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"Jump" Advice

Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
Tomorrow is the 3rd Annual Blitz to the Barrel Dash for Cash race here in Bend. I missed it last year because I was sick but I'm racing this year. I haven't raced since last August and I have been injured most of spring so I have little chance of doing well, but this event is really fun. Background...I'm an above average technical xc rider but I don't "do jumps". That said, in the race tomorrow night there is this "jump" that if you hit it, gives you about a 30 second advantage because the go around is long. It seems like if I just ride fast enough I won't really have to do anything besides maybe pull up a little? :help:


Commentsblitz.JPG
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,219
13,354
Portland, OR
Stay centered and roll with it. It looks like a clean line that wouldn't require a ton of speed. Looks like it would be fun to hit.
 
Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,068
14,721
where the trails are
Do you do any drops now?

That looks to be fairly straightforward drop to a nice landing. If the approach isn't too rough you should be able to ride in with speed, be centered to the landing, pull up a bit at the edge and land just fine.

Any chance of pre-riding it before the race?
If not, hang out and watch people hit it so you can gauge speed vs. how far people are landing down the transition.

Advice:
DON'T brake check!
If you have an adjustable seatpost, drop your saddle before this drop.
Remain loose and keep low/back on the bike when you leave the lip.
DO NOT brake check!!
When in doubt; moar speed and pull up. :D

Go git 'em Tiger.
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
That's why I put it in "". It's more of a drop but they are calling it the Big Air Jump with a $500 prime.

I do little 2-3' drops now but nothing man made. I could go out and practice tonight but I'm scared so I think I might just take a quick look and then just go for it tomorrow!
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,621
7,283
Colorado
That's a serious gap drop if you don't do drops like that often. You need to maintain a pretty decent amount of speed to clear the gap and land on the down slope. You are realistically looking at a 5x16' gap. That's pretty serious if you aren't comfortable.

Mechanically to ride it, you will want to go off pretty quickly. If you have the chance to chase someone off of it in practice, I highly suggest doing that. You will be able to gauge speed then.

As to how you physically jump it, when you go off the drop, you actually want to do a j-hop (not a bunny hop) lifting your front wheel then your rear wheel. That way you will be controlling the drop as you leave the platform. Rolling straight off, your front wheel will want to fall straight down. You're not necessarily riding straight off that way, you're jumping off of it.

You really need to make sure that you are centered when you go off. You need to keep your bike level in the air until right before you want to land, at which point you will want to slightly drop the front wheel - to land both wheels evenly on the platform. Whatever you do, as long as you are not front heavy, do not panic in the air.

Watch how the riders maintain their body position in the air off the road gap.

*edit* Nick hit the nail on the head with your seat. You really DO NOT want to try that with any kind of seat height. You also need to commit early and not falter. If you hesitate or doubt, you will crash.
 
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Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,068
14,721
where the trails are
If you watch Jokey's video, note the rider in white at about 1:02. Perfectly controlled, body low and back, NOT BRAKE CHECKING, and lands both tires together and keeps his speed.

$500 prime?? Go for it!!!
 
Jim Mac

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
Nick said:
Do you do any drops now?

That looks to be fairly straightforward drop to a nice landing. If the approach isn't too rough you should be able to ride in with speed, be centered to the landing, pull up a bit at the edge and land just fine.

Any chance of pre-riding it before the race?
If not, hang out and watch people hit it so you can gauge speed vs. how far people are landing down the transition.

Advice:
DON'T brake check!
If you have an adjustable seatpost, drop your saddle before this drop.
Remain loose and keep low/back on the bike when you leave the lip.
DO NOT brake check!!
When in doubt; moar speed and pull up. :D

Go git 'em Tiger.
Click to expand...
dittos on the brake check piece - go against your survival instincts on that one
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
Thanks everyone. In theory I know what to do but that doesn't mean I can put that all together and perform.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,447
20,249
Sleazattle
As a rule of thumb I wouldn't bother hitting something like that during a race if you are not comfortable with it. The excitement of a race often skews judgement and can lead to disaster. If you can follow someone who has it dialed to get an idea of speed then maybe it will not be so bad.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,654
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
Technically this is not very challenging. My guess is that you tackle more difficult stuff on a regular basis and that you've totally got this. The actual gap is much smaller than 16' - it looks to be about a bike length - there is an extra flat top if you come up a little short. At most you'll tag your rear wheel on the flat part

It's totally in your head. So stay calm, stay loose, and use your instincts.

Then you can land it smoothly and tell everyone how easy it was.

And although you don't want to over-think it, consider adding a little extra rebound damping when you first hit it.
 
