Preface:

This is not a tutorial for riding your first-ever jumps on a bike. It is for riders who have some jump experience but aren’t fully aware of the finer details and the two main techniques for getting airborne.

Please also be mindful of your basic bike setup, for which there is endless information online:

• Tire pressures 23-30 psi depending on conditions and rider weight

• Suspension should not bottom out at takeoff or landing

• Compression and rebound settings can remain how you most often ride them

• Seat height - as low as possible

• Pedals - flat pedals are preferred as they allow you to disengage quickly from the bike if needed

These clips are designed to help you observe the most amount of information regarding the mechanics and parameters of jumping and to compare the two methods side-by-side. They clearly show the difference between the two basic techniques of riding ANY jump.

The first method is the one that can actually be described as “jumping”, because your legs generate additional lift from the face of the lip.

The second method (sometimes referred to as ‘racing’ or ‘scrubbing’ a jump) entails absorbing as much of the lip as possible to minimize height and maximize horizontal speed. It allows and requires more speed to be carried into the takeoff, since no additional lift will be generated on the lip to help cover the horizontal distance between lip and landing.

Both methods have specific applications:

1. Method one, depending on the intensity with which you apply the body mechanics demonstrated, can greatly increase your amplitude off of a lip.

2. Method two, depending on the degree to which you absorb the bike and lip into your body, can greatly decrease your airtime and get you back onto the ground earlier while covering distance faster.

Jumping is truly as simple - and as complicated - as that.

While watching, be sure to pause, rewind, and replay the clips, all while paying close attention to:

• Timing of body movements relative to position on the jump’s lip or “transition”

• Body positioning relative to the bike and the jump’s lip

• Movements throughout the body and limbs before, during, and after takeoff

• The effects on trajectory from the above variables

• Mechanics of the bike itself - when and how the suspension loads and unloads as a result of rider input

Note that once airborne, the goal is to be relaxed - there is NO NEED for any additional movements like pulling the bike upwards, tilting it, or turning the cranks, etc. A good takeoff will guarantee a proper trajectory that ends in a two-wheel or slightly front-first landing. Until you feel like you can (and have) hit the jump over and over predictably, forcing any type of extra movement or ‘style’ in the air is simply gambling with circumstances that you are not fully controlling.

While these clips are demonstrated on a steep lip with a 200mm travel full suspension bike, the same principles apply to any jump, with smaller, less steep lips being more forgiving to incorrect timing or rider inputs. That’s why it is always best to begin on smaller, flatter lips. You’ll gain much more feeling on the bike by learning how to generate maximum height from a small lip at a slower approach speed (i.e method one), than you will by attempting a large, steep lip and simply riding off of it at high speed (a great way to end up out of control and possibly on the ground).

Coming later this month is a FACT about controlling the trajectory of your jump to be able to land front wheel or back wheel first.

Please always ride with thoughtfulness, awareness of your energy levels and abilities, careful and small changes, and with the knowledge that 15 minutes of practice three times in a week is far better than 45 minutes once a week.