Hard to explain it to someone when they are not with them. I’m still learning myself and I feel the best way is to have an experienced rider tell you what you are doing wrong instead of “how to do it”. Take a video of yourself and put it up here for everyone to criticize it. Might just help youAnyone be able to help me with jumping technique? YouTube videos only teach so much. Unfortunately it seems like the only sessionable tables are at mtn creek.
In theory the High Bridge jump trails would be perfect for you to practice jumping but they are actually pretty tight and challenging.Anyone be able to help me with jumping technique? YouTube videos only teach so much. Unfortunately it seems like the only sessionable tables are at mtn creek.
2. Once in the air, move the bike around. This is sort of an extension of the above.
Do a little whip, pick the front wheel up and move it back down to catch the landing, or whatever.
Basically, the idea is you always want to be in control of the bike while in the air and not the other way around.
As for your #3 - by the end of any DH day I am better with that lip-fear but as soon as a few days pass, it comes back. It's really hard to get back to that level of trust.
move the bike around
I too had watched all the youtube tutorials on jumping but still couldn't figure it out. I eventually took a jump lesson at Killington.Anyone be able to help me with jumping technique? YouTube videos only teach so much. Unfortunately it seems like the only sessionable tables are at mtn creek.
Anyone be able to help me with jumping technique? YouTube videos only teach so much. Unfortunately it seems like the only sessionable tables are at mtn creek.
In theory the High Bridge jump trails would be perfect for you to practice jumping but they are actually pretty tight and challenging.
However, the first table-top on the blue trail is nice to practice on if you wanted to session it. The rest of the trail can be difficult to maintain your speed with all the doubles and tight turns.
Best advise I ever got was to follow through the transition. When someone says “pull up” don’t think of it like yanking up on the bars, it’s more just keeping the front end up after it leaves the lip so the bike stays in line with the take off all the way through the transition. At bike parks the jumps are built proportionately to the speed of the trail, so trust the speed no brakes and follow through the transition and you will clear the jump. I can’t say the same for sketchy jumps built in the woods...Usually I try to absorb the jump too early by leaning forward at the lip rather than standing up and following the lip.
Best advise I ever got was to follow through the transition. When someone says “pull up” don’t think of it like yanking up on the bars, it’s more just keeping the front end up after it leaves the lip so the bike stays in line with the take off all the way through the transition. At bike parks the jumps are built proportionately to the speed of the trail, so trust the speed no brakes and follow through the transition and you will clear the jump. I can’t say the same for sketchy jumps built in the woods...
Last year I made a concerted effort to get my jumping mojo back (since I had lost it sometime when I was a teen over 30 years ago). What I did was spend a few sessions at Thunder Mtn in MA and rode Gronk (a blue level jump trail designed/built by Gravity Logic) until I got it. A few takeaways from that recent experience:
1. Pull up. This is a kinda "well, duh..." but it really was an epiphany moment for me. While a well built jump will arc you over it, you still need to be an active participant in the process. Just letting everything go can result in the dreaded "dead sailor" and a possible OTB landing.
2. Once in the air, move the bike around. This is sort of an extension of the above.
Do a little whip, pick the front wheel up and move it back down to catch the landing, or whatever.
Basically, the idea is you always want to be in control of the bike while in the air and not the other way around.
3. Don't be afraid of the lip. This is probably one of the harder ones. While it looks like you're riding towards a wall, in reality it's not. Sometimes it really helps to look at the jump from the side and you can often see how shallow the take-off angle actually is. Again, this one is kinda hard and really just takes time.
Great advice, wish I had read this before I went to Killington a few weeks ago. Pull up is so important, I didn't on the first table and i landed a little on the front wheel, took my mojo away for several runs. I didn't crash, but i definitely had that adrenaline flowing, and not in a good way. I somehow started moving the bike in the air, and it definitely feels better.
Not sure how you get over that fear of the lip, that thing was in my head all day!
One other thing, speed is actually your friend. A few times I let it fly (for me), and landed on the other side, it was way smoother than going too slow and landing on the top of the table top.
I have found out, that I am more of a wheels on the ground guy. I would rather rip down the new white at ringwood or Skeezits in stephens than hit those table jumps all day. If only there was a chairlift at those places.
Best advise I ever got was to follow through the transition. When someone says “pull up” don’t think of it like yanking up on the bars, it’s more just keeping the front end up after it leaves the lip so the bike stays in line with the take off all the way through the transition. At bike parks the jumps are built proportionately to the speed of the trail, so trust the speed no brakes and follow through the transition and you will clear the jump. I can’t say the same for sketchy jumps built in the woods...