Jumping is one of the most complex techniques in handling mountain bikes, but mastering it can make the difference when overcoming obstacles on any terrain. It's not just an aesthetic skill, but a key resource for dealing with terrain drops, sudden changes in slope, or natural elements like rocks and logs. Whether on a mountain bike route or even on a smoother forest track, knowing how to execute a jump correctly will allow you to overcome unexpected situations with greater safety and fluidity.
Although jumping is a technique more associated with mountain biking, it can also be useful in other disciplines. On routes with poorly maintained roads or steep gradients, road cyclists can benefit from good bike control to avoid potholes or unexpected dips. Even on asphalt, encountering obstacles on the road is not uncommon, so mastering bike control is key to riding with confidence.
In this article, we won't talk about extreme jumps in bike parks or pump track, but about how to apply the technique practically in conventional routes and situations, both on mountain bikes and on rides where proper maneuverability is essential to maintain rhythm and safety.
The 4 basic steps to jump correctly with your mountain bike
Lifting the wheels off the ground and rising into the air to overcome obstacles and irregularities in the terrain is not an isolated technique, but a combination of them. To learn to jump correctly, we recommend following these steps:
1. Keep your arms and legs flexed
Your posture on the bike at the moment of the jump is crucial to perform it safely. Grip the handlebars firmly, slightly bend your elbows and knees, and lean your body slightly back towards the rear axle. This way, you'll shift your weight and your center of gravity.
2. Moderate your speed
The jump is always prepared 3 to 5 seconds before reaching the obstacle. In this lead-up area, in addition to practicing step one, you need to maintain a moderate but steady speed that doesn't cause you to lose control of your bike or your balance due to inertia. Tap the rear brake always before reaching the jump and forget about using the front brake. Keep in mind that the goal is to perform the jump at an appropriate and steady speed, not at the highest possible speed.
3. Control the vertical impulse
At the moment of lifting off from the ground, push yourself moderately upwards together with your bike, using your arms and legs as if they were springs. A small push will be enough for the bike to lift, helped by inertia or by the slope of the terrain itself.
Never brake right at the moment when the bike returns to the ground
4. Balance the wheels when landing
This small impulse will allow you to balance the tilt of both wheels so that the landing (the moment you hit the ground again) is done with both touching the ground at the same time, which will prevent imbalances or the bike from shooting forward. Use your flexed arms and legs to absorb the impact and then start braking to adjust your speed or stop if necessary. Never brake during or right at the moment of landing.
Types of jumps depending on the obstacle
These four steps we've just seen are the general steps for performing any jump with a bicycle. But with certain obstacles, some of these steps may vary to adapt to each situation. We explain how to jump over the most common obstacles on a mountain bike route.
Bunny Hop, the multipurpose mountain bike jump
The Bunny Hop or 'rabbit jump' is a very common type of jump in this sport and allows you to safely overcome obstacles without slowing down your pace or speed. It consists of lifting the bike off the ground using your own body strength, without the help of a ramp. In other words, it's a high jump but while riding a bike. It's very useful for getting over potholes in the middle of a trail, logs, roots, and similar elements. Its execution technique involves a greater body impulse when lifting the bike, since you won't have any external help to propel yourself.
The Bunny Hop will allow you to jump over bumps or other small obstacles without losing your rhythm
The jump involves first lifting the front wheel, followed by the rear, to keep the bike in the air and clear the obstacle. The landing should be done with both wheels touching down at the same time.
Natural ramp jump
Many times you will come across a sudden undulation in the terrain in the form of a ramp, the fastest and most effective way to overcome which will be by jumping. For this, you will need to rely more than ever on the four basic steps from the beginning, moderating the force of your push at the moment of the jump. When landing, it's very likely that the surface won't be flat. In that case, it's recommended to use your body to adjust the wheels' landing to the slope of the ground, lean slightly forward, and thus land with both wheels at the same time. Don't lean too much over the front wheel. In case of imbalance, it's safer to land first with the rear wheel than with the front.
Drop jump or drops
Lastly, we need to focus on one of the most complicated steps or obstacles that cause the most fear on a mountain bike route. These are known as drops—sudden cut-offs in the trail that create a vertical fall to the continuation of the path. The jumping technique at this point is a bit different from the conventional jump or bunny hop. Here, having maximum confidence is more important, you should moderate your speed, and the jump's impulse should be almost minimal. Letting yourself drop while balancing the bike for a simultaneous landing of both wheels is the secret to a good drop jump. In this practical Bikecheck video, you can learn several tricks to overcome your fear of drops and jump them with confidence and ease:
Final tip: practice in safe environments
The jumping technique is not easy to master and, as we've seen, there are several types of obstacles or ramps that require some variations in technique. The best way to learn and get used to jumping is to start with simple obstacles: small bumps and low ramps, and easy drops with flat landings. Little by little, you can try routes that include more difficult jumps. If for any reason you don't feel able or safe enough to do it properly, stop in time, examine the condition of the jump or drop for a few minutes, its landing, and visualize your line. This will help you see the situation more clearly and build up confidence to get past the obstacle. We also recommend doing technique sessions or routes with jumps accompanied by a more experienced biker. They can set the speed and line for you, so you only have to focus on adopting the right posture to perform them in a controlled and safe manner.
Tuvalum Team
