Discussion
Had a fantastic 3 days up in Snowdonia at the weekend, doing the Marin trail and other routes on my new Spesh Stumpjumper. Can highly recommend it! One aspect of my downhill technique I'd really like to improve is riding over humps and switchbacks etc... What's the best technique for getting some 'air' over these? Do you effectively pull a wheelie at the top of the hump, or jump up with the pedals or similar? Do you lean back over the saddle, or forward?
Any advice appreciated? This is one road cyclist who's been converted!!
alltorque said:
Had a fantastic 3 days up in Snowdonia at the weekend, doing the Marin trail and other routes on my new Spesh Stumpjumper. Can highly recommend it! One aspect of my downhill technique I'd really like to improve is riding over humps and switchbacks etc... What's the best technique for getting some 'air' over these? Do you effectively pull a wheelie at the top of the hump, or jump up with the pedals or similar? Do you lean back over the saddle, or forward?
Any advice appreciated? This is one road cyclist who's been converted!!
1. Find someone else who can do it, to show you
2. Crash trying
3. Try again, usually on something a bit smaller
4. Crash again
5. You want to mimic 'bunny hopping' to a degree, as this is the basic technigue
6. Crash again
7. Fix bike, and patch holes in clothes/arms
8. Build up slowly, starting on smaller, slower speed stuff, like small tabletops where you can't really get it wrong
9. Crash again
10. Once you crack the motion, you'll find yourself doing it more in normal riding as a technique to get over roots etc
11. Crash on said roots (wet)
12. Once mastered, you can try x-ups, hipping, and tail whips
13. Have the mother of all crashes.
Thats the way - learn't over years I might add and constant practise - I used to be able to jump but I'm a bit rusty.
However do expect to crash. A lot.
Did I mention crashing?
bloody crap mates who can't take photos properly
alltorque said:
Cheers dudes! Not sure I like the sound of the crashing bit to be honest. I'm scared enough just being clipped in the pedals, going over narrow little paths with massive drops to the left and right.
Loving that pic though Neil!
Do you guys wear arm protectors or are they for girls?
If just riding XC, then no - however I have seen an increase in XC riders using knee and shin protectors - especially in places like Cymcarn.
However on a DH bike they really are a must.
For me, I find the knack to jumping (or rather, landing afterwards) is a particular sequence of movements - compress the forks a little, then pull up on the bars a bit as you go off the jump, then the tricky bit I think is to bring your weight down and back (almost like you're pushing the handle bars away in front of you)
Dunno if this makes sense to anyone, but it's the way I taught myself to do jumps. Just used to adopt a parabolic trajectory before and come straight back down on the front wheel ......Ouch!
Disclaimer: Don't listen to me, I'm quite bad at jumping still. A proper freerider will be along to answer your queery shortly.
Dunno if this makes sense to anyone, but it's the way I taught myself to do jumps. Just used to adopt a parabolic trajectory before and come straight back down on the front wheel ......Ouch!
Disclaimer: Don't listen to me, I'm quite bad at jumping still. A proper freerider will be along to answer your queery shortly.
chris71 said:
Disclaimer: Don't listen to me, I'm quite bad at jumping still. A proper freerider will be along to answer your queery shortly.
I think it is very hard to describe the motions and weight balance required online - you really can only do it with someone who knows how to show you...
Neil_Bolton said:
alltorque said:
Cheers dudes! Not sure I like the sound of the crashing bit to be honest. I'm scared enough just being clipped in the pedals, going over narrow little paths with massive drops to the left and right.
Loving that pic though Neil!
Do you guys wear arm protectors or are they for girls?
If just riding XC, then no - however I have seen an increase in XC riders using knee and shin protectors - especially in places like Cymcarn.
However on a DH bike they really are a must.
