[luvz2ridez]

I was out Sat & Sun practicing small jumps. I've never done a jump before, but want to learn. Sat. I was on flats and successfully did a small jump twice, each time with my front foot sliding off the pedal. Now, I know what my problem was, I was not keeping my heal down. Sun. I went back and tried this with my clipless pedals. I successfully did the small jump the first time, obviously not falling off because I was clipped in, but I did notice my foot was in the same position as the day before. Then for some reason, I chickened out and could not attempt to do the small jump again! Why does this happen. I get this mental block and then I can't do it again, even though I just did it successfully the first time? Second questions, how do I force my heal down so when I try again on flats I don't slip off the pedal?

 

[Mudpuppy]

Well, I can't speak for everyone but are always scary. Until you are used to something much bigger it will be scary. For me like 90% of jumping is getting past the mental stuff and hitting the jump with enough speed etc. Once I get that I can do anything. But I start fresh everytime.

For your foot problem, I would say that if you pop off the jump a little more and tuck the bike, your foot won't come off. So, you come off the jump, the bike is moving up. You tuck it up under you and then as you start coming down you start to extend your legs. This keeps your feet on the pedals because the bike is either moving up into your feet or your feet are pushing down into the pedals. Jumping is a lot like bunny hopping, it is pretty much the same motion except less pronounced.

 

[Yeti]

i know i m a guy....was just checking out the girly point of view..but one tipp to go over the mental stuff is to ride with people who re at the same level or better..this will give you confidence...for me it also helps to fall from time to time as a reality check that i m pushing my limits and then know that nothing serious happened (only few bruises and cuts and muscle pain) so next time i know that nothing serious can happen and bla bla bla.....vids help too

 

[ElTORO]

Practice!! I know that sounds really dumb. But that's the only trick to jumping. Do it as often as you can and it all comes together. I find that if you stop for a couple months or even a couple of weeks you have to start all over.

 

[luvz2ridez]

Thanks for the recommendations! I did practice againt he next night dropping off curves and did it perfectly almost every time while not falling off the pedals and I'm going out the the jumps again tonight with all my gear so if/when I fall it won't hurt as bad. I just need to keep doing it is all.

 

[PatBranch]

Going off a jump is like a bunnyhop, but slower, and less pronouced like someone said is a good point (I was about to say that myself).

Put pressure on your pedals and lean back slightly, bending your knees and arms, just before you come up to the jump.

As you are riding up it, unbend your arms and legs (more presure on pedals, than anything with your hands/bars). (You don't always need to pull up on your bars.)

Then, in the air you should be kind of streched out.

As you land, bend your arms and legs (opposite of the step above the above step).

You want to be kind of loose jumping, not stiff and floating through the air. (dead sailing/dead sailor). If you keep practicing, you will get the flow eventually.

Hope this isn't too confusing and helps.

 

[luvz2ridez]

Well I went to the local jump park again last night after practicing on curves on Monday night. I had perfect positioning in Monday and was getting pretty used to throwing my weight back. Then on Tues at the jump park, it just didn't come together. I was definitely doing better then the weekend, but still not perfect coming off the jumps. The one time I felt like my bike landed perfectly, I fell off both pedals again. I think I'm getting nervous and making my body stiff and not relaxed, plus I'm fighting with the heal down thing. I did figure out how to do a bunny hop on flats though, so I'm practicing that. I guess I just need to get me some taki shoes and practice practice practice!

 

[PatBranch]

Nice job! Pretty much, the more you ride, you will progress and get it.
Vans (the bmx ones) work pretty good. I use mine even for DH.

 

[Mudpuppy]

Well if you are too stiff that will cause problems. You could be losing your pedals because you stiffen up. I still sometimes randomly tense up and lose a pedal...

 

[luvz2ridez]

Just found a pair of 661's Duallys on closeout at Nashbar for $20. Can't wait to get them and try them out!

