Any tips on catching air?

[Fred Pabst]

I struggle with consistently being able to get my front wheel up in the air on 1' to 2' hits, so as to not just not land on the front fork/wheel. I've always been more of a XC rider. Some of the trails being built in my area require some small airs, no B lines. Seems sometimes I can get my timing right to get some lift, but other times the launch angle just doesn't work for me. I got the dropper post so I can lower my C of G back. Am I just not committing or being aggressive enough? Any other tips?

[::: :::]

McCormack and Lopes book on MTB skills is very good at explaining & showing - find it at your library or Amazon

[jm2e]

Go to a mall/church/school parking lot with sidewalks that step down over a curb. Drop off the curb from the sidewalk to the parking lot level, experimenting with pulling pulling up, pulling back and thrusting the front end out. Get to where you can reliably land both wheels at the same time or back wheel first. Congrats, you've figured it out.

[stuckathuntermtn]

For me, it's definitely a confidence (or lack thereof) and form (or lack thereof) conspiring together. Also, my fork needs a rebuild. Having no rebound if you fork is pretty sketch. Is your suspension set up correctly and in good working order?
And ditto the above. Practice bunny hopping. You don't really need to be able to do it very high, just get to the point where, as Jm2e said, your wheels are both landing at the same time. (the secret is pointing your feet).

[kidwoo]

(the secret is pointing your feet).

It is?

How does that work?

[El Kanone]

First focus on pumping terrain.
Then master the manual.
Then add the bunny hop or the lifting on the hips at the end of a manual.
Then link the three together on the trail.

Watch videos of the smoothest guys in slo mo and visualize yourself doing it.

[evdog]

I got the dropper post so I can lower my C of G back. Am I just not committing or being aggressive enough? Any other tips?

You want your seat down but you want to be centered over the bike, not with your weight way back.

The best advice is to learn how to bunny hop with flat pedals. Once you get that technique down, it is essentially the same body motion as you ride into and take off from a lip, even a small one. I won't try to put that motion into words, there are plenty of youtube vids or the books mentioned that will do a much better job than I could. Then start small and practice, practice, practice. And continue to practice if you want to retain the skill. You can lose any comfort level you gain for them if you don't use it.

[strawjack]

Buy a 26er full carbon everything so you weigh in at about 18.2lbs. Piece of cake

[east or bust]

First focus on pumping terrain.
Then master the manual.
Then add the bunny hop or the lifting on the hips at the end of a manual.
Then link the three together on the trail.

Watch videos of the smoothest guys in slo mo and visualize yourself doing it.

Is manual the right word there? I can lift the front tire for 20 feet or so but can't hold it indefinitely.

Pretty sure Robbie Bourdon can't manual.

[Fred Pabst]

Thank you all. Some good stuff to work on. Bunny hopping has never been an issue. I just need to apply that timing to the lip of the drop. XC = no platform pedals for me.

[Canada1]

Speed is your friend.

Go to one of the many parks out there and spend a day and you'll find it helped your cross country. At least that is what I have found.

[muted]

Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn
(the secret is pointing your feet).

It is?

How does that work?

I think you point them up like a ski jumper.

[davep]

The fact that you're calling it "getting some lift" makes me wonder if you're trying to lift your front wheel up by pulling up on your handlebars/pedals (hence absorbing the jump and getting bucked by your rear wheel), rather than pushing down against your bike on the take-off. I might be reading too much into your choice of words though.

Anyways - definitely read an mtb skillz book or watch some instructional vids. There are plenty of better instructors than us internet idiots.

[jm2e]

It is?

How does that work?

I dunno. Sometimes my feet start out pointing forward, but end up pointing behind me.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Point them up you ass

[Swine]

Thank you all. Some good stuff to work on. Bunny hopping has never been an issue. I just need to apply that timing to the lip of the drop. XC = no platform pedals for me.

I would suggest getting on platforms to develop some of those skills. I'm sure I'll get some hate for it though.

[jm2e]

Just try jumping off curbs. It's what most of us did as kids so many times we don't even think about it.
It took my wife a couple hours of jumping off curbs to finally figure it out. Now she's a jumping fool.

[MakersTeleMark]

Compress, pop, air, flair if you want to, but flow.

Just think ride in your mind.

If you are effortless, it just goes. Pop, flow, and look forward.

Hard to describe. But if you hit it once, you'll never miss it.

It's like a ping. if that helps.

Ping, pop, land. Yum.

Shit. I forgot the most important part: speed. Come in as as hot as you can. You can adjust altitude or trajectory from there;

But, you need to come in really hot.

Scrubbing is easy, but you can't make up for speed.

= commit to big, it's not as big as you think.

Happy landings. And carry that shit, you'll need it, it's not your first punch.

[Fred Pabst]

[QUOTE=davep;4759141]The fact that you're calling it "getting some lift" makes me wonder if you're trying to lift your front wheel up by pulling up on your handlebars/pedals (hence absorbing the jump and getting bucked by your rear wheel), rather than pushing down against your bike on the take-off. I might be reading too much into your choice of words though.

You nailed it. That's exactly what I was trying to do and it was not working very well. I will not be working on pre-loading or bunny hopping as I approach the lip. Awesome. This I can do. Thanks again.

[Conundrum]

Watch Rad and report back.

[babybear]

[QUOTE=Fred Pabst;4759479]

You nailed it. That's exactly what I was trying to do and it was not working very well. I will not be working on pre-loading or bunny hopping as I approach the lip. Awesome. This I can do. Thanks again.

thinking about being more dynamic on the bike also helped me a ton with getting enough preload/compression before a jump. It felt like I was pushing down hard but really I wasn't and once I remedied that it was way better.
I think Adam mentioned above but the Lopes Mastering Mountain biking book is great. I'm the type who has to think it through step by step and it's well done in that sense-

although I'm perturbed right now bc I can't find the book in the house. You've got me wanting to check out a couple sections.
And I may also get some hell for this, but wearing a gopro and/or having someone film you on trail is helpful in that you can see how your form is etc vs what you want to be doing.