BMX - Pitching the front end down for the landing

I just modified my "starting hill" on my track in to a pretty big jump. The jumps I'm seeing in photos of really good jumpers are pretty big, and pretty steep. So I carved out the side of the 5 foot high hill. It's a nice sweeping concave that nearly vertical at the lip. then the top is about 6 feet across and drops down the back side which is steep, but not as steep as the jump. I'm having a tough time pitching the bike down to land even with the down hill. I end up on my back wheel all the time, I'm afraid I'm going to loop out when landing. Forcing yourself to endo that far is a little strange. Since it's death any other time, it's a bit of a challenge to make yourself do it for the first time. My other jumps have downhill landings, but not very steep. They are more distance jumps.

How were your first attemps at landing on a steep down hill?

just tap your brakes a little.

I used to do that on my KX250, but I didn't think of it on a bicycle. *hmmmm*

You know how you stall in the air on a dirtbike over a realy tall and steep step up? Just kind of do that.

Crashing sucks, that's all I'm saying.

A pic from today. Not the jump this thread is about, but I though it was a cool pic.

I think that you forgot something.

I think that you forgot something.


I'm having trouble getting the pic uploaded.

A pic from today. Not the jump this thread is about, but I though it was a cool pic.

Is there a size limit? I had to resize it to 64kb to get it to upload.

Now don't laugh.

I think that you need to make that jump about four feet taller, dig out the middle, and give it a steep landing.

I have a jump that taller, to the left of the pic. With a steep landing, but I'm not into duggout middles. Why risk it?

thats cool that your 39 and still ridin around.

I have a jump that taller, to the left of the pic. With a steep landing, but I'm not into duggout middles. Why risk it?
I would dig it out.

I would dig it out.

Answer his question.

I'll admit, It would look cooler, like you are higher in the air. But I don't always hit the jumps fast, someimtes I roll them to save it for the next jump. Table tops are plenty fun, and safe for my 11 yo who is just learning to jump. And it's a slow process for him. I don't want to make it any scarier for the little guy.

Don't you guys wear helmets at home?

Um, no. Just at the track. But my son learned to put the gloves on when he did a hand first belly slide of the side of his bike yesterday.

Don't you guys wear helmets at home?

I only wear a helmet when I'm downhill mtbing, and sometimes when I'm out in the woods with my dirtjumps.

I wear a helmet snowboarding, and wake boarding. Probably should wear one jumping.

I guess it all depends on what your head's worth.

i didnt no people wore helmets wakeboarding...i've never worn a wakeboard helmet

Alrighty then let see a pic of you jumping with YOUR helmet mister! :)

Why risk it?

Because it forces you to go faster, and helps you progress. If you always have a safety, you'll never get anywhere.

Because it forces you to go faster, and helps you progress. If you always have a safety, you'll never get anywhere.
Yeh that is true, but I never really thought about to much with bmx but I have with skiin.

Alrighty then let see a pic of you jumping with YOUR helmet mister! :)

Me? Hell, I wear a helmet to vacuum the house. Seriously though, I always wear a helmet. Haven't you had a big stack while racing yet? Things happen real fast, and the last thing I want to worry about is my head hitting something hard, or getting run over. You'd be lucky to catch me jumping at all. In my old age, I've become something of a "Leaner". I seem to want to fall over mid-air. I'm hoping the purchase of my 20" BMX will allow me to correct this.

Stop posting, for the love of God and all that is holy.

Me? Hell, I wear a helmet to vacuum the house. Seriously though, I always wear a helmet. Haven't you had a big stack while racing yet? Things happen real fast, and the last thing I want to worry about is my head hitting something hard, or getting run over. You'd be lucky to catch me jumping at all. In my old age, I've become something of a "Leaner". I seem to want to fall over mid-air. I'm hoping the purchase of my 20" BMX will allow me to correct this.


I'm with you on the leaning. I get that way from time to time. 2 Years ago, I did crash breaking my collar bone racing, the side of my head plowed into the jump as well. But I don't push myself very fast on my own track. Not saying I don't need one. Just saying that I wouldn't get up to speed without one.

Someone on here called me a dork a while back. Like that's an insult? I seem to have gotten clumsier as I've gotten older. My first day at the track, as a guest, I took my friend's bike out for a few laps. I did ok, but rolling into the pits/viewing area, my feet slipped off the pedals (they were wet from the wet grass), and I went down in front of a group of people. So there you have it, some days I should wear a helmet when I'm walking.

Someone on here called me a dork a while back. Like that's an insult? I seem to have gotten clumsier as I've gotten older. My first day at the track, as a guest, I took my friend's bike out for a few laps. I did ok, but rolling into the pits/viewing area, my feet slipped off the pedals (they were wet from the wet grass), and I went down in front of a group of people. So there you have it, some days I should wear a helmet when I'm walking.

Haha thats kinda funny.

i agree with beerman, you aren't going to progress unless you overcome your fears. if you roll up to a jump too slow, the gap will teach you to go faster. Go big, it's a green bottle.