 

[SuperKat]

5-10 Impacts are amazingly grippy shoes. Better than the 661 Launch that I have.
That vid I mentioned a while back, "Westcoast Style Freeride Fundamentals" is a great DVD that goes over all this stuff. "Clawing" the pedals is how they worded it.

 

[luvz2ridez]

I intend to get that video soon, it's $34.99 though. I do want to get the 5-10's but they are a little out of my price range so I'll start with the 661's which will be a hell of a lot better than what I'm using now, a pair of reeboks...

 

[Mudpuppy]

The Duallies will be good. That's what I'm running. Don't listen to these people that say you need 510s. If the thing holding your feet to the pedals is your shoes you aren't doing it right. I could probably jump in wingtips if I wanted to. It would be a little harder to keep my feet on the pedals but I could do it. Technique is more important than gear.

 

[SuperKat]

"These people" are speaking from experience and are offering advice for choosing any and all gear that may be of assistance.
The shoes are not magical and cannot substitute for technique. Hopefully that's a well known given.
And when you do that jump session in wingtips, please send me a PM so I can be to tape it. I need some crash footage for the next teaser.

 

[luvz2ridez]

The Duallies will be good. That's what I'm running. Don't listen to these people that say you need 510s. If the thing holding your feet to the pedals is your shoes you aren't doing it right. I could probably jump in wingtips if I wanted to. It would be a little harder to keep my feet on the pedals but I could do it. Technique is more important than gear.

You sound like my husband now...

 

[PatBranch]

What are wingtips?

 

[SuperKat]

Dress shoes.

 

[dante]

You sound like my husband now...

new equipment is always good for confidence, and that makes up 90% of mtn biking.

as for technique, try pointing your toes down, and pulling forward and up, instead of just up. practice doing bunny-hops in the parking lot, and you'll see that you can keep the pedals attached to your feet even when you're using flats.

and yes, 5.10s really are magical...

 

[redFoxx]

as for technique, try pointing your toes down, and pulling forward and up, instead of just up. practice doing bunny-hops in the parking lot, and you'll see that you can keep the pedals attached to your feet even when you're using flats.

and yes, 5.10s really are magical...

Yep, the clawing of the pedals technique. I spent a year in a cheap pair of Van's which were at least better than my previous, but finally, it was like riding in bedroom slippers. I just bought the 5-10's and they are great. Good gear is nice but not totally necessary, true, but as you get better and do riskier things, it becomes alittle more necessary. Doing drops that were bigger, my ankles and bottoms of my feet were feeling that my shoes were too flimsy. Now I have more confidence which is the bottom line for what we want in our riding right?

 

[TerraNik]

i know i m a guy....was just checking out the girly point of view..but one tipp to go over the mental stuff is to ride with people who re at the same level or better..this will give you confidence...for me it also helps to fall from time to time as a reality check that i m pushing my limits and then know that nothing serious happened (only few bruises and cuts and muscle pain) so next time i know that nothing serious can happen and bla bla bla.....vids help too

I totally agree. I am renound for stacking it (particularly with my clipless pedals!!) and so I found that my confidence was starting to disappear - when I first started I was completely fearless!!! So recently I've been a little freaked out by the stairs and jumps that I had easily done in the past... And I just *cant do it*! I go for it, and pike before I even get a chance to have a go... But, if you throw another rider into the mix - who has just done it before me - NO problem!!!!! I figure, if they can do it, I can do it. Works wonders... And you'll be doing those jumps by yourself in no time!

 

[redFoxx]

That sounds like odd advice about taking crashes but it's actually true. I really get to know a stunt when I've crashed all different ways on it. I do not advocate crashing on drops but I have on teeters and skinnies. It's good to know how to dismount or crash "gracefully". But most folks who crash on the jumps and drops tend to be out of the saddle for awhile healing up which I don't want!

Another thing on riding with those better with you, I like that too, especially folks who are just alittle better so you can feel you can do what they do, not with those who are alot better. Then I just get discouraged.