Bike Park Basics Pt 3

Listen to or watch our chat on youtube (below) or on our podcast. Also, read a break down of part 3 below:

•  The lingo:
  Trailside Chad – is some rando dude giving mansplain-heavy advice when nobody asked for it.
  Gutted – British? European-based? We think it might be a good thing…? Something to get excited for.
  Frothing – New Zealand-based; excited, ready-to-go, super into it.
  Send it! – GO BIG, also makes horrible advice or feedback.
  Doomage – super steep, sketchy, intense-Thanks to Sam Pilgrim!
  YEWWWW – the universal mtb/bike park noise for support and solidarity, can be used in exchange for

  “you got this!” “you’re killing it!”.
  Dead Sailor – term for being in full passenger mode midair on a jump/feature, clearly not in control of the bike/feature.

•  Common Features on a Green trail: Has the smallest, chilliest version of what the bike park has to offer. Everything should be “rollable,” which means your tires can stay connected to the ground as you go over it. Small berms, rocks, or features; usually with a ride-around (B-Line) option where features are present.
  
  
•  Common Features on a Blue/ Black trail:

  — Blue– Has longer/bigger tables and jumps that are often still rollable, larger wooden features or natural rock drops, larger berms with tighter/steeper navigation. Blue trails will often have B-lines. Might have gaps and doubles.

  —Black– Often have mandatory features without a B Line, larger/more pro-level features such as jump lines and large features, advanced tech. Has Tables – elevated flat area meant to jump over. Usually with a bigger lip and softer landing to help launch/land. Has Doubles – a table jump with elevated lips and landing with a lower level of ground between them (like a big U shape, easier to case because the landing is more pronounced), still rollable. Has Gaps – a space of ground between the launch and the landing, usually bare ground, ungroomed, rocks, etc. NOT rollable. Can have Cannonball/Boner log/Ramp: usually a wooden feature meant as a launch with some sort of gap feature, which is NOT rollable.

• How to session a trail at a bike park: Be cautious about the area you want to session – always be aware of your surroundings and what areas have a heavy traffic of riders. Plan to session with other riders, some at the head of the trail and/or at the bottom to keep an eye out for other riders that are approaching the feature, use clear communication when you’re approaching/dropping in to a feature.When other riders are approaching, safely move out of the way quickly. Situational awareness – be aware of what you want to session and what other riders are doing on that same area. Stay off the middle of the trail when scoping/pushing back up.
  
  
• Clipless or Flats at the bike park: Flats: Flat surface pedal with pins that help connect the pedal to the shoe. Less connection to the pedal, but easier to reposition the foot/dismount off the pedal Clipless: connected/attached to the pedal. Offers a lot of enhancement of staying connected to the pedal, but not a quick dismount off the pedal. Magnet pedals -a perfect mix of both? check out Britt’s pedal review!