[Closed] Learning to jump doubles

Jedi

Do you have a BMX track near you? Even for 26" they have some great jumps/doubles/triples to practise on.

Jedi +1

Do you have a BMX track near you?

Not sure about the BMX track. I am sure there are but I need to look. May need to hit that before the kids get up 😳

Was thinking of giving Jedi a shout also. Aftershock did you use Jedi specifically for doubles or just recommending him as agood coach in general?

stockwood springs to mind instantly, lots of nice jumps there and good for building up on.

build a big table top and gradually dig out the middle, or build a double and put some pallets in the middle to bridge it with supports and take them away when you know your clearing it , what we did for this one:

Sorry Steve. Stockwood springs? Where is that?

This is the longwell green track:
[img] [/img]

If you are already jumping Jedi should be able to sort you out. He's got an array of jumps at his place. I went as wheels firmly-on-the-ground novice and it soon became apparent tabeltops weren't going to happen but it was a bit of fun.

nickjb - that track looks ace fun!

Mate you have about 5 pump/dirt tracks in and around Brizzle, its heaving with them.

Longwell green is good. We went on a little mini-pump tour of Bristol a few months ago. The one under the flyover is also good but has some really tight turns.

Get yourself to some of them and just practise. I forget the name of the one but it starts by a push up the side of a hill and is really good for mountainbikes and learning. It has tables.

Brunel Way track
[img] [/img]

Just keep practising. Eventually you'll just go for it and clear a double you had your eye on or case it. Usually as long as you get your front wheel over the downslope you're ok.

Getting coaching will of course help you, but it won't really give you the bottle to try a scary double. Just build up to it and get time on the bike.

that track looks ace fun!

nickjb, are these doable on a full (26" wheel) size bike?
There's one a hillfields too isn't there?

Make sure you can clear a tabletop first.

From what I understand the technique involved with tables and doubles is the same, however when jumping doubles you need to be prepared to soak up the landing with your legs if you come up short.

You should also make sure that when clearing table tops you're landing slightly front wheel first, if you do this then your rear wheel should follow it.

I have the same mental problem at the moment, but that's primarily because the only doubles near to me as pretty big (bike length and a bit minimum), but I found another one a couple of weeks ago (just under a bike length) and jumped it a few times, managed to clear it but didn't feel comfortable!

Thanks guys. All very help full advice

Sounds like I have a wealth of reources on my doorstep that somehow have passed me by 😕

+ lots for Jedi

I went there for a chat and within 15 minutes I was clearing his table top and double.
Started rolling towards it slowly. Repeat rolling in from further up the hill. Repeat until you clear it. Repeat until you feel comfortable. Follow someone else into a new set of doubles. Ride the new set on your own. Repeat until comfortable. New jump and repeat.

Basically build up and repeat until you are comfortable.

there isn't a short cut.

As above - coaching or start small and work up on tables to start with, then move on to doubles.

Headcam video of Stockwood. I was there a couple of weeks ago and its still in great conditions:

I need to go there. Where is it exactly ?

If you can already jump then its just a case of getting over the fear of the gap. The technique is the same as tabletops. I understand the fear though, I'm still put off by a lot of doubles, even though I'm fine on similar size tabletops

Another for Jedi
He will tell you where to start from, if you follow his advise you will clear his first double and find the confidence to keep at it.
He does 1 2 1 or public jump days.

I don't like doubles, they just spazz me out a little, so I just found equivalent sized and shaped tabletops and rode them til the middle bit stopped mattering, then moved on from there.

Another for Jedi here.

The important thing you'll get from Jedi is learning the correct technique and overcoming the mental aspect of jumping doubles.

You probably feel a bit like I did before I went, confident on hitting drops and big tables but because I didn't really feel like I knew what I was doing (and had some nasty crashes) doubles they gave me the fear.

Even "looking" has a massive impact on how you'll ride jumps.

See him if you can. He really is amazing.

I don't like doubles, they just spazz me out a little, so I just found equivalent sized and shaped tabletops and rode them til the middle bit stopped mattering, then moved on from there.

