Skillz: Jumps

Discussion in 'Jumps' started by Mikie, Sep 9, 2019.


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  1. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    I used to ride Moto. Okay, "Old School" Moto. I'm talking 1976 Honda CR 125 Elsinore's and Bultaco 250's. What they do on Moto's today makes what I rode look like a total amateur! But on Moto's, I started riding seriously at 7 years old. Jumps were a breeze! In fact, when I finally stopped riding moto's, we were launching off canyon rises and clearing 80 to 150 feet. I never lost it off a jump...(On a Moto)

    Fast forward to mountain bikes. I remember the first time I really tried to launch my Proflex. It was behind my house near the railroad tracks. I was riding along some other kid on his mountain bike. I was 32 years old and was an established Cat 1 Expert XC'er and this kid was asking me tons of questions about racing and training. Up ahead I saw a sweet opportunity to launch my bike. I pedaled, I launched, I landed sideways crashing my chest straight into the ground and collapsed my right lung. As I laid there I told the kid I was alright as I coughed up blood from the micro tears in my lung. Right then and there nearly 30 years ago, I decided I was not a mountain bike jumper. :gotnothing: BUT I WANTED TO BE!

    We have built quite a diversity of skills on imtbtrails. I'm not saying I want to "Only Ride Park!" But I am saying launching your bike in the heat of some serious trail action sure would not hurt. Plus some bike parks would be fun to hit up from time to time...
     
  2. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Generally speaking, I prefer to keep both wheels on the ground. I have a tendency to lean to the side if I am in the air for very long. There are a few exceptions where I don't mind popping off a water bar or the like, though.
     
  3. Stubborn Approach

    Stubborn Approach Member

    Location:
    Irvine
    Name:
    Tony
    Current Bike:
    2022 Pivot Firebird
    This is always overlooked, but how you leave the ground has everything to do with how things will go in the air. Mastering the bunny-hop, at any speed (mph), with differing amounts of time to set up & execute, on any gradient takes practice. Lots of it. It isnt about getting 3' of air every time (though a very nice skill to have on tap), it is about directing the pop so that you control how you would like to land (which tire first, etc)...

    Dedicated, focused, practice of fundamentals, 5-10 mins a day, or an hour a week. Create a routine, and stick with it. Develop the muscle memory, because if you have to think about it on the trail, its likely already too late.
     
    Luis, Faust29, herzalot and 9 others like this.
  4. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    I'm definitely not the most stylish jumper, but I have made it far beyond where I ever thought I would and have hit jumps I was terrified of previously. You definitely need bunny hop skills and a lot of the rest of it is just practice. Getting used to how the bike reacts to different lips and shaped jumps.

    One of the things that helped me relax was doing anything to avoid that dead sailor. Try a little whip, turn bar, move your bars, whatever. Just think about something and moving somehow, because leaving the lip and freezing is no bueno.

    Just start small and hit jumps until you feel comfortable. Go somewhere like Summit (or build something) and just session jumps. It's amazing how much it helps. You can really work on consistency and knowing one jump, rather than trying to adjust for 30 different jumps down a run and never really being able to nail any of them. Pick a small-ish table with an easy hike up and run it and session until you feel comfortable.
     
    Faust29, herzalot, MrGreedom and 6 others like this.
  5. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    I think what you are sharing is EVERYTHING about leaving the ground. I mean, I watch people almost purposely leave out of control and bring it in to absolute beauty for the landing. Obviously that is a lot of practice and experience talking. Looks pretty cool.

    But I know that my departures are always off, as I feel awkward leaving the ground and almost always my rear end is trying to pass up my front end.
    I'm referring to when I want to get air. When in the heat of the trail and chunk, leaving the ground is usually such a straight arrow to the next point and such a low flyer that I don't even feel like I'm actually jumping. More like losing traction for a moment to get to the next contact point. Is that making sense?
     
  6. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Both of you have instantly targeted Bunny Hops and that gives me great pride in the advice you are both giving. Tells me you have learned a craft and understand the basics.
     
    Faust29, herzalot, MrGreedom and 4 others like this.
  7. Stubborn Approach

    Stubborn Approach Member

    Location:
    Irvine
    Name:
    Tony
    Current Bike:
    2022 Pivot Firebird
    Set up a camera or phone on the ground or sidewalk and get some video of your bhops.

    Slow the video down to .5 or .25 speed. Watch your body position and fundamentals in the video, see if you can pick up any mistakes, or habits that may be inhibiting you. Post them if you want some other eyes on them to assist.
     
    Faust29, herzalot, MrGreedom and 3 others like this.
  8. evdog

    evdog iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    San diego
    Name:
    Evan S
    Years ago I went to a gravity (butt) pirates jump clinic. Their only requirement was to use platform pedals to force you to learn proper technique. We worked only on bunny hopping for the first hour or so, with the idea that any time you do a jump you want to use that same motion to properly pre-load and unload as you take off, to control the jump. Makes sense when you think about it. We were practicing on dirt jumps so takeoffs all had lips to boost off.
     
