manual63
06-05-2003, 10:23 AM
This is a bit more advanced and yes, as sick of hearing me say this as you may be, it is a BMX skill that can carry over to Mountain biking.
Speed rolling or, as BMXers sometimes call it, Speed jumping is a great and fast way to go through dips in the trail or over smaller mounds and log piles.
A dip in the trail can actually help you gain speed rather than slow you down. As long as the length of the dip is not too long for you to clear it with your front wheel by doing a manual (wheelie without pedaling) over it you should have no problems. All you do is lean your butt and weight back over your rear wheel as you approach the dip in the path. Then you pull hard on the handlebars to get the front end up. If you make sure and pull the bars back towards you by allowing your elbows to bend, you can actually hold the front end up longer. Now, as your rear wheel starts to enter the downward slope of the dip, push down (straighten your knees) with your legs to pump through the dip. Make sure to keep pulling the bars back as hard as you can to keep the front wheel up. As the rear wheel starts up the upslope of the dip, allow your knees to bend and absorb the upslope. As this happens, usually your front wheel gets forced to come down, but if you do it right, your front wheel should land just on the opposite side of the dip, clearing it completely. Start off small and work your way up to bigger dips. There is a good one at the top of the first climb at Lebannon to practice on. Also, be careful not to loop out (fall backwards) as this can hurt a ton as you land on your tail bone.
Now if you encounter a mound or log pile, you can do just the opposite as above with your legs. As you approach the mound, put your weight back over the rear wheel and lift the front wheel as described above. As the rear wheel starts up the upslope, relax your legs and allow your knees to bend. Keep pulling back on the bars and allow the front wheel to clear the top of the mound by about 3 or so inches. Let the back wheel come up under your butt and body to absorb the whole mound. As you come over the top, push the front end down and straighten your knees by pushing hard with your legs to pump down the backside of the mound. If done right, you will actually accelerate on the downside. Make sure you shift your weight forward as you ride down the down side and push the front wheel down so you don't loop out.
I know a lot of people like to bunny hop or even jump such things. Both of these uses too much energy and will not gain you additional speed. The idea is to have power to the ground as much as you can. As long as the rear wheel is off the ground, you are losing speed. There are only a few times catching air is more efficient. There is a log pile at lebannon where it drops after the logs on a downhill going into a right turn. This is best to nose bonk or jump off the pile, as speed jumping it might cause you to endo. So be careful what you choose to use these techniques on. Start out small and work your way up, or you could get seriously hurt.
Happy ridng!!!
Speed rolling or, as BMXers sometimes call it, Speed jumping is a great and fast way to go through dips in the trail or over smaller mounds and log piles.
A dip in the trail can actually help you gain speed rather than slow you down. As long as the length of the dip is not too long for you to clear it with your front wheel by doing a manual (wheelie without pedaling) over it you should have no problems. All you do is lean your butt and weight back over your rear wheel as you approach the dip in the path. Then you pull hard on the handlebars to get the front end up. If you make sure and pull the bars back towards you by allowing your elbows to bend, you can actually hold the front end up longer. Now, as your rear wheel starts to enter the downward slope of the dip, push down (straighten your knees) with your legs to pump through the dip. Make sure to keep pulling the bars back as hard as you can to keep the front wheel up. As the rear wheel starts up the upslope of the dip, allow your knees to bend and absorb the upslope. As this happens, usually your front wheel gets forced to come down, but if you do it right, your front wheel should land just on the opposite side of the dip, clearing it completely. Start off small and work your way up to bigger dips. There is a good one at the top of the first climb at Lebannon to practice on. Also, be careful not to loop out (fall backwards) as this can hurt a ton as you land on your tail bone.
Now if you encounter a mound or log pile, you can do just the opposite as above with your legs. As you approach the mound, put your weight back over the rear wheel and lift the front wheel as described above. As the rear wheel starts up the upslope, relax your legs and allow your knees to bend. Keep pulling back on the bars and allow the front wheel to clear the top of the mound by about 3 or so inches. Let the back wheel come up under your butt and body to absorb the whole mound. As you come over the top, push the front end down and straighten your knees by pushing hard with your legs to pump down the backside of the mound. If done right, you will actually accelerate on the downside. Make sure you shift your weight forward as you ride down the down side and push the front wheel down so you don't loop out.
I know a lot of people like to bunny hop or even jump such things. Both of these uses too much energy and will not gain you additional speed. The idea is to have power to the ground as much as you can. As long as the rear wheel is off the ground, you are losing speed. There are only a few times catching air is more efficient. There is a log pile at lebannon where it drops after the logs on a downhill going into a right turn. This is best to nose bonk or jump off the pile, as speed jumping it might cause you to endo. So be careful what you choose to use these techniques on. Start out small and work your way up, or you could get seriously hurt.
Happy ridng!!!