Riding Tip # 1 - How to rail berms like a pro

I finally put down the tool belt this weekend and dusted off the trail bike and headed up to the new Leverich trail for some much needed and well deserved saddle time. I'm glad to see there is the possibility of an honest to goodness DH trail in Bozeman, many props to all who have put sweat into development this far - thanks guys. I would have loved to help early on, but my house wasn't renovating itself, so I had to help it along for a bit.

Anyways, onto the point of this post - I'm going to go ahead and give a shot at posting a few riding tips once in a while. Since the new Leverich trail is likely to many riders in Bozeman the first time you have been exposed to real bermed corners, I thought it would be a good idea to give a how-to on berm riding technique. Knowing how to ride berms not only increases the fun factor for you, but also helps keep the berms from getting blown out. I will only hit on one basic technique this go round, but it should be enough to get you started. I could start an entire separate blog on just berm technique alone. Refer to the photo for reference, that is Gee Atherton, the current World Champion, and obviosly he has this down.

Well here goes...

1. Let's start by setting up for the corner. As like many things, cornering is only as successful as your preparation. All of your braking should be done before you even enter the berm (or any corner for that matter). Gradually apply your brakes in the smooth area approaching the corner while your bike is still upright - braking while cornering through a berm will naturally upright your bike and cause you to blow the corner wide.

2. Now that you have scrubbed your speed, keep a finger on your levers (just in case) and you are now ready to initiate your turn. Apply pressure to your outside pedal by dropping said outside pedal, while you begin to lean into the turn. This will help naturally distribute your weight over your tires. Keep your arms bent and keep your head over your front axle. You may feel more comfortable taking your inside foot off the pedal for confidence, but try to leave it on, or work to that point.

3. The most important piece of advice I can give on mountain biking in general is look where you are want to go. At all times through this corner, your eyes and head should be looking a few yards down the trail. Lead with your head and your bike will follow. Once you have made it to the mid point of the corner, your should switch to looking out of the exit of the berm and down the trail. Now, if there is no one coming up trail you can initiate your exit. (otherwise, shut it down!)

4. Drop your butt back over your rear tire slightly as you level your feet again with the inside foot leading (you should be still looking down the next straight, remember - look). As your bike has started to upright, your weight should naturally be slightly over your rear wheel and have a good amount of traction so you can give a few cranks and regain speed for the next straight. If all went well, congrats - you just railed it!

As I said earlier, this is just one technique, and I promise it won't be prefect for every berm. Some flatter berms require your cranks to be level to the ground, or your tires will slide over the top with the extra weight. My best advice is to work within your limits and keep practicing. On the way up the trail, you may want to stop and try a certain corner a few times. Before any downhill race, I will have ridden each corner individually many, many times before they ever do a full top-down run.

Two final pieces of advice I will give are some of the best lessons I have learned in my racing career. Keep a smile on your face (seriously, it works) and take it slow and easy - If I am aggressive, I will blow it. I cannot think of one course record set or race won where I did not go into it with the mindset that I was just going for a leisurely ride - I promise that with that mindset you will be at the top of your form.

Good luck & Happy Trails!