[l'oiseau]

You're doing it right Mr Pig.

There is a difference between going off a straight ramp and a curved jump.

 

[Lone Rager]

Isn't one the same as the other?

Yes. Physics wise, it's the same thing, but it's a different way of thinking about it or feeling it which may work better for different individuals. Most will say move your butt down then back, but the way I think/feel it is I move my butt down and thrust the bike forward.

 

[Nat]

Try pushing the handlebars forward (not up or down - straight ahead) as your front wheel comes off the lip rather than getting your weight back behind the bike. The push prevents the nosedive without you having to get way back behind the bike, thereby allowing you to be a bit more centered and in control in the air.

p.s. i suck at jumps so this is probably bad advice

I do that move too, but more near the apex of the my flight trajectory rather than as the front wheel comes off the lip though.

 

[slapheadmofo]

Believe me, it works.

Just sayin'...a bigger ramp is easier than a smaller one to learn on. Less precision required.
Also, throw some sort of transition together to land on, even if it's just some cinderblocks and a sheet of plywood or two, it helps a lot.

 

[Jorgemonkey]

One thing that has helped me (and I am a total jump noob) is getting my fingers away from the brake. Either hit it or don't have helped me. It stops me from second guessing myself right before, during, or after. I can either brace for the landing or brace for impact.

 

[Mr Pig]

There is a difference between going off a straight ramp and a curved jump.

This in itself is something I didn't really think of when formulating my cunning ramp plan. All I'm going to achieve is to get good at going off this ramp ;0) Today my son and I were at a trail centre we've not been to before. Lots of scary stuff and annoyingly they had nothing exactly like my ramp :0(

 

[Zowie]

I think a lot depends on the kind of ramp/jump. I go over 'jumps' like the one in this picture all the time and you don't have to lean back. You pretty much just hit them and the bike follows a natural ark over the top. Those are the easiest jumps to do, for me anyway.

I'm certainly not trying to imply I'm good at it, but that is exactly how you jump.
Everyone who's telling you that your jump is difficult to learn on is trying to help you.

Make a longer one for the backside, might be pretty sweet...

 

[s0ckeyeus]

This in itself is something I didn't really think of when formulating my cunning ramp plan. All I'm going to achieve is to get good at going off this ramp ;0) Today my son and I were at a trail centre we've not been to before. Lots of scary stuff and annoyingly they had nothing exactly like my ramp :0(

This ramp won't be all you need to go DJ-ing, but it should help. I hit a smaller DJ line for the first time this year after practicing on a similar ramp (not quite as svelte as yours, but similar concept out of scrap wood). One major difference is on a steeper jump, you really need to push the front forward to match the slope of the landing, whereas on this ramp you are pretty much going to land flat. Practicing on my ramp helped build confidence and improved my pop off the lip of the jump. Getting time in on a pump track and refining your bunny hop are also good for overall jump kung fu.

 

[alh]

Hey Mr. Pig, 50+ also and built the same ramp with my son and we use it in the backyard to work on jumping skills. The ramp definitely helps to get used to being in the air and maintaining balance while air borne. Luckily for us, we are near Mountain Creek Bike Park and can do some drops and jumps at speed. My son is now clearing his tabletops but I'm still working on mine.

 

[kpdemello]

I do that move too, but more near the apex of the my flight trajectory rather than as the front wheel comes off the lip though.

I think that's more right than the way I said it.

Isn't one the same as the other?

What lone ranger said - it's kind of a mindset I guess - move the bike versus moving your body. Also pushing the bar forward is a bit more finesse than shifting your weight back. Like I said, I'm not that good but this is what I do off of drops and jumps.

 

[Curveball]

Oh, one other tip that will help with pouncing off stuff. Lower your rebound settings on your shocks. Set the bike up so it's a bit bouncy. That will help you with the feel but it might suck to ride on other stuff. Once you get some feel for it, you can add some back and change your timing a bit. Also adding a touch more air in the springs might help. FS will want to absorb bumps, you want them to toss you, so a little help in the other direction while practicing may help you get the feel. Once you feel that preload and pop, it's just timing and confidence.

This has been a problem for me on some jumps. Although I try to preload, the bike just seems to soak up the jump anyway.

I'll try making it more bouncy and see how that works out.

 

[Nat]

This has been a problem for me on some jumps. Although I try to preload, the bike just seems to soak up the jump anyway.

I'll try making it more bouncy and see how that works out.

I wouldn't do that. You'd increase the chances of getting tossed over the bars either when popping off the lip or upon landing. I usually just jump using whatever setting my shock is at for normal trail riding. If I'm expecting to hit some bigger landings than usual I've slowed the rebound damping so I'm less likely to get bounced on landing. If your rear suspension is soaking up the jump then I think you need to work on how you're loading up your body as you're about to pop off the lip of the jump.

 

[idividebyzero]

I think bunny hopping off the jump really helps control the bike while in the air, even if its a really small one. It does the preloading and the sucking the bike up to your chest part all in one motion already committed to muscle memory. Just rolling off a jump can be unpredictable and send you in a direction you may not be expecting.

 

[Mr Pig]

Man, I wish I could do half of the stuff you guys are suggesting ;0)

Kinda up on bricks just now anyway as I've stuffed up my wrist on rough trails on Tuesday so I'll need to wait until that's behaving before playing ramps again.

