Mountain Biking - Hucks/Drops How to's?

Okay, quick question. I'm practicing hucks and drops right now, but everytime I land it always seem that I land a bit to hard, either on the front forks, or the back wheel. I've read a few things in previous posts, but they don't seem to fulling answer my questions. Is there a specific way to land? Should I land more on my back tire and then on my front tire, or visa versa? Should I land flat on both tires at the same time? If my landing is flat.....what is the best way to land. If it's a slope, does anything change for my landing? I'm afraid that if I'm landing 'wrong' then I'm going to end up tearing up my bike really fast.

Thanks guys

What kind of bike do you have?
For both HArdtails and Dualies the faster you are moving the smoother the it will feel, but don't over shoot the landing.

OK if it is a hardtail to flat there are a couple of methods.
1) Roll up to landing and lean back as going over the lip. keep front wheel LEVEL with back wheel. As your rear wheel goes off the drop push your back wheel down so it hits the ground way first. As it hits compress legs and lean back and down and GENTLY lower front end down. This method will feel very harsh if the front end slaps down first.

2)Hit drop (the faster the better) as above have body weight back on the bike and keep front wheel level with rear wheel. Keep weight backwards on the bike but land both wheels first. This method is best done with speed, DO NOT DO SLOWLY TO FLAT

3) Do the same as above but land front wheel a little bit before rear wheel. Lots of people will say no this is bad, but damn what is that suspension on the front for?

Hardtail to down ramp

1) Hit drop with weight towards the rear of the bike, keep front wheel level with back wheel. Once the rear wheel is off the drop let the font wheel start to drop, but keep control by keeping weight backwards. Allow it so that bith wheel land at the same time.

2) Same as above, but again a little front wheel first.

Dually to flat

1) Again the faster the smoother. Keep bike level as you take off. Try to land both wheels at thge same time.

2) Same as above but land slightly front wheel first.

NOTE... DO NOT LAND REAR FIRST like the trials style or #1 HT to flat. This will cause rear suspension to compress, slacken head angle and cause forks to slap the ground and not want to compress. End result stuffed bushings or cracked crowns or sheered headtubes.

Dually to Down ramp

1) Keep wheels level as you take off and land both wheels at same time.

2) Keep wheels level as take off and land front wheel slightly first.

Remember do not always depend on a bikes suspension to soften the landing, to ease the shock on your bike and you, use arms and legs as suspension with your bikes. Also there will be some situations where you nee dto use different methods, this is just a guideline, do not take it as gospel and find a method you think suits you best.

Also with duallies different people have different opinions on landing. Some say rear a bit first, but I come form a racing background and hate that. Together is barely ok, front first is best. On a DH or Fr rig you have 7inches up front to make up for it... USE IT. Also when the front is on the ground you have the ability to turn, and the rear wheel will go where the front one goes and in racing/ high speed situations, every microsecond of turning capabilities count.

I ride a 05' Gary Fisher Opie. (Hardtail)

Thanks man for the amount of detail you put in the reply. For the most part, it seems like I've been doing everything right. That's good... =) But sometimes I would slap the rear wheel down really hard, and I was afraid that I would bend the rims or possible taco. Maybe I'm just over exagerating, but I just bought this bike.

Anyway, thanks again man. This is a big help.

OK if it is a hardtail to flat there are a couple of methods.
1) Roll up to landing and lean back as going over the lip. keep front wheel LEVEL with back wheel. As your rear wheel goes off the drop push your back wheel down so it hits the ground way first. As it hits compress legs and lean back and down and GENTLY lower front end down. This method will feel very harsh if the front end slaps down first.
Nasty. Id rather lift the front wheel more rather than push the back down. Could end up with a back rim that hates you. (IE is very very bent/flat spotted)


Also with duallies different people have different opinions on landing. Some say rear a bit first, but I come form a racing background and hate that. Together is barely ok, front first is best. On a DH or Fr rig you have 7inches up front to make up for it...
Yeah, but probably more travel on the rear. Why not use that? (Just stirring you up Hopper :D)

As for the rest, I agree.

for landing to flat on a hardtail, you want to land like a trials drop, like hopper said. bike should be practically vertical and body should be up against the bars.

Nasty. Id rather lift the front wheel more rather than push the back down. Could end up with a back rim that hates you. (IE is very very bent/flat spotted)


Yeah, but probably more travel on the rear. Why not use that? (Just stirring you up Hopper :D)

As for the rest, I agree.

Push the back down, the idea is you are less likely to loose balance and go arse over rear, and the rear end gets to the ground quicker, this means the bike has had less time to gain speed therefore making it easier to let the front down slowly.

Time to take the bait:p... because you suck :p Nah the idea is that if you land back first it makes the fork slap down, as mentioned in my first post and also allows for more time with control also in first post. Also Steve Marsh said it's better to land nose first, so it must be true :p

Haha good reply to my stir. As for landing with a hardtail, meh. I dont even know what i do, i just do it. If pushing the back down is what you do, then ok :D