wrist, cracked my Shoulder and cracked a couple ribs. Then I laid on the ground gasping for air for about for about 5 minutes... So take my word for it... it's a dangerous trick and you need to be fully confident in yourself!!
Pic - Here Chuck Corothers shows a perfect McMetz. Notice his body is over the seat/tank, and his knees are bent. Picture courtesy of www.chuckcorothers.com
Copyright © Steve Sommerfeld 2004 All Rights Reserved.
If you want to be able to do a McMetz, you need to be extremely confident in doing Barhops and Also Suran Wraps. You can find a "How-To" guide on both:
Barhop: http://www.fmxaustralia.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3407
Suran Wrap: http://www.fmxaustralia.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3401
1. When you approach the ramp, keep your body back a bit, with your arms straightened a little (Still keep elbows bent though). This is getting ready to put your feet through the bars at the exact same time. It's simply taking the same stance as the Suran wrap.
2. When you leave the ramp, you want to bring your knees up to your chest with your toes pointed, straighten your arms out to let your legs come up to your body as far as you can.
3. Now once your legs are up high enough, keep your body where it is, keep your arms locked at this stage. You want to have your ass back from the handlebars, but you want your legs to actually push through the bars like a normal barhop.
So now your in a position where your body is fairly low to the bike, your ass is above the tank cap, your legs are over the bars, and your knees bent and your legs are touching.
4. What you want to do now, is spread both of your legs apart at the same time. Keep your knees bent over the handlebars whilst your spreading your legs. Make sure to keep your body in almost the same spot above the tank during the trick.
5. When you see your legs getting about 10cm's from your hands whilst holding onto the grips, you need to take a "Leap of Faith" and let go with both of your hands. REMEMBER, you only have to lift your hands up as high as your legs, so you won't be leaving the bike very much at all. Quickly spread your legs hard to make sure they get past the end of the handlebars and grab back on as soon as you can.
6. Once you have grabbed back on, you can push your body back onto the bike and legs back to the pegs for a safe landing.
Remember this is a very dangerous trick to do, and you need to be confident within yourself and within the bike to do exactly what you want it to do. Get Barhops down, get Suran Wraps down and you will be half-way prepared to do a McMetz.
My Story
Like I said, this is one of the tricks that has put me out for a little while with injury. I had my legs through the bars, and spread my legs to the side, and both my feet were close to the side, As I've let go, only my right foot came out past the handlebars and came down, my Left boot got caught on my clutch cable or bracket and that's when I panicked and froze. I grabbed back onto the bike with my hands, got my right foot back down to the peg and tried to land with my left foot over the bars kinda "Half-Steriliser". People can land like this, but the bike was off-centre by this stage, so as soon as I hit, the bike washed out, Knocking me out for a split second then breaking my Wrist, cracked my Shoulder and cracked a couple ribs. Then I laid on the ground gasping for air for about for about 5 minutes... So take my word for it... it's a dangerous trick and you need to be fully confident in yourself!!
Pic - Here Chuck Corothers shows a perfect McMetz. Notice his body is over the seat/tank, and his knees are bent. Picture courtesy of www.chuckcorothers.com
Copyright © Steve Sommerfeld 2004 All Rights Reserved.