Riding at BPW yesterday and riding loads of berms I came to the conclusion I am rubbish at them. My understanding has always been brake before and not during, but nine time out of ten I still do. Some reading today suggests both brakes before the berm and then some rear to avoid speeding too much in the berm, I shall try this next time.

yes but that’s cause I cant ride for shit lol

Only if I shit myself that I’m going to fast to make the next one…

Fast in, slow out. That’s me 😕

yep, and I know I shouldn’t. Can’t bloody stop myself through!

Only when I get it worng

Must avoid the elephant in the room……
Must avoid
Must av
Must

YOU NEED A SKILLZ COURSE ..
😉 😆

Enter low, exit high. that’s right isn’t it? 😕

Fast in, slow out. That’s me

Slow in, slow out, slow in the inbetween bits. That’s me.

If in doubt deploy excuse no3

Do they make these berms a particular radius to make you slow down..?

YOU NEED A SKILLZ COURSE ..

Booked in for Friday> 😀

Well apparently Kris Kovarik does it on occasion, so I feel better.

That’s been my most recent area I’ve been trying to improve. It used to be brake the whole time and the 100m before the corner… Main help for me so far has been spotting the exit if it isn’t obscured rather than looking in the middle bit or worrying about jumping off the outside. Other thing is that I try to not think about my body leaning, rather as my bike doing most of the leaning.

For the record I have been on more than one skills course, where you practice the same few turns and get used to the required speed and grip levels, then you ride a long unfamiliar trail and are all over the place.

This was the main focus of my riding for ages after going on a skills course with Jedi a few years back, he said he always knew when I was braking in the corners as it brings the bike back upright apparently (which is the last thing you want!)

A few things that help me: look at the exit not in front & set your body up for the turn (i.e. hips pointed in the direction you’re turning – driving with the hips through the turn really helps me tighten the turn). Pushing the bars down into the corner with your inner arm to lean the bike whilst keeping the body upright so you can use the outer knobblies on your tyres (essential if you’re running a Rock Razor or similar!)

Having the saddle out of the way is handy if there’s a series of turns/berms as you have to move your body position over to the opposite side ASAP. I find the bigger, more dynamic the movement & the harder I can push with arms/legs the tighter/faster I can turn which is essential at speed – don’t just cruise round corners!

sensible answer…steer with your hips, keep looking at/for the exit, lean the bike not you.

This was an interesting read.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/zeps-how-to-mythbusters-braking-through-downhill-corners-2015.html

Surely that’s “Braking bad”? (I’ll get my coat)

For the record I have been on more than one skills course, where you practice the same few turns and get used to the required speed and grip levels, then you ride a long unfamiliar trail and are all over the place.

Did you practice, practice, practice what you learned on your skills day?

Are you all over the place diving down an unfamiliar road?

Do you brake on every bend? Or at other times for no reason? One of my riding mates does this in a car or on a bike and he’s terrifying to follow.

also: yes, do all your braking before the corner, as much as you feel you need to be in control (you can always try it faster next time!) then by pumping the corner you should exit a bit faster.

My issues are worse when riding in a group, it is a mad dash to catch the rider in front and lose the rider behind you. These days I don’t get the opportunity to practice much, so I guess time on the bike is an issue.

Rob Hilton, in a car no, I really don’t see the two as comparable in any way. The trails yesterday were full of dust and gravel, don’t think the rock razor helped much.

My issues are worse when riding in a group, it is a mad dash to catch the rider in front and lose the rider behind you.

the problem is that technique can go out the window unless you’ve really drilled it in! Maybe try going out on your own as well, take it slow but focus on getting the technique right, then build up speed gradually.

I put a Rock Razor on last month for the first time, I really rate it, loads of grip, obviously you have to lean it over properly though (& rely a bit more on the front brake when braking coming into the corner or downhill)

in a car no, I really don’t see the two as comparable in any way.

totally comparable, if we’re taking about comfort braking around a known corner. If you can brake in the corner and make it round, you’ll certainly make it round without braking.

non-comparable braking would be a long wide corner that suddenly tightens, or corner where you’re well within yourself and something else happens that
you need to brake for, like a car edging out of a turning.

I really don’t see the two as comparable in any way

That’s where you’re going worng

Do I ever ? Yes sometimes. Do I try not to ? Yes of course.

On a steeper downhill berm (eg Alps etc) not braking can lead to warp factor speeds I am not comfortable with given my limited ability.

Thanks for the link Bagstard, that was reassuring for what generally happens when I’m cornering – braking to slow down before the corner and then braking to control speed through it… Though sometimes it’s difficult to tell where the slowing down stops and the control begins 😉

interesting read, thanks Bagstard

On a steeper downhill berm (eg Alps etc) not braking can lead to warp factor speeds I am not comfortable with given my limited ability.

I can’t help thinking that’s a practicle joke played on XC guys doing downhill runs.

I know what I’m supposed to do and actually try to do that. But reality gets in the way some of the time.

Tyres and tyre pressures make a massive difference though. Worth messing about with them almost as much as technique. Tyres that give confidence help massively.

Chicksands is a good place to practice, its soft and sandy, so when you get it wrong it doesn’t hurt much.

Chicksands is a good place to practice, its soft and sandy, so when you get it wrong it doesn’t hurt much.

the Dual Slalom course? Totally agree: roll off the ramp, no pedals, no brakes.

I know what I’m supposed to do and actually try to do that. But reality gets in the way some of the time.

That’s the difference between a skills course (where they teach you the skills) and coaching (where you know what you should be doing but need help doing it).

I could write a book on the theory of mountain biking. I know how to do everything…..but still can’t actually do half of it. I need coaching. You can practice practice paractice all you like but there is still no guarantee of actually making progress.

That’s why pro sports people have coaches. Coaches don’t teach, the coach is helping them actually apply what they know and achieve their max potential. It’s a real skill and something not everyone can do.

The theory of driving and riding may be similar, but no way would I drive my car on the limit like I do my bike. My car tyres never get tested like my bike tyres do.

Chick sands is a good shout, but it is the lower less supportive berms that give the most trouble. As many have said, I know the theory, just need to take time to practice without peer pressure.

mark90
Fast in, slow out. That’s me

Entry: On bike
Exit: On Face

😆

The theory of driving and riding may be similar, but no way would I drive my car on the limit like I do my bike. My car tyres never get tested like my bike tyres do.

It’s not driving v riding, although you adapt what you do on the road to the conditions you encounter and should do likewise on trails.

It’s more that the approach for any activity should be the same if you want to be good at it – break it down, practice and develop flow.

Essentially: slow down to go faster.

You don’t go straight to the heaviest weights when you join the gym just because you know the theory of how to pick something else.

TBF, you probably don’t ride your bike on the limit either.

As mentioned, Chicksands is a good place to learn. If you are more mid southern, then Tidworth Freeride Park has General Berminator, which will leave your legs burning by the end of it 🙂

Chicksands isn’t far from me.

I knew that was coming David, I meant my limits not the bikes. I would think driving a car on a track day would be a closer analogy.