Drop Offs

[Grey Hubs]

The drop at Emperors is easy, I've only seen a broken collar bone there once because he went too slow.

The problem might be the people walking down the drop. Once you're in, you need to bomb it!

[RockCoach]

The slower you do a drop the more confident you need to be in your manual.

 

Drop to flat means you want to land your rear first but dropping onto a slope is much more fun and there you'll want to match your wheels to the landing with front touching down slightly ahead. Same with landing a jump.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

The slower you do a drop the more confident you need to be in your manual.

 

Drop to flat means you want to land your rear first but dropping onto a slope is much more fun and there you'll want to match your wheels to the landing with front touching down slightly ahead. Same with landing a jump.

Very good point, and something I'm beginning to get around to drilling into my frikkin brain. 

[AlanD]

I have never manuelled into a drop..always went in front first and weight back.

 

So is the correct technique to do Manuel as you approach the drop and have the back wheel go in first.?

 

And by drop off do we we mean the ground suddenly just falls away and not dropping into a sloping drop?

[nimthor]

I am looking at some trials skills to try and do some low speed stuff.  Look at how to do a wheelie drop.  Ryan Leech has a good series (where this video is from) on balance and trials skills.  Speed is definitely your friend, but if you can master the slow speed trials type skills you are so much more versatile.

 

https://youtu.be/-9M67u_X8M4

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I have never manuelled into a drop..always went in front first and weight back.

 

So is the correct technique to do Manuel as you approach the drop and have the back wheel go in first.?

 

And by drop off do we we mean the ground suddenly just falls away and not dropping into a sloping drop?

as you go faster the need to manual gets less and less. With enough speed all you need to do is lean back, and the momentum does the rest (yeah, like try telling that to yourself when you have a mental block ON the trail)

 

A drop can be rollable if you're going slow enough, but then it's not a strict drop unless you're actually dropping it like a normal drop. A proper drop is built like a retaining wall, essentially. 

[AlanD]

as you go faster the need to manual gets less and less. With enough speed all you need to do is lean back, and the momentum does the rest (yeah, like try telling that to yourself when you have a mental block ON the trail)

 

A drop can be rollable if you're going slow enough, but then it's not a strict drop unless you're actually dropping it like a normal drop. A proper drop is built like a retaining wall, essentially.

So whith a proper drop (retaining wall type), you essentially should be doing a manuel unless you hit it fast enough to just hit it with your weight back?..how fast is fast enough then?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

So whith a proper drop (retaining wall type), you essentially should be doing a manuel unless you hit it fast enough to just hit it with your weight back?..how fast is fast enough then?

Depends on the drop...

 

LOL. I know that's not an answer, but it's all I have. I dunno how fast fast enough is... 

[gummibear]

Depends on the drop...

 

LOL. I know that's not an answer, but it's all I have. I dunno how fast fast enough is... 

You get a feeling after doing it a few times.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

You get a feeling after doing it a few times.

yeah, I know that much. But for anything over 50cm, my feeling has gone out the window. Except for, strangely, one drop at Paarl. Which is about 1m. And that's easy... 

[AlanD]

Depends on the drop...

 

LOL. I know that's not an answer, but it's all I have. I dunno how fast fast enough is...

Yeah, knew that already i guess but was hoping for a formulae only known the elite of the elite...lol

[RockCoach]

Just start small  - pavement height. See if you can manual off the pavement so that your rear touches down before the front.

 

As for speed. Ride off the pavement at 30km/h  with a little manual and you'll barely notice it. Slow it down to get the technique correct.

[Slowbee]

umm I am about to get into trouble ......

 

BUT, how "much" of the manuel is dependant on strength and weight?

 

a flyweight might battle to get the weight back as they do in that video to get the front up enough. couple this with arms strength issues and holding on while the front wheel is going who knows where becomes an issue. so currently the simple solution is to drop the front wheel first.

[RockCoach]

umm I am about to get into trouble ......

 

BUT, how "much" of the manuel is dependant on strength and weight?

 

a flyweight might battle to get the weight back as they do in that video to get the front up enough. couple this with arms strength issues and holding on while the front wheel is going who knows where becomes an issue. so currently the simple solution is to drop the front wheel first.

 

Nothing to do with strength and everything to do with weight transfer from front to rear. 

[Slowbee]

Nothing to do with strength and everything to do with weight transfer from front to rear. 

so big okes are ok but skinny ones not ? 

 

*runs like hell*

[Super_mil]

For me manualling off a drop will result in a face-plant at some point. Mostly because I can't manual or wheelie 

 

The method I've learnt is to preload the fork just before the exit point of the drop.

Preloading the fork is a quick push on the fork to compress it a bit then using the rebound of the fork to take some weight off (or lift) the front wheel.

The preload is just about timing and you get a feel for that timing by riding various drops at various speeds. As mentioned above going off drops slow is more technical as you have to keep that front wheel light for longer.

 

I aim to land pretty much every drop, be it from curb height upwards on both wheels.