Pretty much how I do it. As long as I can jump a similar distance and am totally comfortable, then it is normally ok.

Just back guys. Great advise all round.

Will see if I can get some time with Jedi set up

Following someone's wheel over doubles helps you judge the right speed which is the trickiest bit imo

Following someone's wheel over doubles helps you judge the right speed which is the trickiest bit imo

Unless they have much better technique and can hit them a lot slower!

You can do 10'+ vertical drops but can't jump a set of small doubles???

One takes balls.....the other takes skill 😉

i just read some advice above that scares me. I ride bmx trails, some are rather big to be honest, but i'm guessing you wont be jumping anything like them, more likely it will be mellow lips, and long mellow landings. Definitely don't try to land front wheel first when you start to learn! this is asking for trouble in my opinion. Try to get used to jumping a tabletop somewhere, and keeping the front wheel level with the back, until you can spot the landing, then you slowly try to land front wheel at the same time as the back, and when you get really confident, land front wheel first. Then when you get to a similar sized double, your best bet is to follow someone a few times towards the lip, but stop before hitting the jump, this will help you to judge speed etc. then when you hit the jump you can use the 'spotting the landing' technique. This is important, to make sure you dont come up short on the front wheel, as you will almost definitely go ove the bars. If you just hang up on the back wheel, the likelihood is, youll be fine, it wil just be a bit harsh, I managed to come up short with the back wheel ( as in right into the vertical part on the back) on a 20 foot racer, and roll away. The front would have been a different story altogether.

That probably makes no sense though unless you have someone show you the techniques im talking about.

Andy

rorshach, drops are one push, jumps are 2 🙂 not balls 😀

I rode BMX for years, mainly DJ, never liked learning on tables because no matter how big they get mentally the is still that safety net. What you see a lot is people learning by jumping and coming up shot and landing on the top, each go they go further and further until they can land on the down slope. With doubles this is not an option you have to commit first time, you may not always get it perfect but normally close enough to ride out and gauge it for a good 2nd attempt before dialling it in.

For me the process was start small (really small if needs be) when you become comfortable the you can go a wee bit bigger and so on and so on, then one day your shredding huge jumps. Most well built trails have jumps getting progressively bigger, as you dial in 1 you can start to attempt the next & the next until you can ride the whole line.

Plus practice, practice, practice, I used to ride neatly every day and I can't jump like I used too.....I don't bounce anymore!

What will has said above is very true as well. Wise words in my opinion.

Haha, read iridebikes comment after posting mine and was gona say spot on, he's talking sence. first attempt is a tester and main aim is get across and gauge, keep the bike flat-ish....if you over jump you'll survive, come up short same again....

I'm with Will. I prefer riding doubles because you've got to commit to it.

off topic: getonyour bike, didn't know your rode with SCC, I ought to come out for a ride, might be fun if there were more like minded trail holigans.....live it up!

You've got to have fun! I'll be riding with them saturday. Come along if you want. If the ride goes somewhere interesting thne there's always the option of splitting off and doing our own thing.

Would do but on a stag do in magaluf!

That'll be a laugh! I can't do the week after, I'm at a Gravity Enduro at CYB but the week after should be fine.

If you are prepared to travel get hold of Tom Dowie through Chicksands bike park website.
He is one of the coolest guys I have ever met and an amazingingly skilled bike handler.
He gives one to one coaching.

Speed and mental aspect.

+1 for not trying to land front wheel first to begin with.

If your happy jumping then dig yourself a small jump (wheel height - bike length long) and hit it a few times at a moderate speed. Go a bit faster and hit it again. Do this 'til your comfortable. Try to mark roughly where you land, then build yourself a wide and shallow landing there. Shazaam! You've got yourself a double you know you can clear and if you don't make it, there's no drama. Hit it, make it bigger. Hit it, make it bigger... You'll learn to jump doubles and how to build them and before you know it you'll have a field a bit like this to play in 😀

I always find small jumps harder because your whole bike isn't on the transition, kind of kick you up weird I think.

I don't mind doubles, but steep lips freak me out...

I tackle 'doubles' by riding smoothly around them, bit old for jumpzzzzzzzz.....