I always wear my knee and shin guards out on XC, and especially in places like Cwmcarn. I ride flat pedals, and it is shocking the amount of flesh and shin bone a DMR V12 can dig out of a human leg if a pedal spins round on you
Most embarassingly, the last DMR flesh donation I made was in the carpark after a long ride along the ridgeway dismounting by the ice cream van
Very hard to type instructions on how to jump, especially not knowing your current level of bike control.
Just work up, start small, get used to the bike in the air under you, get a good bunny hop technique, learn how to shift your weight in the air so you can either land back wheel or front wheel first depending on the jump.
If you have a BMX track anywhere close they can be good places to learn, and as has been mentioned table top jumps offer a safetynet as you don't have to clear any gaps.
Before you known it you'll be jumping like a natural, but you WILL crash a lot, if your not crashing you're not trying hard enough.
Just work up, start small, get used to the bike in the air under you, get a good bunny hop technique, learn how to shift your weight in the air so you can either land back wheel or front wheel first depending on the jump.
If you have a BMX track anywhere close they can be good places to learn, and as has been mentioned table top jumps offer a safetynet as you don't have to clear any gaps.
Before you known it you'll be jumping like a natural, but you WILL crash a lot, if your not crashing you're not trying hard enough.
Why not invest in some 'Trail Skills' tuition. A friend of mine is doing a two day course on XC/Trail skills in Afan at the end of the month. Covers wheelies, manuals, jumping, bunny hops, side steps and more.
There are also courses run at Aston Hills and by Edinburgh Bike Co-op. If these aren't local try asking in you LBS about local courses.
There are also courses run at Aston Hills and by Edinburgh Bike Co-op. If these aren't local try asking in you LBS about local courses.
rosscoe said:
you will feel a lot happier if you run flatties rather than clips.....
I used to think that until I started running clips. I wouldn't want to go back now!
I had a couple of seriously painful shin/pedal interfaces on fast uneven groundn when riding on flats, and it's not something I would like to repeat. I ride with the SPDs right down at the looser end of the fit, and I've not yet had a problem being unable to clip out in time.
rosscoe said:
you will feel a lot happier if you run flatties rather than clips.....
Gayer.
ETA - Crank your spuds up tight as you can and you can shift the bike around using your feet. If you have decent shoes and are well practised, unclipping shouldnt be a problem.
First time you get back on beartraps though, its likely you will lose mucho skinno trying to apply spud jump technique to flats! Ahh...the uncertainty, exciting stuff.
Edited by 308mate on Tuesday 15th May 12:01
Clipped in for jumps is a no no. If you learn liek that you wont be jumping the bike properly, just dragging it up behind you.
What you want is a set of 5:10 shoes. In fact, thats what everyone who rides a mountainbike needs! Swear by them now, dumped the spds and even use them for XC aswell.
What you want is a set of 5:10 shoes. In fact, thats what everyone who rides a mountainbike needs! Swear by them now, dumped the spds and even use them for XC aswell.
chris71 said:
For me, I find the knack to jumping (or rather, landing afterwards) is a particular sequence of movements - compress the forks a little, then pull up on the bars a bit as you go off the jump, then the tricky bit I think is to bring your weight down and back (almost like you're pushing the handle bars away in front of you)
Dunno if this makes sense to anyone, but it's the way I taught myself to do jumps. Just used to adopt a parabolic trajectory before and come straight back down on the front wheel ......Ouch!
Disclaimer: Don't listen to me, I'm quite bad at jumping still. A proper freerider will be along to answer your queery shortly.
Dunno if this makes sense to anyone, but it's the way I taught myself to do jumps. Just used to adopt a parabolic trajectory before and come straight back down on the front wheel ......Ouch!
Disclaimer: Don't listen to me, I'm quite bad at jumping still. A proper freerider will be along to answer your queery shortly.
Exactly right for me too - compress, hit the ramp, 'jump' up and pull up and you hit the lip, hang loose and relaxed in the air, letting the bike dangle under you, keep your weight back. DO NOT BE RIGID on the bike, or you'll go arse over tit!
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