 

[#1ORBUST]

I think bunny hopping off the jump really helps control the bike while in the air, even if its a really small one. It does the preloading and the sucking the bike up to your chest part all in one motion already committed to muscle memory. Just rolling off a jump can be unpredictable and send you in a direction you may not be expecting.

Yah that's kinda right. It's like a bunny hop. Push down on the fork preload then rock back up the lip and pop off. I don't really bunny hop though.

Hitting a parking curb is the exact same motion as hitting a 5ft heigh lip on a 20ft double.

You have to be willing to get hurt though. When I learned I had the mentality of I don't care if I get carried out in a ambulance I'm hitting this. Usually worked out but if it didn't I'd just adjust what I did wrong and never do it again.

 

[Battery]

I started jumping a couple of weeks ago. I jump on the ant hills I come across on my trail circuits. I don't run any jump lines at the moment. I waited almost a year to start jumping and focused on progressing my other skills.

After building up my confidence, I started jumping on small tabletops and little "ant hills" on my trails. I have an anxiety disorder and attempting to jump bigger stuff is too much for the time being.

When I first tried jumping months ago, I noticed that my feet would come off the pedals. This was mostly due to my lack of technique. I decided to not push my luck and and put jumping on ice for a little while and decided to focus on manuals and drops. I revisited jumping last week and I do it much better now. I still jump on small tabletops and my little "ant hills." My feet are now planted to the pedals and I have a bit more confidence in what I am doing.

 

[Coyote_Lover]

I really want to learn how to jump! I'm 46 and only been riding about 2-3 months but I've learned to bunny hop properly from watching Seth and the like on YT a bazillion times then going on and working on it over and over. I'm at the point that I'll hop over almost anything on the trail. .

Drops and jumps are another animal with me. 12" or so drops I'm fine just getting off the back but anything bigger and I'm riding the brakes and leaning forward as my front dives down like a submarine lol. It's a Christmas miracle that I haven't gone OTB yet. There are plenty of jumps around my courses but I just can't relax when I go off the smallest ones.

If anyone wants to come to some awesome GA trails and work with a noob I'll buy ya lunch and 12 pack of choice

 

[stoked77]

Hi there.
Since I started jumping I struggle with the same problem. I think I know in which stage of the jump my problem lies but nobody can tell me how to get this bad habit away.
please check my little Video from today.
as far I think, everything goes fine until sec 5.
come in in a straight position - crouch down - preload the bike - as soon the ramp start pull back with your body until the arms are straight (similar to the manual or bunny hop impulse).

Then suddenly, instead of getting the arm fully straighten and pop up into the air with the help of the legs, the arms suck up the whole energy.
This results in a falling frontwheel and a OTB feeling or the jump will be just way too low to clear any gap.
how can avoid to suck the whole energy just at the end of the jump.
Is it just a fear in my head? Or I am just to late at this stage of the ramp? Should I start the hole movement a little bit earlier?
Any exercise you can recommend?

Thanks for your help.
I need to hurry with this, otherwise my 7year old boy will pass me very soon 😀

 

[Nat]

Hi there.
Since I started jumping I struggle with the same problem. I think I know in which stage of the jump my problem lies but nobody can tell me how to get this bad habit away.
please check my little Video from today.
as far I think, everything goes fine until sec 5.
come in in a straight position - crouch down - preload the bike - as soon the ramp start pull back with your body until the arms are straight (similar to the manual or bunny hop impulse).

Then suddenly, instead of getting the arm fully straighten and pop up into the air with the help of the legs, the arms suck up the whole energy.
This results in a falling frontwheel and a OTB feeling or the jump will be just way too low to clear any gap.
how can avoid to suck the whole energy just at the end of the jump.
Is it just a fear in my head? Or I am just to late at this stage of the ramp? Should I start the hole movement a little bit earlier?
Any exercise you can recommend?

Thanks for your help.
I need to hurry with this, otherwise my 7year old boy will pass me very soon 😀

I'm not sure I see a problem.

 

[s0ckeyeus]

Hi there.
Since I started jumping I struggle with the same problem. I think I know in which stage of the jump my problem lies but nobody can tell me how to get this bad habit away.
please check my little Video from today.
as far I think, everything goes fine until sec 5.
come in in a straight position - crouch down - preload the bike - as soon the ramp start pull back with your body until the arms are straight (similar to the manual or bunny hop impulse).

Then suddenly, instead of getting the arm fully straighten and pop up into the air with the help of the legs, the arms suck up the whole energy.
This results in a falling frontwheel and a OTB feeling or the jump will be just way too low to clear any gap.
how can avoid to suck the whole energy just at the end of the jump.
Is it just a fear in my head? Or I am just to late at this stage of the ramp? Should I start the hole movement a little bit earlier?
Any exercise you can recommend?

Thanks for your help.
I need to hurry with this, otherwise my 7year old boy will pass me very soon 😀

I don't think you're too far off. I think you're trying to initiate the jump with your torso. Try pulling the bars back towards your hips through the jump. The more you do this and press with your legs, the more pop you'll get. Your torso will move, but it should be in conjunction with your arms. Right now it looks like your arms are a bit too passive.

This video might be some help: