DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS AT A BIKE PARK
Trail centres or bike parks provide a safe place to ride all year round, but they are also perfect training grounds, where your practice sessions can be repeatable and you can hone your skills in a managed environment.
TAKE YOUR LEARNINGS OFF-PISTE
Handbuilt trails are a completely different challenge every time. They change in different conditions and from one week to the next, and keep you alert as you have to concentrate to stay on target. And with less traffic, they allow you to escape completely from modern life.
LONG BERM PUSH
Maintaining grip and creating momentum in a berm is exactly like driving away from a jump. You are trying to keep your pressure consistent throughout the whole feature by pushing your body weight against it with your legs. This pressure is almost impossible to see as a bystander, but if you’ve ever skied then you know what it feels like. Imagine a long, predictable, slow movement that feels like you have time to react and adjust.
BIKE PARK SKILLS
PEDALS LEVEL
As most corners will have support, think about keeping your pedals level. Level pedals will let you drive your bodyweight evenly into berms, rollers and jumps to generate grip and stability.
PUMPING ROLLERS
Bike parks and trail centres are littered with smooth obstacles. Having a lower body position means that you can handle larger features and get a better drive, or pump, out of the other side. It’s a great habit to get into and will allow you to progress on to something less predictable with greater confidence and speed.
PRO TIP
If you’re unsure of the speed needed for a jump, ask a good rider if they can tow you in. In fact, following a good rider, even for a short section, is a great way to improve your riding as you naturally start to mimic
