How to Jump a Mountain Bike

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If you have a mountain bike, barreling down a mountainside is not the only thing you can use it for. In fact, mountain bikes are often used for jumping as well. So, whether you want to do big jumps or just hit those little jumps as you go down a mountain, this is something you need to learn.

But, of course, if you have never jumped on a mountain bike before, chances are that it’s not going to go very well. So, for the best chance of success, follow this guide on jumping a mountain bike.

The Four Stages of Jumping a Mountain Bike

When it comes to jumping a mountain bike, there are four main stages that you need to get right. There is the initial takeoff, the weight transfer as you leave the ramp, the arc or jump itself, as well as the landing. We’re going to give you some tips to perfect these stages of jumping a mountain bike.

Taking Off

One of the most essential parts of jumping a mountain bike is the takeoff. Everything starts with a takeoff, so nothing else will go right if you get this wrong.

So first, find a relatively small jump that you feel comfortable with – nothing too large; you don’t want to hit a huge jump your first time.

One of the most fundamental tips is that you need to keep your weight centered over both wheels simultaneously. First, lower your chest a bit. Then, push down with the front half of your body and compress it into the front of the bike. You want to force the lip of the ramp against the tires.

The Weight Transfer

Once you have compressed the bike’s front downwards using your hands, slowly transfer the weight from your hands to your feet. You should not put any weight on the lip of the ramp or the bike’s front with your hands.

Once you get halfway up the ramp and your front wheel is at the top of the lip, you should no longer be pushing down with your hands. Remember that the more suspension your bike has, or the bigger the jump is, the further back this needs to happen.

When you reach the top of the lip of the ramp with your front wheel, do a slight pull with most of the weight on your feet instead of your hands. In other words, pull upwards with your handlebars, just very slightly, to pop the front wheel off of the ramp.

However, make sure that most of your weight is on your legs, and just as you make the pop, raise your legs a bit, as you don’t want your front end facing upwards with your rear tire facing down; you don’t want to end up vertical in the air.

On that same note, make sure to pull up on the handlebars a little bit, or else you will end up going heels-over-head (your front tire is going to point down in the air).

How to Jump a Mountain Bike

The Flight

It is important to note that you need to follow a good arc when in the air. Once again, stay relatively horizontal in the air, and this means that you need to use your body to balance the bike.

If you push down with your legs too hard while in the air, it’s going to force the rear of your bike downwards, which in turn, when you land, will cause you to do a wheelie and most likely flip backward.

At the same time, if you are in the air and you push down on the handlebars too hard, you will end up doing a nosedive.

The Landing

Now comes the landing. Make sure that both wheels land simultaneously, so when you land, your front tire should be pointing slightly downwards, but the angle should not be too steep, or else you will kamikaze into the landing ramp.

Keep your arms and knees slightly bent as you land, but be ready to absorb the impact; your knees and arms will absorb most of the impact.

On a side note, watch for obstacles on the other side of the landing ramp, as trails and jumping arenas can be unforgiving, with one jump leading right into the next.

Conclusion

You should now know the mechanics of how to jump a mountain bike. That said, theory and execution are two different things, and you will need to put in a good deal of practice to master jumping a mountain bike.

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