    Faust29, herzalot, MrGreedom and 4 others like this.
  9. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    +1 on bunny hop skills for jumping. Those of us who grew up roaming the hood on BMX bikes jumping every curb in sight plus the sketchy ramps we often made have the skills locked in. Get a BMX bike and bunny hop in flip flops, actually don’t listen to that advice and wear proper shoes.

    upload_2019-9-9_15-24-17.png
     
    Luis, Faust29, herzalot and 10 others like this.
  10. Redman

    Redman iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Henderson, Nv
    Name:
    Kevin
    Current Bike:
    SC OG Hightower 29'r
    I was going to type out something that covers the basics. However, this video does pretty well for beginning.

     
    Faust29, herzalot, MrGreedom and 5 others like this.
  11. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    I've watched many of their videos. What I love about them all is they actually demonstrate mistakes first, and then proper technique. You have to be a pretty good technical rider to be able to switch on and off the "mistake" switch :)
     
    Faust29, herzalot, Danmtchl and 3 others like this.
  12. Grego

    Grego iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    joe
    Current Bike:
    WFO9
  13. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    :confused:
     
  14. Redman

    Redman iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Henderson, Nv
    Name:
    Kevin
    Current Bike:
    SC OG Hightower 29'r
    In my experience, the only times I’ve gotten injured while jumping have happened when I wasn’t fully committed. A few times from getting scared and second guessing right at the last moment and grabbing some disk brake. Causing me to come up short and getting bucked from the rebound. A few other times from not being sure in my head that I could make it, and going for it anyways. Both instances where from not being fully committed. First, you need to believe in yourself and your capabilities and commit. Second, once you commit, stay committed. My statistics show that throwing out the anchor at the last moment results in worse injuries than just being dumb and hucking it. :D
     
    Luis, Faust29, herzalot and 7 others like this.
  15. da big hills

    da big hills iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    pearl harbor
    Name:
    cagey
    Current Bike:
    enduro 29
    Everybody is turning, so lets talk air. There are many chances to get air on the single track. a baby head, a chaparral stubby stump, water bar etc. it is all timing, when I got my Enduro the baby would not fly. I had just broke my Flying "V". Eventually I learned exact timing and the baby would fly. Off by a little and no air. Now when you see the take off object you need to compress the front shock, and hopefully the rear at no extra cost. You do this by starting standing, then crouch down At the proper point as the front recoils up you spring up straightening your legs and then fly and be free. It is somewhat like a bunny hop at 30 mph (landing on an 18" trail with exposure). Air on the single trac is the bomb, especially on a new trail. You must see the object and visualize the landing. You do not want to leap without a visual on the landing. As you get better you will learn to turn the bike while in flight, but while it is a most excellent skill when landing on a turn berm remember you are ballistic so you are not bending your flight. At first always try and land rear wheel first (at least at first). Later you should land flush with both wheels and leave the tail drop for big air, but if the front drops (from an early spring), don't sweat it it will still land just fine, only the pucker factor increases. It goes really high when your bars are lower than your knees. The best thing i can say is ride the air just like the trail, land flush and look for the next jump. Keep you Cg where it belongs and in a second or two of quiet riding it is back to the havoc noise of downhill singletrac. That is quite a turn on, you do not know how much havoc you are causing until you ride the air, it is so peaceful.
    happy landings on the single track
     
  16. Stkx66

    Stkx66 iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Southern California
    Name:
    Steve
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower 27+/ 29r
    If I find a " feel good" jump out on a trail I'll go back and do it twice. However I'm on a mid travel bike and have chosen to stay away from more extreme stuff. Last February I was riding out in open desert near Ridgecrest (while my daughter raced a moto enduro nearby) on some of the same trails I race dirt bikes on. I was riding in mountains that were steep and sandy. I was laughing to myself at the rate of speed going down these hills until I hit a jump at the bottom. I jumped, laughed and then hit hard, real hard and sprained my right foot. I thought I broke it. I was by myself. I rode back to camp, got more water and headed back out riding. I kept my mouth shut and nursed my foot for 6-8 weeks. - And all this before Kokopelli. The right kind of conditions, medium size I'm game.
     
  17. Redman

    Redman iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Henderson, Nv
    Name:
    Kevin
    Current Bike:
    SC OG Hightower 29'r
  18. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Hesitation breeds devastation....
     
    rossage, Luis, mtnbikej and 3 others like this.
  19. doublewide

    doublewide iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Tallcan
    Commit or eat shitt....
     
  20. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Break your pride, continue to ride?

    Jumping skills or hospital bills.
     
  21. FizzyCola

    FizzyCola Member

    Location:
    The soda aisle.
    Name:
    Dr. Thunder
    Eating crap might lead to a dirt nap.
     
  22. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    Hone your skills before you incur some bills..

    Swallow your pride and take jumping in strides..

    Never too late to learn, safely.
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?