Video: Hitting Jumps & Drops for the First Time - Full Enduro Episode 4
FULL ENDURO
EPISODE 4
EPISODE 4
Zoe heads to the Whistler Bike Park to join up with local coach and shredder Katrina Strand. Together they tackle two of the most intimidating skills in mountain biking--jumps and drops. Will Zoe push her fears aside and release her inner send? Watch and find out.
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Filmed & Edited by Will Binamé.
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Member since Feb 15, 2012
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Bike parks are great for improving, but you don't need to spend 60+ bucks on a lift ticket to learn the essentials.
Not everyone gets to learn those types of skills as a kid. Some people may not have had their own bike growing up and/or maybe didn't get the type of bike that is suitable for that sort of thing until much later on in life. If learning at a bike park works for some people, what difference does it make? At least they're out riding and trying new things!
When I jump now, thinking "heavy feet" has got be pushing more through my whole body into the bike an then releasing, which gives you a nice evenly weighted, control-able push and pop.
I received a few days of coaching from Maddie and Neil at the Whistler Bike School. They are awesome coaches and people and completely changed my riding. I'd never taken a lesson before and they broke some of the bad habits I'd had for 20 years. They taught me proper berm, drop, and jump techniques, similar to the topics I've seen in this series. They really helped improve my confidence riding park features and techier lines. I could climb 4k feet at elevation, but my downhill technique was wanting.
I still have loads to improve upon, but before my journey, I'd measure a ride by the number of miles covered and elevation gained. Of course the downhills were the fun part, but maybe not the measure of a ride. The amount of suffering is what mattered. Strange. I've found this is a common mindset in CO. In fact, I'd never ridden a lift to ride before and I live 20 minutes from the Snowmass bike park. Cuz you gotta earn your turns, right? Turns out, park laps are work, too! Anyway, my time in Oregon, Washington, and B.C. changed me. All I can think of now is how I want the steeper lines, slabby rock, and the magical dirt found in the PNW and B.C. Wet roots not so much. Hopefully I can return again after ski season. I'd move to Squamish in a heartbeat if I could. Might have to settle for Bellingham
Big thanks to Maddie and Neil and Whistler Bike School!
Oh, wait...
Momentum
Kidding aside, a few slowmoes of both would have helped to spot potential differences.
And who picked that music ?!?
Hey Katrina- just want to clarify something for you regarding the "momentum" idea vs "speed." In this context, what you're actually referring to is speed, not momentum. Momentum is speed x mass, so technically riders going the same speed into a drop have different momentum as they likely don't have exactly the same mass. In simple terms, not including friction of moving through the air, surface area of the rider, etc., the starting speed (or velocity) is what determines the distance (or trajectory) a rider (or object in motion) is going to achieve when launching off of a drop. So speed is the correct word to use when talking about this.
An extra clarification for the downvoters- a rider's mass can be considered fixed when they're out riding (you're not gaining or losing much mass when eating/drinking/sweating) so the ONLY way to increase momentum is to... increase speed. Talk about speed, not momentum.
But you're totally right - the term is now just being used to discount pretty much anything a man explains to a woman.
Anyways, perhaps it's some terminology I can play with next summer while coaching! Thanks for the feedback
I think it's safer to teach a beginner the huck technique. Preload and pull the front end up a little bit off the lip, so you control the angle of your bike. I've seen a lot of people hit drops and end up landing way front heavy because they don't do this, and they just let the jump send them where it wants. When you do the "huck" technique you control the bike, and if you do it correctly you can always push the front wheel down to flatten out before the landing if you are rear heavy. Just pushing the the nose in off the takeoff doesn't allow you to change body and bike position in the air, cause you're not in as much of an active stance, in my opinion.
"Love the vid! Would love to be out there working on my own skills.
Hey Katrina- just want to clarify something for you regarding the "momentum" idea vs "speed." In this context, what you're actually referring to is speed, not momentum. Momentum is speed x mass, so technically riders going the same speed into a drop have different momentum as they likely don't have exactly the same mass. In simple terms, not including friction of moving through the air, surface area of the rider, etc., the starting speed (or velocity) is what determines the distance (or trajectory) a rider (or object in motion) is going to achieve when launching off of a drop. So speed is the correct word to use when talking about this."
And an additional reply I added, also deleted-
"Try to clarify words being used to make things simpler and more accurate... get downvoted. LOL! Smh. An extra clarification- a rider's mass can be considered fixed when they're out riding (you're not gaining or losing much mass when eating/drinking/sweating) so the ONLY way to increase momentum is to... increase speed. Talk about speed, not momentum."
I've given some myself to other guys, is homo-mansplaining a thing?? food for thoughts, for sure
@nfontanella: and that's right too, very macho people (of any gender) don't need/appreciate advice.