RED TRAIL SKILLS
STEP DOWNS
1 .TA K E O F F Step-downs have less of a lip than jumps, so the timing can be harder. With an upward-curving transition you can feel the bike pushing into you, but you don’t feel this pressure as much on step-downs. Follow the same technique as you would for a jump, compressing into the face and extending your legs as you take off, just don’t expect to feel the same kick. Don’t look down at the lip as you’re taking off, though. Rely on your peripheral vision for this, so you can spot where you’re jumping to as early as possible. This will help you judge how much air you’re going to need and keep you on the right flight path.
Step-downs are effectively something between a jump and a drop. As the name suggests, you’re gapping down to a landing that’s lower than the take-off. The take-off can vary from completely flat (in which case the step-down is a bit like a drop-off but with a gap to clear) to quite lippy (like a jump). Because you’re falling from a height, they’re usually easier to clear than jumps, but this can sometimes make it tough to judge your speed.
Top tIPS ENJOY IT
PUSH OR JUMP?
JUDGE YOUR SPEED
Jumping “that big step-down” at the local trails isn’t the be all and end all. People sometimes put bigger step-downs on a pedestal, building them up in their heads to be something more than they are. Learn the basics on smaller, safer features. Then when you’re ready for bigger things, you’ll be more relaxed and less likely to crash. Roll in, do it and enjoy it! Don’t beat yourself up about not jumping a feature if you don’t feel ready for it.
This one depends on how fast you’re going. In the learning stages you’re likely to not be going flat-out, so a bit of a pull-up will be essential. As your confidence and speed increase, you’ll start finding you have to pull up less and less. Faster still and you’re likely to have to do the opposite, pushing down off the take-off to not overshoot the landing. Watch pro riders at a World Cup and you’ll see this is what they’re doing – but it’s an advanced skill and one to build up to.
Watch someone ride the step-down before you, so you can gauge the required speed. Ask their advice or, better still, whether you can follow them in on your first go. Assess the take-off too. Does the lip fade away so you’ll need more speed? Or has it got a kick so you can go slower? Think about whether you can safely “case” the landing (come up short) and build up to clearing the gap. If it looks harsh, err on the side of caution until you’ve got the technique dialled in.
74 MOUNTAIN BIKING SKILLS
