Mountain Biking - dh/freeride air question

Hey dudes. I got a question so give me all your secret tips. I took the bullit out today for a true test. One of my favorite trails has a downhill section on it that is a fire road about a mile long, and has lots of cool rain turnouts built on it so there's lots of chances to jump. This bike is way more capable than me at this point, but it does inspire confidence so I was hitting these things today alot faster than I ever did on my xc bike.

Anyway, I'm more of a motocrosser, and mx bikes have pedals opposing each other instead of staggered like on a bicycle (plus they have a gas tank to squeeze your legs on to). So every time I tried to hit a face hard, and especially when I preloaded, my back end always kicked around opposite my back foot. It's kinds scary too, so I thought I might ask for some expert advice. How do you balance out your forward movement on the pedals? I got up to some 10-12' airs but that's about as far as I want to take it before I get this little bug worked out. I do want to do whips, but later when they are intentional ;)

BTW- it got up to 68 here today WOW! I am very sore, ended up doing way more than I had intended to.

Pic is the end of the trail, and turn around point:

Practice my man. Practice. Just try differant techniques on small jumps to see what the differances are. Then move up.

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(plus they have a gas tank to squeeze your legs on to).

You can pinch your seat with your lower thighs/knees.

So, 10' to 12' of air huh? Is that hight or distance? If it is hight you should get some pics for us.:D

Slainte:beer:

Practice- yes, how could I have forgotten that one since I tell that to my kid all the time hehe.

That was definately distance, I'm not quite ready to fall off something that tall. I did look at a couple short cliffs outta the corner of my eye but being alone I figured I better wait 'til there was somebody with me to drag me back to the Jeep if I crash. It's coming though, this is addictive, almost as bad as racing...

I used to have the same problem, my buddies called it the "dead sailor". I'd get air (usally a big double), and freeze - the bike would follow my last imput. Now I move that two wheel'd steed all over the place - MTB's are much lighter than MX bikes - you can constantly correct every angle in the air - you can't use the motor or brakes (unless you really skilled) to correct your pitch, but your arms go along way. A far as keeping your ass end straight, use you butt and hips - dirtbikedude is right, practice, practice, practice - and always remember, your the boss in the air, not the bike.