Jumping is undoubtedly fun – as are many aspects of mountain biking. As others have pointed out, it’s debatable if it can be considered a fundamental skill. If I was teaching someone new to MTBing how to ride, I’d have it quite far down the list tbh.

Just enjoy your own riding and don’t worry yourself about other people. Maybe they’ll be inspired to get some air after watching you soar by with a big grin on your face.

I love ‘trying’ to get air and most often it scares the crap out of me…which is why I keep doing it. If I ever master the skill I think it maybe a lot less exciting.

Rolling, jumping…it doesnt matter as long as you enjoy what and how you ride and push yourself to do the things you would like to master.

So your unfit then, spending all the time worrying about being able to jump?

3/4s of Jacobs is perfectly reasonable. top bits a pig as is the bottom bit, but most of the middle section’s perfectly ridable. Even the bottom bit isn’t that hard once you get to grips with the rocks moving around.

And no i haven’t missed your point, you are claiming that you have to be able to jump, brutal reality is you don’t, outside of trail centres and man made jump spots there are very few jumps, If your idea of MTBing is a glorified BMX track, then fine, if your idea of MTBing is actually riding a bike… Well…. If you want to ride a MTB off road then having some fitness helps far more than being able to do tricks.

Ever wondered why some don’t like the Sorreling of South Wales trail centres? maybe some people like to ride rocks and roots and not berms and jumps?

No, I didn’t claim that you have to be able to jump. I can’t jump for shit, but I’ll have a go at little ones. Admittedly, it comes pretty much at the bottom of the list, but I still stand by my point, that it is one of the core elements of technical mtb’ing – be it a little 12″ kicker, or a big rock in the trail. Being able to at least attempt it adds to the flow and enjoyment. IMO of course!

To be honest, I’ve never tried riding up Jacobs, as it doesn’t really appeal to me – I much prefer riding up the back of it and coming down Jacobs. I’m as fit as I manage to be, with the amount of riding time I have available – and none of that time is spent ‘practicing jumping’ – I just like to try and tackle natural features when I encounter them – all improves your biking skills, as does fitness.

My idea of MTB’ing, is riding my MTB over rough terrain, including uphills, Peak rockfests, Fort William, BPW and even Llandegla all included. I’m guessing if you don’t like berms, you must hate the Hagg Farm descent too?

I’m fat, unfit and lame on jumps, lame on most of the rest of the trail, and will probably never go any faster or try any harder. Am I not allowed out in this utopia of yours then?

If there’s an natural up slope, followed by a natural down slope in the vicinity, it’s a jump, no? You don’t have to jump these, you’re rolling them anyway, wouldn’t like to take the opportunity to jump them instead?

Generally, off road, isn’t the surface littered with lots of up slopes and down slopes? Hence littered with jumps?

Even riding along the road is littered with jumps.

I’m also of the opinion if you’re riding rough ground, flat out, your tyres are barely in contact in the ground, you need jumping technique to control the bike when it’s weightless. You might not notice it, but you’re doing it. When it gets out of control in these situations, i definitely think you need soem form of jumping related technique too to ensure safety.

Take pumping aswell, is that a necessary mtbing skill either? Endos, bunny hops? Where does it stop, where does the line stop that says that skill is not necessary? Are you all saying MTBing involves no skill, all you need is a set of lungs and are able to stay upright seated?

Anyone got any footage of the trail?

Exactly deanfbm!

You don’t have to be jedi master, but improving your skills in any area has to be good.

If you just want to pootle around holding your bars, pedalling and braking, then that’s your prerogative and if you enjoy your riding then all is good, just don’t say that being able to manoeuvre a bike over obstacles is unimportant.

CBATRATS but is it because you’re in the south and there’s loads of mincer on expensive bikes?

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR – Member

If you just want to pootle around holding your bars, pedalling and braking, then that’s your prerogative and if you enjoy your riding then all is good, just don’t say that being able to manoeuvre a bike over obstacles is unimportant.

Apart from the obvious lolz- if that’s what they want to do then they’re 100% correct that anything else is unimportant.

I shred teh gnat to teh maxxxx on my gnarpoon.

