Reply to seshbones: What are your guys tips for stepping up in weight class?
Can I be your gauge and give you confidence? Male, 145 lbs, 7'8". I used to ride KS18XL and have upgraded to Veteran Sherman S, 96 lb wheel. Are you lighter or heavier than me? I'd say if you are heavier, you should be able to ride the Extreme since it's 10 lb lighter and you have body weight behind you assuming your are heavier than me. Before taking on Sherman S, confidence and ability were issues. First, my leg would wobble making the wheel wobble also and I fell. So I find ways and techniques to build up my legs.
Quote from my past post:
"A technique I called "blocking" that is very useful to build up your leg muscles. Blocking is using your leg to stop any size wheels from tilting or leaning toward where your body weight is mostly lean toward. It's like your leg has become a stick planted into the ground to stop the wheel from leaning; in this case, planting is down the center of the wheel. Together used, another technique is called "grabbing." Grabbing feels like you are wrapping your arms around an object; in this case, using your leg to wrap around the wheel. Blocking helps stablizing and grabbing helps controlling, esp. during mounting and unmounting. Anyone riding the wheels, I am sure consciously or unconsciously applying these techniques, they're nothing new, simple mechanics. I hope this gives your mind a breakdown of what you may be doing and now you know what to focus on."
Once ability is assured, confidence comes. Vice versa is less assuring. Not everyone riding a heavy wheel ends a success story. But if you don't try and persist, you never know. Good luck!