Jumping Help?

roc

Well-Known Member
I agree with that. Trusting the speed takes practice. Getting over the urge to grab a handful of brake as you're approaching what looks like a vertical wall takes time to overcome.

While it's not really apparent on the trail map, there is a "blue" line next to Lower Dominion at Mtn Creek that is good for learning/practicing on.

grabbing that handful of brake feels so good though!
 

BPaze

Well-Known Member
Isn't that the one I crashed on?
No you crashed on the the run up to the first table on the green line. I am not sure you even went on the bigger blue line. We gotta get back there and I need to film you.
@mtnbiker49 I recently started going to creek and practicing jumps and unlike others I have very little advise other than mentally committing to the jump is the toughest part of the jump at least for me. I actually committed to the jumps at creek 1x and cleared it but still struggle to commit. If you wanted company I would be happy to join you if free but I may hold you back as well.
 

FastFreddy

Well-Known Member
First off sorry for the long post and I'm far from an expert or even a good jumper so take this with a grain of salt but these are some of the things I've learned over the years trying to jump.

First learn how to do a really good bunny hop, not the pull both wheels up at the same time bunny hop but like a trials riders would do. The motion is almost the same just way less exaggerated since the jump will do most of the work for you. If the jump has a good transition/lip it will feel almost effortless much like how it looks in the videos of really good dirt jumper bmx kids. So watch how trials guys bunny hop...they load the bike (like how you push into and pump a transition, this motion and the next part is also a bit like how you start a manual)....pull the front up (like coming off the lip)....and push through and level out (like when you're in the air) and look towards the landing.

Check this out for a side view of this jump:
http://leelikesbikes.com/Stories/102103/

And around 45sec in on this bunny hop video and compare how they look:


Looks almost the same right?

So first focus on the approach...look to and be ready to pump/press into the transition in the "attack" position...knees and arms bent...
...push down through your bike as you're hitting the transition....the timing when you do this varies with the size/shape of the jumps transition and takes practice to learn....as you're going up the transition you're looking at the lip getting ready to time when to unload/pop off the lip...this also takes much practice to learn when to do it....if you time this wrong or do nothing and let your weight get pushed into the bars here you will often get kicked forward into the endo position and most likely crash. Again if you're doing/timing it right it will feel almost effortless.

Above all if you are not ready heading into the transition/jump and don't feel things are right STOP! Messing about heading into a jump i.e. trying to throw and extra crank or two in, shifting gears or moving you feet/hands around is a sure way to come off the lip out of balance and or throw your timing off and end up dead sailor/crashing. When you first learn to jump it's difficult to throw/get away from the bike since you're not going very high so just abort things before hitting the jump and try again. And don't be afraid to ditch the bike if you can! I love my bike but it its me or the bike I'm going to choose me over the bike or a broken bone every time!

You can also almost visualize a jump like pumping up and over a big roller....except the top part of the roller you're pumping up and over is cut off/invisible (so the part where you are in the air) if that makes any sense. So you can imagine its just a big mound of dirt under him instead of a double and he's just pumping up and over it to kinda see what I mean:
jump.JPG


Once in the air LOOK TOWARDS AND INTO THE LANDING like you can see in the photo not down at the gap or your bike! If you look at the lip you'll probably case it. You can see in the photo above the riders front wheel will land a bit down the landing transition and the rear wheel will land near the top ready to pump for the next jump. This was/is still the hardest part for me...my front wheel lands at the top where my rear wheel should have and I will case the jump nine times out of ten LOL.

The other thing I learned when landing is to have front end, your bars, head and shoulders square and pointing in the direction you want to land. Head leads body follows. So the back end of the bike will just follow like a trailer even it it lands at an angle as long a the front end/your head is going in the right direction. It seems scary at first if the back end hanging out a bit when you land but don't worry about it much. If the front is coming in at any weird angles though you're probably going to crash so don't do that. This also usually starts all the way back at the beginning because you're stiff/unsure/unready heading into or coming off the lip.

So stay loose and relaxed in the air don't worry or be afraid if the bike moves around, sometimes tweaking the bike a bit helps to stay loose. If things are feeling off or you are tired stop as well...the I'll try just one more usually ends in disaster...don't ask me or the ribs I broke how I know LOL. Watching dirt jumping POV's helps too with visualizing the timing and flow of all of this from the riders perspective.

And hook up with some friends/riders and take a weekend trip out to Ray's Mtb Park in Ohio over the winter if you can its well worth the drive and a great way to learn. They have a huge variety of table top jumps in all sizes to learn on and a huge foam pit. There also wood jumps so perfect smooth transitions, dirt jump transitions can be pretty sketchy at times. And if you're not feeling the jumps one day just riding there is a blast even without the jumps. You could also bring the family and make a trip out of it there's also plenty other fun stuff like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Science museum IMAX theater, the house from A Christmas Story etc...
 

KenS

JORBA: Director
JORBA.ORG
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.

The chapter that maintains the flow line there met yesterday with the builder and we will be tweaking things to address this. If you are local stay tuned for a work day in the fall.
 

JPark

Well-Known Member
The chapter that maintains the flow line there met yesterday with the builder and we will be tweaking things to address this. If you are local stay tuned for a work day in the fall.
That's fantastic news!
 

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
The Alexandria Pump Track Jump Line (RIP) was awesome for learning this - you could roll them, pop them, or really cut loose!

Are there any public jump lines still out there in NJ/E-PA ???
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
There's the pump track in Port Jervis, although it can be a hike to get there depending on where you are.

The Philly Pump Track has some decent looking jumps, although they seem to be geared more towards 20" bikes. Unfortunately, it's closed due to the pandemic although I've heard they are taking this as an opportunity to get the two pump tracks paved (I'm guessing the jump line will remain dirt).

I'm interested to see that jump trail at High Bridge mentioned above. Those trails aren't too far of a drive for me - a little over an hour away.
 

don

Well-Known Member
The Alexandria Pump Track Jump Line (RIP) was awesome for learning this - you could roll them, pop them, or really cut loose!

Are there any public jump lines still out there in NJ/E-PA ???

That Alexandria jump line was really good for a public park setup.

Catty and Posh Woods are probably the only "public" jump trails that I know of. I think you have to get in touch with a local before riding either of them. There are a couple of rollers/jumps that are beginner friendly. Most of the stuff is pretty gnarly tho!
 

sundaydoug

Well-Known Member
Best way is to start small and follow someone that knows how to ride jumps. Keep their speed and try to mimic their motion and timing. Look ahead.

If you can get to MCBP there's a little jump trail called Deviant (I think now it's Lower Deviant). Good for sessioning and learning.
 

mtn

Well-Known Member
Well I went to the PJ pump track in the rain this morning. Aside from the 1/2" of water between some rollers, it was good as I was alone. #1 I need to install a narrower seat. I was beating up the inside of my thighs. #2 Idk how people clear any gaps there. Maybe it would be easier with a bike that could lock out suspension, or a hardtail. #3 I did start to "get it" on the small track at the end of my time there. I was getting a decent amount of speed, though it is tiring.

I believe that the pump is what is required when heading into the face of a jump, so I am improving. However, I will not be learning how to jump at an asphalt ump track.
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Having been there a couple of times, the PJ pump track is not a great place on a full suspension trail bike. Or even my Tazer F/S dual slalom/4-cross bike that is more or less designed for this type of thing. Definitely easier on a hardtail or a 20" BMX bike (which is what I usually switch to after a few runs). PJ doubles tend to be very "safe" with little of a defined lip, so you have to jump using the pump action and the sort of "virtual" lip. It definitely takes practice.
 
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soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
The only time I got pretty close to getting used to clearing some tabletops was at Ray's Indoor MTB park. It was really helpful to be able to hit like 3 in a row that I felt comfortable with height on, go around in a circle and hit them again, over and over and over again with a few tips from friends.
 

scotth

Well-Known Member
I didn’t read all the posts so not sure if something like this was mentioned. You can go to a bmx track and practice. There’s usually one weeknight practice, and you can practice before and after a race. There’s all kinds of jumps and none with gaps. Different tracks ride differently so it’s fun to try new places
 

ebarker9

Well-Known Member
If anyone is interested in some kind of a jump practice session at any of the places mentioned, I'd be interested. It's bugged me forever that I'm still terrible at jumping despite years riding at Mt Creek.
 
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