Mountain Biking

by Gary Thomann

For some riders, a log across the trail is not welcome; either:
1) They have to get off the bike and walk over it, or
2) There’s a bone jarring impact ending with a sideways or over-the-bars crash

I have read log jumping instructions in mountain bike magazines “throw your front wheel over the log and jam the front chain ring into it, lean forward and ….”

NO, no, no! That is not right; the chain ring should never touch anything, log, rock or your kitchen chair. The correct way over the log uses technique and timing (doesn’t everything) and works at any speed. It is not a “bunny hop,” which requires a high speed. Besides logs, it is also used to go over rocks and roots and up ledges. I probably use it fifty times on a typical trail ride. Your assignment this month is to learn this skill!

Part One
Basically, to ride over a log you lift the front wheel, set it on top the log, and then use the front wheel as a lever to lift the rear wheel. The first step is learning to lift the front wheel. For practice we use a wooden platform about five inches high and six feet in length. Ride toward the platform; about 10 feet in front of it get into the standing ready position — pedals horizontal, knees slightly bent and butt off the seat. Try to feel coiled and ready, like a mountain lion ready to spring. Just before you get to the platform push down on the handlebars and then lift them and set the front wheel on the platform. Continue forward, for now just let the rear wheel hit the platform as it comes up.

You need some speed; if you approach the platform too slowly when you lift the front wheel it won’t travel forward onto the platform. Practice this ad nauseam. Try different speeds and raise the platform if you want. REMEMBER: You are not just throwing the front wheel into the air; it is also being lifted and placed. Use duct tape and make an X a few inches back from the platform edge; each time try to set the wheel on the X.

Part Two
Now, skill and timing are needed. Start as before, and just after setting the front wheel on the X lean forward slightly and use your feet (a pedal/cleat system is needed so your shoes are firmly attached to the pedals) to lift the rear wheel and set it on the platform. The entire operation should be noiseless; there are no impacts. And that’s all there is to it!

Well…, maybe not quite. Learning has a couple of hazards, both of which will probably happen to you. If you lift the front wheel too soon it hits the front of the platform when it comes down. You will either come to an abrupt stop or maybe go over the bars. The second mishap is more insidious; after setting the front wheel correctly you wait an instant too long and lift the rear wheel just after it hits the platform edge. The resulting combination of two lifting forces on the rear wheel sends it over your head and again you are over-the-bars. This one is particularly disconcerting because it seems like everything was done correctly. It was, except for the fraction of a second delay in lifting the rear wheel.

Sam Armao of Averill Park demonstrates the technique.
Photos by Gary Thomann

Safety
You cannot learn advanced mountain bike skills without a few crashes. If that is a problem for you don’t work on this technique! When practicing, try to minimize any risk of getting hurt. Place one or two spotters along side the platform, ready to grab the rider if anything bad happens. This not only protects the rider, it gives him or her more confidence and a speedier learning curve. Wear appropriate protective gear. Use a regular mountain bike helmet or a BMX or full-face model. Try elbow and knee pads; in a crash often one of these joints hit the ground first. My favorite protection is a plastic motocross vest (roost). It provides great chest and shoulder protection and weighs very little. The only problem is I can rarely find it because somebody has borrowed it. Wear as much protection as you want. For really difficult maneuvers, I have practiced with knee and elbow pads, the roost and a full-face helmet.

A Little More Detail
The most common problem when learning this skill is the delay between setting the front wheel on top the log and then lifting the rear wheel. The delay must be eliminated, finally coming down to — the rear wheel is lifted before the front wheel comes down. I suggest you do this: ride toward the platform and lift the front wheel as before. Then, just before the front wheel comes down, when it is still an inch or two above the duct tape X, lift the rear wheel. The front wheel will tap the X and the back wheel is already in the air. To jump a log, ride toward the log and just in front of it lift the front wheel. As the front wheel passes over the log, raise the rear wheel so that the front wheel taps the top of the log and the rear wheel comes up and clears the log by an inch or two. No sweat, no impact. It works at any speed because you always time the rear wheel lift to make the front wheel tap the log. As I’ve already mentioned, timing is everything, and that’s where the practice is needed. Work on this until its automatic and then you have acquired the most valuable trail riding skill!

It's hard to learn a dynamic skill from photos. That’s where the video comes in (see above). Check it out to see a couple of my riding friends demonstrate the technique.

Practice hard and for the May issue I will try to find a mountain biking trail for you with logs. Have fun!

Gary Thomann is an engineer who lives in Scotia. He enjoys mountain and road biking, working on trails, teaching and making maps. He is the author of Mountain Biking in the Adirondacks: 25 Great Trail Rides (Singletrack Publishing).

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