Going Off Drop-Offs
 

Hey, ive recently been taking mountain biking a little more seriously.
i really didnt go off any drop offs over 2-3 feet, and my front tire would just sink down, and then my back would follow.

but when i tried going off bigger drop-offs, i figured i just lean back, but it really doesnt seem to help. when you guys go of Bigger (like 4-6 feet) what do you guys do?

am i just not going off fast enough? should i just give my front wheel a little tug (as if doing a real small wheelie), or should i do a bunny hop (not one where i lift the front tire then the back, but one where i lift both tires at the same time), only thing is im worried if i do a bunny hop in which i lift both tires at the same time that my back tire might hit the lip of the drop off and id do a nosedive.

id just like to know what u guys do

Well, it sorta depends on the scenario. If it's something small and I don't have much speed, I'll push the bars forward and lean back right before the drop, which gets the front wheel up in the air. If I've got enough speed, I'll just bunny hop or even let the bike just flow if I'm going quick enough.

What ever you do, try not to land front wheel first. That will lead to bad, bad endos, and bad, bad news. I would try to land on the back wheel first, and get ready to brake!

would landing both wheels be even more better?

Yes...

And jim is right. I can think of 2 real ways to drop however depending on the scenario's you might have to use combinations of two moves...so practice these

1 - wheelie drop. Do you know how to wheelie...well do that off of a curb until you have the timing
2 - manual - pull up and ride out the drop (easier when going fast)

Thats it. Simple to explain hard to do...practice ;)

When you do the drops, how high do you ususally run your tire pressure?

low (30ish depending on the tire itself)...but I don't like high tire pressure on my ht...on my dually I run harder as the suspension does its job...

Oh and I did forget the other thing you need to drop...

nuts/confidence...its really easy. There is not trick or some mystical power to dropping off stuff...it takes gonads. I don't go big...not because I 'can't' drop, but because my nuts are smaller then my eyes :D

What is the difference between these? I thought they were the same thing.

A wheelie drop, also known as a mono, is when you pedal while having your front wheel in the air. A manual is when you don't pedal. Mono's are easier as their is constant power going to the rear wheel making it easier to pull up and keep up.

Also when dropping doing a two foot drop is basically the same as a six foot drop. This is only in style however, they will feel totally different as you gain speed while falling. Just practice, this is the only way to get better. Do you think Grant Allen or Wade simmons just woke up one morning before they started riding and said, "lets go do a 30 foot drop." NO! They built up to these.

A mono...it always amazes me how different terms are from area to area. Living in little australia I would have expected to know that term...a mono..Curious is it a short form for something?

I think its like this: Mono means single or 1. So in a wheelie, you only have 1 wheel on the ground. Thats what i've always thought

ALright thanks a lot everyone. i guess i was really confused if u wud do a bunny hop or wheelie/manuel. i guess wheelie does make more sense, because if u bunnyhop too low ur back tire will clip the ledge and u do a nosedive. thanks a lot. i hav a nice 4.5 foot stone wall in my back yard, that goes into some dirt, so i practice going off that. i can finally get my back tire to land first.

and to the person who said it depends how much Nuts you have, alls i have to say is if your not scared, your not having fun.

Don't worry, I know all about nuts and fun (I live in bc haha). I was just explaining that drops don't take that much skill (below around 10 ft)...they take more balls then anything...

If you want to bunny hop a drop add a kicker to the top lip of the drop to kick you up more. Adds some spice to the drop....

ok so i want to make sure i have it right so i dont hurt myself.
when going off a drop off of more then 2 feet, (3-7) i should do...

1. even out my pedals
2. shift my weight back
3. lift my front tire up about 6 inches right before going off the drop off
4. go off and have fun

Also depends on your speed and if there is a down ramp, but yeah that sounds about right. Any way your the only person who can tell if your dropping well cos everyone has their own style.

Make sure you have a good transition for the landing. A transition with enough angle (going down) to keep you rolling will save your bike and body. Scout the landing well and make sure it flows to a safe place.

Drink lots of milk, ha ha. What you don't think of is that most of the huge drops you see are in places like Utah. There the landings are extremely long so if they stack their body still lands on the landing, which is very steep, so this is less damaging than falling onto flat. Also the ground at Utah is very soft, I've heard it's like getting an extra 2 inches of travel due to the softness.

One other thing the human body can take a hell of a lot of beating, well at least more than you think.

Alot of people use FS bikes to do this, but there are a few madmen out there(me included) who do this stuff on a hardtail. When I drop off of stuff I tend to like to do wheelie drops. I'll wheelie drop off of stuff up to 15' after that I will flow the bike off. Just make sure there is a transition though, drops to flat hurt like something awful.

the thing that i dont really like about drops is the bent rim factor... it goes like this.. if i do a drop, my rims bend.

anyway i can over the rim-bendage?

yep...

a) land smoother and use more suspension (in your legs)
b) buy better rims (stronger and usually heavier) and get them CUSTOM built by a good builder...
c) When you have this good wheel, check spokes often and keep properly tensioned.

Thats it.

thanks...

while we're at it, any pointers on leg suspension?

No pointers...when you land try and suck up as much of the landing with your legs as possible. Most people land to stiff which transfers the landing to the wheel and cranks. If you land and focus on compressing your legs as far as possible you will land smoother.

heehee.. you said 'no pointers' and proceeded to give pointers :P

thanks anyway though.

eh...I don't consider it a pointer as its just something that comes naturally and is obvious. You will find landing right saves your bike often and the better you land the smoother you will be able to ride away on a trail.