Mountain Bike Freestyle – Getting Started
Freestyle is a discipline of MTB which replicates that of FMX. A biker will ride at high speed either on the flat, or on a drop in ramp for an instant hit of speed. Unlike other events where bikers are timed, dirt jump is built on a points system for the tricks conducted on the run.
Dirt Jumping Bikes
Freestyle frames feature a different geometry than that of a normal MTB Frame. A dirt jump frame is generally made of much stronger and often heavier material for them to stand up to the amount of abuse they are put through.
Jumps
Doubles – Also know as a gap, this is where two separate earth works are setup and the rider will jump a gap between the 2 conducting a trick. These are the most well known and are often seen at sporting sports such as gravity Games.
Tabletops – These jumps are setup where there is a slope at the beginning and end of a jump with a flat top in between. This is a bit similar to the double but with the middle filled in which makes the jumps more suited for inexperienced riders who might not make the transition between gap jumps.
Ski – Setup similar to standard ski jumps where the name is borrowed from, these are lengthy ramps generally setup on downhill sections of freeride trails where the slope can act as a landing.
Roller Jumps – Normally located at the beginning of a course, these jumps are intended to give the rider extra speed.
Whoops – Intended for a rider to manual over them, rhythms are usually situated together in numbers of three or more and are small round humps like very large speed bumps.
Spine Jumps – Much like spines at a skate park, spine jumps are constructed of a single earth work with no tabletop or gap in-between. Spine jumps are especially great for pulling big air tricks.
Berm – This is a curved wall ride which is raised from the trail. Regularly found on the edges of jump or downhill tracks to enable a rider to turn without losing too much speed.
Hip Jump – Hip Jump are designed to encourage the rider jump at an angle. Again this is another way to encourage the biker to turn without losing momentum but also shows the technicality of the rider to choose lines through the trail.