Anatomy of the drop

I just do the drop, wtf pulling up or rolling? just hit it.

in those pics, you look more comfortable rolling then pulling up.

personally i think it depends on the drop. if its a short (no gap) drop with a steepish tranny, i just roll it and drop the front. but if its got a gap in it, i probably want to just keep the bike leval.

usually the only time i pull up is when i see im gonna be landing on an uphill landing when i havnt had enough speed to make the tranny :P

I like to hop about 2 feet or lees before the end of the drop and then as I clear the end I pitch the front end down to be at the same angle as the tranny…I feel I land alot smoother cause like someone said, if you wheelie drop it, you usualy land 1 wheel first, and that folks is how you fall or break parts…plus, if you try to land level or pointed down after a wheelie drop, I find I feel like I'm going endo cause my position is all wrong, I'm monkeying off the back instead of just staying centered and sucking it up with the body as well as the suspension…for some reason, I always do flatties/tables off everything, it's something I think I do naturaly to keep from getting wobbley and "air sick" as I call it. plus I feel looser and more in control

It's different depending on the type of drop, size of gap, etc. If it's a straight drop like that, I'll come at it with as much speed as I can without overshooting and push into my pedals while leaning back and slightly unweighting my front end. I find if you pull up with your arms when you're starting out (or ever) you tend to pull unevenly…that can really hurt.

Push forward lean back.

Drops with more of a gap Ill hit with more speed, keep aggro over the front of the bike and lean back just enough to keep the front end up… The faster the drop the more you want to keep forward.

DONT PULL UP WITH YOUR ARMS

Originally posted by Painting_of_Rebelion
…for some reason, I always do flatties/tables off everything, it's something I think I do naturaly to keep from getting wobbley and "air sick" as I call it. plus I feel looser and more in control

This is true. It is how I usually drop as well. Well, I don't get flat, (LOL I wish), but I do definitely give the bike some body English. A little pitched slant style. It's not to show off, it's to keep control of the bike better.

What you have done is give the drop an apex. (apex = think of throwing a ball up in the air. The highest point that the ball reaches is the apex) When the drop has a small apex, the rider feels more in control of the descent. Otherwise, it can feel like the bike is falling away from you. By lifting the bike in the air right before you drop, the bike falls with you. Or at least that's how it feels.
By putting a little style into the drop, you are just giving you body something to do instead of brace. Some people need to do it. Myself included. Others feel comfortable just falling.

Personal preference.

I like to land on rear and manual down the tranny

I usually land on my head…seems pretty smooth

Originally posted by Slamigo
**This is true. It is how I usually drop as well. Well, I don't get flat, (LOL I wish), but I do definitely give the bike some body English. A little pitched slant style. It's not to show off, it's to keep control of the bike better.

What you have done is give the drop an apex. (apex = think of throwing a ball up in the air. The highest point that the ball reaches is the apex) When the drop has a small apex, the rider feels more in control of the descent. Otherwise, it can feel like the bike is falling away from you. By lifting the bike in the air right before you drop, the bike falls with you. Or at least that's how it feels.
By putting a little style into the drop, you are just giving you body something to do instead of brace. Some people need to do it. Myself included. Others feel comfortable just falling.

Personal preference. **

Yeah, exactly, if I don't do it, I sometimes feel all squirely, and it's like I pannic if I have too much time on my hands…I like the feeling of muscleing the bike around in the air, I'm more comfortable pulling Moto-whips than just flying off of jumps…yes, your apex theory is right on, that's exactly as I'd describe it…if I hit a drop and just let the bike drop, it feels like the bike is falling faster than I am, and I get all crooked in the air…

Thanks for the input. I do feel more comfortable pulling up and keeping the bike with me(it might not look like it) but it seems to hit harder when landing. Maybe I should try a little of both? Pulling a little but not enough to bring the nose so high.

that's what were all here for:D it just takes someone keeping us on subject so we don't get off track :lol:
those look like well built trails, where abouts in washington is that? NSEW? I'd love to hit those up when I come through on my way to Can.

It's a smallish trail system on the East side of Lake Washington called St Edwards Park/Big Finn Hill. Call Finn Hill Bikes or any bike shop in Seattle. It's no secret. It's just a good place to get a quick ride close to town with a few stunts and jumps to keep it interesting. Not quite a Post Canyon.

Originally posted by BULLITBOY
It's a smallish trail system on the East side of Lake Washington called St Edwards Park/Big Finn Hill. Call Finn Hill Bikes or any bike shop in Seattle. It's no secret. It's just a good place to get a quick ride close to town with a few stunts and jumps to keep it interesting. Not quite a Post Canyon.

Thanks for the info man… :D :thepimp:

Originally posted by Painting_of_Rebelion
Thanks for the info man… :D :thepimp:

No prob.

Originally posted by Shmoe
I just kind of roll off of the end with my weight leaned back. If I pull up on my bars when doing a drop I usually land pretty hard.

Bingo! I basically do the same thing as you do I just carry some speed up to the drop and sorta go over it. I actually almost thrust my bike forward like using mostly my legs and a little arms. My front tire doesn't leave the take off untill the take off stops so yah, I basically ride off of it. I find it keeps me more stable in the air and it lets me just hold on for dear life without doing anything yet at the same time I am able to do any modifications in the air if nessary.

Landing. I like to land with my tires at the same time. If I notice of think I'm gonna land remotely hard then I might stink my front tire down a bit or land a bit back tire. All in what the drop is like (diff drops require different techniques).