Am I orsumz enuff to be in the OP’s crew?

There are lots of people that can’t do the very basics of riding. A small wheelie, a bunnyhop, ride no handed, a little jump….

I have ridden no handed ,but apart from that have seen no need to do the other stuff in 30 years of MTBing

Don’t we all have our own version of what riding a mountain bike is? Upping your game may be a long endurance ride, visiting wide open country or clearing a difficult climb. It’s what you want it to be.

I’ve loads of experience riding all over the world and doing endurance events but jumping, doesn’t hold any interest at all. I did it when I was a kid. That’s it.

And I tell you something there are plenty of born again types being shuttled out by ambulence at our local – Sherwood pines ‘cos they tried to up their game on the jumps park.

… amazed at the number of riders who made no attempt to get air – not even on the easy low level table tops. Most people just rolled the whole trail! They’re just missing out so much that is fundemental to MTB’ing. I’m not talking big stuff here. C’mon at least make the effort and ride the trail the way it was designed to be ridden

There’s so much in that statement that irks me. Take “fundemental to MTB’ing“.

Ignoring the obvious spelling error, to be fundamental something has to be a necessary base or core; to be of central importance. I wouldn’t put jumping into that category when it comes to riding your MTB. Neither, it appears, would one of the UK’s most respected MTB instructors as he didn’t include “jumping” in his basic skills course (maybe it is next in line after Active body position and timing, Berms and Rollers, Bike Setup, Braking, Cornering, Having fun on a bike, Looking ahead, Maintaining speed through turns, Relaxing on the bike).

Most of the trails I ride are natural and not designed to be ridden in a particular way (i.e. not designed at a trail centre), but even so, who is the OP to say how I should ride an obstacle. There are potentially several different ways to tackle each trail feature.

Personally, I have always felt that fitness, route planning, navigation and endurance were fundamental to what I call MTB’ing. But know that those aspects are not necessarily what everyone else values.

Bottom line is that MTB’ing means different things to different people. If you’re riding off-road on varying degrees of technical trail then you’re a mountain biker. Do your own thing and have fun on your bike.

… and yes, I’m too old and wise (maybe) to take too many risks with jumping 🙂

theonlyeayisup
Personally, I have always felt that fitness, route planning, navigation and endurance were fundamental to what I call MTB’ing. But know that those aspects are not necessarily what everyone else values.

Bottom line is that MTB’ing means different things to different people. If you’re riding off-road on varying degrees of technical trail then you’re a mountain biker. Do your own thing and have fun on your bike.

… and yes, I’m too old and wise (maybe) to take too many risks with jumping
We’ll said my man 😆
Various dodgy/knackered body parts makes me very hesitant at any wheels off the ground action 🙄 Tried to grind up the last bit of a hill the other night and my knee gave way, nearly ending in tears!! Just one of the reasons I don’t / won’t jump. Having witnessed fallers and been stretcher barer has also made me cautious. Last one was a helicopter job!
I hope to be the owner of a nice bike if I can afford one soon, will still be keeping my wheels on the ground……..

An old work colleague made similar comments about people who go to the gym and do what he considered to be the bare minimum such as walking on a tread mill rather than killing themselves trying to do a marathon as he would. He changed his mind when I brought to his attention that MrsT suffered from a degenerative arthritis condition and that especially during the winter months has difficulty walking outdoors.,she may also have to have either joint straightening operations or amputations in the future. Old colleague is a world champ sculler btw and for his age is super fit 🙂

I like mtb vids and there are some real corkers out there of people with super skills which make wonder how they are not dead.

But I have just come across this one that given this thread and my contribution has made me feel a proper lady garden.
[video]http://youtu.be/2tkKqoowfC4[/video]

Even the OP’s got bored with this one.

He’s under his bridge, sheltering from the rain

If there’s a jump to be had, Jump it!

Even if you can’t jump it, try, surly??

54% of the people here are truly ‘rad’ apparently… According to our 2010 poll. Time for a new one?
I’d put myself in the biggest group…. 😉

http://singletrackworld.com/pollsarchive/?poll_page=62

Some of us do launch the jumps…. even manage to “launch” something you might not have noticed on the trail in front of you.