MMike

MMike

A fowl peckerwood.
Sep 5, 2001
18,207
105
just sittin' here drinkin' scotch
And don't pull up on your bars. That's what Bender does (did?). The desired effect is achieved by shifting your hips back (timed correctly) so that your center of gravity is over your rear wheel.


That said.....what could go wrong?
 
-BB-

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
It looks like they designed it to be flowy and not super technical. My first question is if you are gonna have your seat jacked way up. If so, go around... Not something good to do for the first time AND with your seat way high. If you are gonna do it, as others have said, go off it with good speed. Shift your hips back a bit, push the front out a little. Just think of it like going off a curb where you try to land with both tires hitting at the same time. You aren't really pulling "up" per se, you are just staying a bit level. Since this one is bigger than a curb you will have your front drop a little bit anyway, but not a whole lot... thus putting you in the perfect position to hit the transition.

So start with the regular little "hop", or keeping things level, push out on the bars (hips back). Keep loose, no brakes... then, as you land, get a little more centered and use your legs to suck up the landing.

So again, get some speed into it... not crazy fast, just not slow... push kinda out and down as you go off (out with the front, down with the whole bike) and as you land center back up and use your legs to absorb. HANDS OFF THE BRAKES :thumb:


Do this and you will be :weee:
 
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ALEXIS_DH

ALEXIS_DH

Tirelessly Awesome
Jan 30, 2003
6,147
796
Lima, Peru, Peru
do not brake check.
make up your mind at least 30 ft before the lip. if you are going to hit it, hit it. do not hesitate. if you hesitate, take the chicken line. once you pass that point, DO NOT BRAKE.

when in doubt, moar speed.

it looks like a drop, instead of a jump. no funky lip or kicker to mess up your fore-aft balance.
just hold your line, you will flow into the landing.
 
4130biker

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
450
Sounds like an hour long race? You can make up 30 seconds by pushing extra hard in a couple places where you're comfortable climbing, right? It's way better than crashing on this thing and risking a serious injury. Beginner jumps (not that you are a beginner rider, rather beginner "jumper") need to be low consequence IMO, and this does not appear to be "low consequence" if you case at speed.

Good advice here, but the doesn't "do jumps" part concerns me.
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
4130biker said:
Sounds like an hour long race? You can make up 30 seconds by pushing extra hard in a couple places where you're comfortable climbing, right? It's way better than crashing on this thing and risking a serious injury. Beginner jumps (not that you are a beginner rider, rather beginner "jumper") need to be low consequence IMO, and this does not appear to be "low consequence" if you case at speed.

Good advice here, but the doesn't "do jumps" part concerns me.
Click to expand...
It's probably around an hour but most of the people racing are better than me (have been able to train and aren't hurt) so I don't have much advantage. I want to have fun and obviously be as competitive as possible.
 
dan-o

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
The safest option would be to lead your closest competitors into the drop, lock your brakes just before the sissy line entrance to ruin everyones chances at making the drop thus forcing them to take the go around too.
You don't risk getting hurt, they can't get the time bonus = win/win.
 
J

jasride

Turbo Monkey
Sep 23, 2006
1,069
5
PA
Just forget about it at this point and tell yourself you're not gonna do it so you don't dwell and psyche yourself out over it. And then that one time... whether its practice or during the race you will lock in mentally and commit right before the run up into it. You already said you know the technique and how to do it so now it's just about doing it. The longer you stand at the top or bottom staring at it, the harder it will be mentally.

And unless it's on a mega steep section of the mountain, the faster you go the less you have to worry about your seat being high and leaning way back. Have the right speed, and a nice neutral position should put you right onto the backside. But seat a little low is definitely better than seat too high.:)


Don't even think about it.... just shred, pedal and have a good time!
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,621
7,283
Colorado
Given it is an hour race and you are not competing for the win, go around. The consequences are far too high for 30 seconds and a bit of glory.
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
I know I'm over thinking this, it's the accountant in me. I am 80% certain I will go around. But I will be angry with myself because I am 95% certain I would make it. (I pulled these percentage out of my ass).
 
Quo Fan

Quo Fan

don't make me kick your ass
Mar 31, 2006
5,909
36
Here. I'm just not sure where "here" is.
If you have hit "similar, only not as big" "jumps", then you should have no problem with this. One piece of advice I was given when learning to do stunts like this is to kick your feet forward, not pull up on the bars. This will bring your weight back, while keeping your bike "level" with the take off.

Leave no doubt in your mind that you will succeed. Be super confident that you will nail this, and you will. Whatever you believe, what you truly believe, that will happen.
 
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