MTB Dirt Jump - Getting Started

Step It Up Jam

Dirt Jumping is a style of MTB which copies that of Freestyle Motocross.  A biker will ride at high speed either on the flat, or on a drop in ramp for an instant hit of speed.  Unlike other styles where bikers are timed, freestyle is focused on a scoring system for the stunts performed on the trail.

Dirt MTBs

Dirt jumping frames feature a change in geometry than that of normal MTB Frames.  A dirt jump frame is commonly manufactured of much stronger and often heavier metal for them to stand up to the amount of abuse they are put through.

Jumps

Double Jumps - Also know as a gap jumps, this is where two separate mounds are setup and the rider will jump a transition between the 2 carrying out a stunt.  These are the most well known and are often seen at extreme sports such as X-Games.

Tabletop – These jumps are arranged where there is a slant at the beginning and end of the jump with a flat top in between.  This is a bit like the double jump but with the middle filled in which makes them better designed for inexperienced bikers who might not complete the transition between gaps.

Ski Jumps – Arranged similar to normal ski jumps where the name comes from, these are lengthy ramps generally setup on downhill sections of freeride competitions where the hill can act as a landing.

Roller – Usually located at the start of a trail, they are intended to give the rider extra speed.

Whoops - Intended for a rider to manual over them, rhythms are usually situated together in groups of three or more and are small rounded jumps like very big speed bumps.

Spines – Much like spines at a skate park, spines are made of a single mound with no tabletop or transition in-between.  Spines are especially great for pulling big airs.

Berms – This is a curved wall ride which is built up from the trail.  Usually situated on the edges of jump or downhill tracks to enable you to turn without losing too much speed.

Hip – Hip Jump are designed to encourage the rider jump at an angle.  Again this is another way to encourage the biker to turn without a loss of speed but also shows the technical ability of the rider to choose lines across the course.