The problem I have at the moment, is not being able to get enough speed to cleanly clear gaps (BMX race track), but I’m working on it..

I’ll do small jumps, mostly kerb style jumps as the trail pops them up, but if my wheels get any more than a foot of the ground, i’m getting out of my comfort zone. Table tops and humps and stuff? I’ve no interest in doing at all. Then again trail centres are few and far between for me mind, so I don’t really get much exposure to them. But again, mtbing for me isn’t really about getting round the trail as fast as I can it’s about being out on the bike, I’ll be as adverturous as I feel like at a certain time.

Plus if you smoked as much weed as I do while out and about, you’d probably get a little vertigo too when it came to the jumps! 😆

While I admire some guys skills, that sort of stuff has no value in my riding.
Miles, hours and days over country is my thing.

But I understand your statement about folk not moving on. It’s all about comfort zones now.

My aim this year was to push my boundaires, push my comfort zones and become a more rounded MTBer. All began with an AM purchase at Xmas, then trips to BPW at JEDI, i feel now that as far as ‘skills’ go, ive upped my game massively this year, with jumps, drops and gaps now being more viable a prosepct.

I’ve also up my balls factor, attacking trails more than i would have previously and taking on stuff that once would have scared me.

I must admit, i’m not sure where this will take me, or how much i want to get more ‘gnar’ than i have, i’m in my 40’s with wife/son and whilst pushing yourself is exceptional fun, it’s also dangerous and can end in broken bones quite easily.

oh, FFS.

Is it all right with you if I just ride my bike? 🙄

Plus if you smoked as much weed as I do while out and about, you’d probably get a little vertigo too when it came to the jumps!

Sounds good.

Its weird, I’ve ridden all my life, I used to be crazy for air as a youth. But ten years riding xc has killed that for me, the skills and bottle has gone and now I’m simply risk averse as regards air time. I’ll ride off a cliff when going dh, I just hate jumps.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ap2J9RbXaP4

Miles, hours and days over country is my thing.

Exactly. If I want to get air I’ll book with EasyJet.

They’re just missing out so much that is fundemental to MTB’ing

Curious thing to say. When was the last time you left a trail centre and headed out into the mountains?

There is no right or wrong. There is just enjoying riding bikes.

Caffeineoldbean

I was thinking that this thread needs more of

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz7_3n7xyDg&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

maybe this 🙂

Is that cat wearing a GoPro ?

🙂

^ 😀 ^
Simon says………JUMP!

ohrats – Member
Plus if you smoked as much weed as I do while out and about, you’d probably get a little vertigo too when it came to the jumps!

Sounds good.tis good fun, I don’t expect everyone to partake though!

I’d probably jump more if I had a carbon bike and spds, but my bike is alu and I’m rocking flats. BUT I do try and jump, not big ones but when I’m flying down the lower cliff at Cannock it’s difficult not to jump and I have to admit I absolutely love it when I do get some air and land it nice.

Some comments above have made me chuckle, others are a little more balanced and quite sensible and relevant.

BUT, for those of you who don’t have sugar in your tea, you really should up your game. It’s one of the fundamentals of tea drinking, you know.

Whatever makes you smile innit!

I started riding bikes offroad over 30 years ago, me and my mates didn’t have access to trail centers even if they did exist. So we just clattered around local woods and ranges and where we did get air it tended to be the odd natural roller. I’m still more than happy to jump off something like that.

But deliberately manufactured trail center jumps are steep faced and deliberately kicked, they seem designed to give you 3 feet of altitude for every 6 inches forward and I have no idea how you’re supposed to go about it, even if most of them weren’t only about 3 inches wide. So, it’s cos they build them wrong! 😆

Kids eh!
[video]http://youtu.be/-TP5r6IZujc[/video]

I think WaywardRider is just a bit passionate about what he does. and when you are, you can’t understand why other folk don’t seem the same.

I can relate. I apologised on a club run last Tuesday for going on about how easy it would be for them to join me on a 300 or 600km road ride, none of them had any interest in riding past 100km.