Follow-Up: 301 Jump In Control

Stay Centred

The "chin over the stem" rule is about maintaining stability. As the bike changes angle up and down through the arc of a jump, staying centred lets you control the bike and land in a stable position.

Hop, Then Hop Some More

You can get your wheels off the ground anywhere. Bunnyhops are tricky, but the timing and bike angles closely mimic riding a jump. This is something you can practise and improve every single day.

Drive the Bike Through Berms

Apply pressure to control the bike's movement through the transition, giving you a solid platform to push against to change your body's direction of momentum. This also creates traction on berms.

Assess Jump Speed, Size, and Shape

The speed you're travelling, the size of the jump, and the shape of the takeoff and landing all play a part. When trying a new jump, understand the impact these factors will make - even rolling the jump and feeling the forces.

Absorb the Bike Up Into You

The absorb is a critical part of jump technique. By getting familiar with loosening muscle tension through rollers and tabletops, it will feel comfortable using it mid-air on larger jumps. This removes how "lippy" a jump feels.

Use Your Full Range of Vertical Movement

The more you move the more power you can generate, and the easier it is to separate forces. Use your hinge at the hips to get close to the bike, giving your arms and legs maximum distance to extend.

Press the Bike Through the Transition

Control the bike by being active through the transition. Your press controls the "rotation" of the bike under you as front and rear happen at different times. Combine with the essential absorb step afterwards.

Stand Up, Don't Pull Up

There is no "pull up"! You can lift the bike with hands and feet in the air, but this is only to have the bike come up to your (heavy) body's trajectory once you're already flying.

"Standing up" is part of setting your body's trajectory to go upwards. The alternative is "collapsing" through the lip of the jump, leaving your trajectory only going forwards.

Timing tip: Adjust how early or late you time your press to adjust how the bike "pops" off the jump. Early absorb keeps everything low; late absorb lets the bike come up higher.