Posted by: nickel
Posted by: thaaad
I don't know, it's just a huge mindfuck now.
I usually ride with my buddy who can send almost every jump in the park, stylish whips, super comfortable and confident. I've been going for like 4-5 years now and it's still super uncomfortable for me. I know the bike setup isn't whack, I know the jumps aren't whack, I know the speed is right because I'm following a buddy, it's all in my head and every time I go to the park I tell myself it's going to be different and it never is. I go there and ride a trail or two I'm comfortable on to warm up and then hit the jump trails. All. Fucking. Day.
Fade to black features, no problem, container step up / down, no problem, Schleyer drops, no problem. Jump trails? Can't do it. I don't know what else to do aside from keep going but it doesn't feel like I've progressed on jumps at all from the first time I went to the park, and most of the time I leave more frustrated than it seems like it's worth. blaahhh...
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys.
May I suggest riding ciu and c-more slower than you think it possible for making the jumps and learn to pop, hard. By going too slow you'll reduce the fear. I worked with a guy who used to ride A line slower than anyone I knew and just popped as hard as possible to get extra height. Following him taught me a lot.
I think before you progress with jump trails, its important to learn to ride the jumps you're comfortable with at different speeds. Slow right down and pop hard and then once you've mastered that, ride then faster and learn you soak the jump or stretch the jump by jumping right to left or left to right. Scrubbing might be a ways away but its another technique for this.
I can generally follow someone who's casing every jump, at their speed, and make tranny by popping. It's not always about speed. In fact jump trails are often more fun when going a bit slower because you can get more loft.
I actually think this is great advice.
When I ride in general (not the park) I usually ride a little slower than my group of friends and try to find anything and everything I can pop off / over on the trails, I'm always looking for little gaps or things. I'm realizing now that for some reason this completely disappears when I get to the park. I must just unconsciously think that you need to rail it to clear the jumps.
I think that what I'm really afraid of is the height when you're at the peak of a jump. I think that you're absolutely right that taking it a bit slower will get me more comfortable with the height, then I can add the speed back later if I want since getting speed in the park is usually no sweat.
Thanks guys I really do appreciate the input.