I only wear a helmet at skateparks, cause they make me. helmets are uncomfortable, and they look very stupid outside of skateparks

You got a 'fro to protect your head?

Go big, it's a green bottle.

This kid knows what's up.

i didnt no people wore helmets wakeboarding...i've never worn a wakeboard helmet

2 reasons, my frined had his ear drum damaged in a fall, and the edge of the board can lead to lots of stitches in your head.

This kid knows what's up.

What is up?

Since I've built my smallish double but with a rather steep landing. I've found that pitching the front end down comes naturally. After my double comes a pretty big table top, about 12 to 14 feet long. I'm having trouble making it acroos the whole thing at this point since I'm not carrying that much speed off the double. Some rather hard cranking is in order. I gotta tell ya, it's very cool having your own land to ride on. I wish you all had your own land to build a track on. It's fun fun. To bad my son doens't really get it. He'd rathe play Game Cube than ride on the track. Some people just take to BMX naturally I guess. I've never been all the great at it, but I've had alot of fun throught the years, and that's enough.

Because it forces you to go faster, and helps you progress. If you always have a safety, you'll never get anywhere.
Thats inspiring, and a great point. Thanks ill have to tell some of the people that i ride with, so that they stop trying to put ***** landings behind the bigger jumps when they are trying them, and yes i have done it before but, i try not to now.

Thats inspiring, and a great point. Thanks ill have to tell some of the people that i ride with, so that they stop trying to put ***** landings behind the bigger jumps when they are trying them, and yes i have done it before but, i try not to now.

***** = safer?

Safe is a synonym for boring.

I kind of have a fear of heights, which means that I suck at dirt jumping because I **** up whenever I hit a double, and crash.. but I'm making one anyway and hopefully I'll get over it before I kill myself or break anything.

Safe is a synonym for boring.
I like that one too.







And no *****/=/ Safer..

I was referint to b*tchlandings, you know where you pile up dirt on the back of a landing to make it easier not to die if you case...

its like a tabletop but only for a foot behing the landing, so theres still a gap...

Its dumb.

I kind of have a fear of heights, which means that I suck at dirt jumping because I **** up whenever I hit a double, and crash.. but I'm making one anyway and hopefully I'll get over it before I kill myself or break anything.

Um, usually it's a fear of falling. But people are rarely injure themselves in a fall. It's the sudden stop that does all the damage.

Um, usually it's a fear of falling. But people are rarely injure themselves in a fall. It's the sudden stop that does all the damage.
Thats true, i guess...

i didnt no people wore helmets wakeboarding...i've never worn a wakeboard helmet
have you ever fallin off of a wakeboard before? If you're goin fast enough, it feels like you just fell of your bike onto concrete. I never wear one, but i probably should.

Wakeboarding and wakeskating is only supposed to be done at around 25 km/h or slower. The water only starts to hurt at about 35 km/h plus, even if you are jumping the wake high and landing on your head. The only way it will hurt is if you belly flop, or catch your toe edge. BMX hurts way more

Wakeboarding and wakeskating is only supposed to be done at around 25 km/h or slower. The water only starts to hurt at about 35 km/h plus, even if you are jumping the wake high and landing on your head. The only way it will hurt is if you belly flop, or catch your toe edge. BMX hurts way more


The helmet in wakeboarding isn't to protect your head from hitting the water. But fromt he board hitting your head, which happens. Also, my helmet has ear flaps. It's not hard to damage you ear drum in a fall with water rushing in your ear.

oh. i guess i've never fallen that hard doing it

The helmet in wakeboarding isn't to protect your head from hitting the water. But fromt he board hitting your head, which happens. Also, my helmet has ear flaps. It's not hard to damage you ear drum in a fall with water rushing in your ear.
My cousin hurt his ear drum bad from a wakeboarding fall, but a helmet wouldn't have prevented that, unless of course if had the ear things like yours does. If I had a decent water rail for wakeboarding Id consider a helmet. Acctually probably not, but it would probably be a good idea. Also I've never heard of someone hitting their head on their board, Unless it was a wake skate which dosent have bindings.

Me? Hell, I wear a helmet to vacuum the house. Seriously though, I always wear a helmet. Haven't you had a big stack while racing yet? Things happen real fast, and the last thing I want to worry about is my head hitting something hard, or getting run over. You'd be lucky to catch me jumping at all. In my old age, I've become something of a "Leaner". I seem to want to fall over mid-air. I'm hoping the purchase of my 20" BMX will allow me to correct this.

Since I'm buzy with the band again this year. I won't be racing. But I have worn a helmet on my own jumps. The helmet makes me feel safer, which lets me ride a little harder. But I wear a helmet wakeboardeing.

I always ride with my helmet, especially for trails and skateparks(dont really have a choice there...), its just not worth it to me to be "cool" not wearing a helmet opposed to wearing it and being safe. And my helment, at least to me, is comfortable and i like it for the most part, despite its desperate need for a paintjob or sticker gunk removal...(im too lazy)

The only thing i do without my helmet that has wheels is skateboarding(i dont skate anymore) and when i used to scooter (haha).

2 reasons, my frined had his ear drum damaged in a fall, been there done that