Technique for dirt jump
Discussion
Ridng around Sherwood pines last weekend came across a jump section.
Some young kids were going down the runs looked fun.
basicaly looked like lots of letter M's.
My only worry would be landing in the gap. These kids were not going fast or seemed to be doing anything just went up and came down the back slope.
now Im quite a bit heavier than these guys so do I need to pull back on teh handle bars or something? or just do nothing and let physics take over.
next time I go there I'll go early so no body can see me make a fool of myself.
tips please
Some young kids were going down the runs looked fun.
basicaly looked like lots of letter M's.
My only worry would be landing in the gap. These kids were not going fast or seemed to be doing anything just went up and came down the back slope.
now Im quite a bit heavier than these guys so do I need to pull back on teh handle bars or something? or just do nothing and let physics take over.
next time I go there I'll go early so no body can see me make a fool of myself.
tips please
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXc1_UF6xXg
It's all in the "pump" with your arms and legs. Don't practice on anything you can't roll over until you're confident. Going full tilt at a set of doubles is a quick route to a broken bike and face.
It's all in the "pump" with your arms and legs. Don't practice on anything you can't roll over until you're confident. Going full tilt at a set of doubles is a quick route to a broken bike and face.
good job I posted this I think there were some smaller ones with a flat top they looked boring though. I was inpressed by the guys flying If there was no one there I would have gone on em
so on teh smaller ones do I need to lean back or pull the bars up or anything like that to get air?
If there was no one there I would have gone on em so on teh smaller ones do I need to lean back or pull the bars up or anything like that to get air?
Edited by Pesty on Monday 21st April 23:31
Start off just rolling over at walking pace.
Build up speed bit by bit and feel what the bike's doing under you.
Bit more speed and it'll be leaving the ground, practice moving weight back and forth to control the bike in the air.
From there, to gain height you need to "pump" the upslope - so as the bike pitches up you're putting weight back, pushing with your feet and bringing the front up. In the air, you're shifting weight forward to level it out and, on bigger jumps, get the front wheel down so you land nicely on the downslope.
The technique is basically what you do for a bunnyhop on flat pedals - weight back, push with legs, pull with your arms to bring the front up. Then by shifting weight, pushing arms forward and bringing your legs up, the bike gets in the air. You're not pulling the bike up with your feet (as some people with clipless pedals do), you're letting it come up as a result of getting the front up and shifting your weight. You can practice that stuff without going near a jump.
Build up speed bit by bit and feel what the bike's doing under you.
Bit more speed and it'll be leaving the ground, practice moving weight back and forth to control the bike in the air.
From there, to gain height you need to "pump" the upslope - so as the bike pitches up you're putting weight back, pushing with your feet and bringing the front up. In the air, you're shifting weight forward to level it out and, on bigger jumps, get the front wheel down so you land nicely on the downslope.
The technique is basically what you do for a bunnyhop on flat pedals - weight back, push with legs, pull with your arms to bring the front up. Then by shifting weight, pushing arms forward and bringing your legs up, the bike gets in the air. You're not pulling the bike up with your feet (as some people with clipless pedals do), you're letting it come up as a result of getting the front up and shifting your weight. You can practice that stuff without going near a jump.
Like has already been said don't go hitting the jumps if your not used to getting the bike airbourne. 
The key to trails is the speed you hit the first kicker and landing front wheel in and not hanging up the back wheel so you gradually get faster and faster through the jumps and as they usually get bigger you'll be needing the extra speed.
You don't really need to pull up too much, unless your going too slow, but going to fast can actually be worse as far as bad landings go.
Practice on jumps with no gaps first it'll save a lot of pain and expense.
We look forward to the pics when it goes right.....
And when it goes wrong.....
We're just finishing our local trails and should be hitting them again soon after a little time off.....see above for why.
The key to trails is the speed you hit the first kicker and landing front wheel in and not hanging up the back wheel so you gradually get faster and faster through the jumps and as they usually get bigger you'll be needing the extra speed.
You don't really need to pull up too much, unless your going too slow, but going to fast can actually be worse as far as bad landings go.
Practice on jumps with no gaps first it'll save a lot of pain and expense.
We look forward to the pics when it goes right.....
And when it goes wrong.....
We're just finishing our local trails and should be hitting them again soon after a little time off.....see above for why.
Pesty said:
Where abouts I am in Doncaster
Here you go......it's actually at Hexthorpe. http://www.dbmx.co.uk/
http://www.extremesports.ltd.uk/wheretoride/hextho...
There a fun little concrete bowl round the back of the track as well.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff