How do high-banked wall ride berms test a rider’s skills. What makes hip bone transfer berms so challenging. Why are step-down berms considered extreme trail features. How do step-up berms launch riders into the air. What makes off-camber berms particularly tricky to navigate.

The Art of Berm Riding: Mastering Mountain Bike Cornering Techniques

Berm riding is an exhilarating aspect of mountain biking that combines speed, skill, and adrenaline. These banked turns, built up with dirt, allow riders to maintain velocity through corners while experiencing intense g-forces. The thrill of carving through a perfectly constructed berm is unparalleled, offering a unique blend of control, flow, and heart-pumping excitement.

Mastering berm riding requires a delicate balance of techniques:

• Proper body positioning
• Precise bike lean angles
• Controlled braking before entering the turn
• Maintaining consistent speed throughout the berm

As riders progress, they learn to pump through berms, using body movements to generate additional speed without pedaling. This advanced technique creates a deeper connection between the rider, the bike, and the trail.

High-Banked Wall Ride Berms: Pushing the Limits of Gravity

High-banked wall ride berms represent the pinnacle of berm engineering, featuring near-vertical outer walls that challenge even the most experienced riders. These extreme features test a mountain biker’s courage, skill, and understanding of physics.

How do high-banked wall ride berms differ from standard berms? The key lies in their steeper angle, often approaching 90 degrees. This extreme banking allows riders to carry significantly higher speeds through turns, experiencing g-forces that pin them to their bikes. Successfully navigating these features requires:

• Exceptional bike control
• Precise entry speed and line choice
• Unwavering focus and commitment
• Advanced understanding of weight distribution

Riders who master high-banked wall ride berms often describe the experience as surreal, almost defying gravity as they carve turns at seemingly impossible angles.

Hip Bone Transfer Berms: Combining Airtime and Cornering

Hip bone transfer berms introduce an element of airborne maneuvering to the berm-riding experience. These unique features require riders to launch over a hip (a angled jump) and land directly into an adjoining berm. The combination of air time and immediate cornering creates an intense challenge that pushes riders’ skills to their limits.

Why are hip bone transfer berms so challenging? The difficulty lies in the precise timing and body control required to execute the transfer successfully. Riders must:

1. Approach the hip with appropriate speed
2. Time their takeoff perfectly
3. Adjust their body position mid-air
4. Land accurately on the berm’s sweet spot
5. Immediately initiate the turn upon landing

The consequences of miscalculating any part of this sequence can result in a spectacular crash, making hip bone transfer berms a true test of a rider’s abilities and nerve.

Step-Down Berms: Navigating Vertical Drops Mid-Turn

Step-down berms introduce a vertical element to berm riding, incorporating significant drops within the turn. These features challenge riders to maintain speed and control while descending rapidly, often through multiple steps or a single large drop.

Why are step-down berms considered extreme trail features? The combination of cornering forces and sudden elevation changes creates a unique set of challenges:

• Rapid weight shifts as the bike drops
• Increased speed due to the descent
• Potential for loss of traction on landing
• Need for quick suspension adjustments

Successful navigation of step-down berms requires a delicate balance of speed control, body positioning, and line choice. Riders must resist the urge to brake during the descent, instead using their body to absorb the impacts and maintain momentum through the turn.

Step-Up Berms: Launching into the Air with Precision

In contrast to step-down berms, step-up berms propel riders upward, often launching them into the air if approached with sufficient speed. These features combine the cornering dynamics of a berm with the airtime of a jump, creating a thrilling and technical challenge.

How do step-up berms launch riders into the air? The key lies in the berm’s design:

1. A ramped approach leading into the turn
2. A lip or kicker at the berm’s apex
3. A landing zone that continues the turn

Riders approaching a step-up berm must carefully gauge their speed to achieve the desired trajectory. Too little speed may result in casing the landing, while too much can send the rider off course. The airborne phase requires precise bike control to set up for a smooth landing and exit from the berm.

Off-Camber Berms: Defying Conventional Cornering Techniques

Off-camber berms present a unique challenge by tilting the riding surface away from the direction of the turn. This counterintuitive design forces riders to adapt their technique and push the limits of traction and balance.

What makes off-camber berms particularly tricky to navigate? Several factors contribute to their difficulty:

• Reduced traction due to the adverse slope
• Increased risk of the bike sliding out
• Need for precise weight distribution
• Counterintuitive body positioning

To successfully ride an off-camber berm, cyclists must lean their bikes more than usual while keeping their bodies relatively upright. This technique, often referred to as “angulation,” helps maintain traction and balance through the turn. Mastering off-camber berms requires practice, confidence, and a willingness to push beyond conventional riding techniques.

Double Berms: Rapid Direction Changes at High Speed

Double berms, also known as S-berms or switchback berms, challenge riders with quick successive turns in opposite directions. These features test a mountain biker’s agility, reaction time, and ability to transition between lean angles rapidly.

Why do double berms create such an intense riding experience? The challenge lies in the rapid shifts required:

1. Exiting the first berm at high speed
2. Quickly transitioning body position and bike lean
3. Entering the second berm with precise timing and angle
4. Maintaining momentum through both turns

Successfully navigating double berms requires a combination of physical skill and mental preparation. Riders must anticipate the second turn while still engaged in the first, planning their line and body positioning well in advance. The fluid motion between opposing turns creates a rollercoaster-like sensation that many riders find addictive.

Advanced Berm Variations: Pushing the Boundaries of Trail Design

Trail builders continuously innovate, creating new and exciting berm variations to challenge riders. Some of these advanced features include:

Rollercoaster Berms

These berms incorporate undulating surfaces within the turn, creating a wave-like sensation as riders navigate the feature. The constant changes in elevation and banking angle require exceptional bike control and body awareness.

Blind Berms

Designed to test a rider’s trust and reaction skills, blind berms conceal the exit until the last moment. Successful navigation requires confidence in the trail builder’s design and the ability to adjust quickly to unseen terrain.

Wood Feature Berms

Constructed entirely from wood, these berms present unique traction challenges. The harder surface provides less give than dirt, requiring riders to modulate their speed and lean angle carefully.

Rock Garden Berms

Incorporating rocks, roots, and other obstacles into the berm surface, these features test a rider’s ability to maintain speed and control over highly technical terrain.

Loose Berms

Intentionally designed with loose material such as gravel or sand, these berms increase the drift factor, challenging riders to control their bike’s rear end through the turn.

Sideways Berms

These unconventional berms require riders to approach the banking at a 90-degree angle, testing their ability to navigate extreme side slopes.

G-Force Berms

Featuring extreme banking angles approaching those of a half-pipe, these berms generate intense g-forces that pin riders to their bikes, creating a unique physical and mental challenge.

Series Berms

Long sequences of continuous berms test a rider’s endurance, concentration, and ability to maintain flow over extended distances.

Pro Line Berms

Designed to challenge even the most skilled riders, pro line berms often combine multiple difficult elements, requiring perfect execution to navigate successfully.

As mountain biking continues to evolve, these advanced berm variations push the boundaries of what’s possible on two wheels. Riders seeking the ultimate adrenaline rush and skill challenge will find endless opportunities to test their limits on these gnarly trail features.

The world of mountain bike berms offers a diverse range of challenges, from high-speed cornering to technical maneuvers and airborne transitions. As riders progress in their skills, they can explore increasingly complex and thrilling berm features, constantly pushing the limits of what’s possible on a mountain bike. Whether you’re carving through a perfectly banked turn or launching off a step-up berm, the art of berm riding remains a cornerstone of mountain biking’s appeal, offering an unparalleled blend of speed, skill, and pure adrenaline-fueled excitement.

The Thrill of Berm Riding: Why Shredding Berms Gets Your Heart Racing

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of absolutely shredding a perfect berm on your mountain bike. As you roll into that steeply banked turn with speed, you feel the g-forces pulling you down and in towards the turn. Your tires bite into the dirt and your suspension compresses as you rail around the berm. The centrifugal forcegenerated in that turn makes your heart race with exhilaration.

Berms are banked corners built up with dirt, designed to allow riders to maintain speed through a turn. Hitting berms with speed is a thrill like no other in mountain biking. The adrenaline rush comes from multiple factors:

• Cornering Speed – Berms allow you to carry much more speed through a turn than you could on a flat corner. The banking helps you lean your bike over further without washing out.
• G-Forces – The combination of speed and extreme lean angle generates strong lateral g-forces, which you feel pulling your body down into the turn. This is an exciting physical sensation.
• Control – Berms allow you to corner with more control at higher speeds. The banked surface provides grip so you can push your riding limits.
• Flow – Carving a clean arc around a smooth berm creates an amazing feeling of flow. You feel fully in sync with your bike and the trail.

Additionally, berms add a fun, rollercoaster-like character to trails. Hitting berms often involves big elevation changes, compression, and pops of airtime upon exit. It’s much more dynamic and rhythmic than flat turns.

Advanced riders will pump through berms, loading the suspension on entrance to gain speed. Pumping through a series of berms connects you physically to the trail in an energizing way. You generate speed using only your body movements, no pedaling required.

The satisfaction of perfectly riding a berm also comes from mastering a new skill. Berms require an advanced balancing act of braking before the turn, leaning the bike, and controlling speed throughout. When you get it just right, it feels amazing.

In short, berms allow riders to experience speed, flow, g-forces, jumps, and advanced riding techniques all in one exciting turn. No wonder shredding berms gets your heart pounding with adrenaline and puts a huge grin on your face!

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

If you live for the thrill of berm riding, you’re always seeking new challenges to test your skills and get your adrenaline flowing. Here are 15 of the gnarliest berm-filled trail features to push your mountain biking to the limit:

1. High-Banked Wall Ride Berms: These berms feature an almost vertical bank on the outside that lets you ride up high on the wall. The angle required to rail these berms will blow your mind.
2. Hip Bone Transfer Berms: Ride up and over a solid hip bone at speed to transfer into the adjoining berm. Time the transfer perfectly or pay the price.
3. Step-Down Berms: These berms drop you steeply down over big step-downs within the turn. Maintaining speed requires nerves of steel.
4. Step-Up Berms: The opposite of step-downs, step-up berms launch you high into the air if you have enough speed. Hold on tight!
5. Off-Camber Berms: Berms tilted heavily to one side make for a wild ride. Use all your balance skills to avoid sliding off the trail.
6. Double Berms: Two adjoining berms in opposite directions test your agility to make the flip. It’s an intense change of lean angle.
7. Rollercoaster Berms: Non-stop undulation within the berm creates a rollercoaster sensation you have to experience.
8. Blind Berms: Berms you can’t see until you’re in them require total trust in the trail builder. You’ll need Jedi-like reaction skills.
9. Wood Feature Berms: Berms made entirely of wood add grip challenges. Wood also doesn’t give as much as dirt when you push it hard.
10. Rock Garden Berms: Berms filled with rocks, roots and holes will jerk your bike all over the place. Hold on and stay off the brakes!
11. Loose Berms: A berm with gravel, marbles, or sand thrown in amps up the drift factor big time. Be ready to wrestle your back end.
12. Sideways Berms: These unique berms make you ride straight into the banking, testing your side-slope skills.
13. G-Force Berms: Some berms are insanely banked, almost like a half pipe, generating intense g-forces. They’ll pin you to your bike.
14. Series Berms: Long strings of 5, 10, or even 15 continuous berms require total concentration and stamina.
15. Pro Line Berms: Take the hardest possible line into and around the berm for a direct challenge to your skill level.

If you want to push your berm riding to the bleeding edge, seek out trails with features like these. They’ll test your bike handling to the extreme. But surviving them successfully will give you a sense of riding achievement that’s hard to beat. You’ll know you’ve reached a new pinnacle in the art of berm shredding.

Just make sure your equipment and protection is up to the challenge. Use sturdy but nimble trail or all-mountain bikes with quality components and grippy tires. Full-face helmets, pads, and body armor would be wise for the gnarliest berm features. Bring your A-game mentally as well, since focus and courage will be mandatory.

The thrill of berm riding pushes mountain biking to its physical and mental limits. Seek out the most insane berm features you can find to experience the absolute pinnacle of berm-induced adrenaline. Just don’t forget to breathe and have fun out there!

Pick The Perfect Bike: What To Look For In A Berm-Ready Mountain Bike

When your favorite place to ride is railing berms at mach speed, you need a mountain bike that’s up to the task. The bike you choose can make or break your berm-shredding adventures. Here’s what to look for when picking the perfect berm-ready mountain bike:

• Agile Handling: To rip around tight, banked turns, you need a bike with quick, precise steering. Look for a short wheelbase, low bottom bracket, and raked out fork geometry.
• Suspension: Dialed suspension is crucial for berms. You need ample travel to absorb hits, along with adjustability and bottomless support when railing turns.
• Cornering Grip: Ample traction lets you carry speed through berms. Seek large volume, low pressure tires with an aggressive tread and side knobs.
• Stiff Frame: Berms put huge lateral forces on your bike. Look for a laterally stiff frame and wheels that can handle the load without flexing.
• Weight Balance: You’ll be railing turns and pumping through your bike, so centralizing weight is key. Aim for a bike with even front/rear balance.

For berm riding, an ideal bike style is an agile trail or all-mountain bike. The key is finding the sweet spot between responsiveness and stability at speed. Shorter travel trail bikes tend to offer the quickest handling and snappiest pumping performance. But longer travel all-mountain rigs give you a bit more margin for error when plowing into gnarly rock gardens at full tilt.

Components should be burly enough for hard charging, but not overbuilt in favor of low weight. Wheels with 30-35mm internal widths provide stability without sacrificing quick acceleration. Tires in the 2.3-2.6” size range offer ample grip and damping without feeling sluggish in the turns.

Don’t overlook the cockpit either. Shorter and wider bars provide leverage for attacking berms. A shorter stem quickens steering input. And a dropper post lets you lower your center of gravity through turns and recover from any get-offs once you push things too far.

Finding the optimal berm bike means balancing all these factors for your riding style and local trails. And don’t forget rider skills – a better rider can tame any berm on a less capable bike. But having the right tool for the job makes berm shredding much more fun and progression faster.

If you live for the thrill of berms, prioritize agility in your next bike purchase. Test ride some models to find your perfect berm companion. Then start seeking out the most insanely banked turns you can find to experience the pinnacle of adrenaline-filled berm riding.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

You’ve got a bike dialed for berm riding, now it’s time to test your skills on the gnarliest trail features out there. Here are 15 berm-filled challenges that will get your heart racing:

1. Hip Bone Transfers: Hit a lone rock hip at speed to launch into the adjoining berm. Time it wrong and you’ll be flying over the bars instead.
2. Step-Up Berms: These rising radius berms use a jump to launch you high into the air – if you enter with enough speed to clear the backside.
3. Outside-In Berms: Ride straight into the berm wall before carving downward. Feel the g-forces build as you dive down.
4. Bowling Ball Lines: Choose lines through berms scattered with rocks, roots and holes. One wrong move and you’ll be knocked off line.
5. Off-Camber Berms: Berms angled heavily to one side try to suck your tires downward. Fight the gravitational forces to stay upright.
6. Hip Transfers: Clear a tabletop jump, then land into a berm on the backside. Syncing the timing perfectly on these is so satisfying.
7. 3-2-1 Berms: A series of 3 tiny berms leads into 2 medium berms and finally 1 massive full-speed berm. Flow is key.
8. VD Berms: Two 180-degree berms connected like a VD shape will jerk your bike back and forth violently. Don’t lose focus.
9. Wood Rollercoaster Berms: Follow a twisting line of wooden berms with multipleblind transitions. Wood offers minimal forgiveness.
10. Mini-Berm Maze: A sequence of 10-15 tiny rounded berms in close succession requires intense concentration.
11. Rutted Rollercoaster Berms: Deep ruts, braking bumps and holes make for a wild ride you won’t soon forget.
12. G-Force Berms: Severely over-vertical berms want to flatten you out. You’ll feel the insane forces pulling your bike down.
13. Sand Trap Berms: Loose gravel thrown into a berm tries to kick your rear end sideways. Be ready to catch big slides.
14. Pro-Level Berms: Find berms filled with pro-level rock gardens and gap jumps. Time to test your skills!
15. Washout Berms: Off-camber berm entries try to knock your front wheel sideways before you even enter the turn.

Seeking out features like these will push your riding to the absolute limit. Make sure you have the bike handling skills and proper safety gear first. Starting on easier berm lines is wise to get used to the unique sensations of berm forces. But soon your need for adrenaline will have you hunting for the nastiest berms out there. Just remember to progress at your own pace and have fun pushing your limits!

Tackle Small Berms First: Build Skills On Manageable Mini Berm Runs

When you’re new to berm riding, it can be tempting to head straight for the biggest, gnarliest banked turns you can find. Resist that urge and start small. Developing your skills on manageable mini berms will pay huge dividends later.

Small, smooth berms let you dial in proper technique with less consequence for mistakes. Mastering mini berms gives you a solid skills base to tackle larger features. Here are some key reasons to start on smaller berm runs:

• Learn Balance and Body Position: Get comfortable leaning your bike and modulating inputs through mellower turns.
• Understand Berm Mechanics: Feel how berm forces work in a safer setting before upping the speed.
• Build Confidence: Smoothly riding mini berms boosts your comfort level before tackling larger berms.
• Progress At Your Pace: Work up to bigger berms gradually instead of jumping into the deep end.

Choose flow trails and jump lines with small, rolling berms to practice on. Sessioning these short berm runs allows repetitive practice to ingrain proper technique. Don’t worry about speed yet – focus on consistency. Smooth is fast.

Dial in the right body position by keeping your weight centered and low through the bike. Lead with your outside knee pointed into the turn. Position your outside hand high and wide on the bar to maximize leverage on the front wheel. Look where you want to go, not right in front of your front tire.

Let the bike move underneath you to carve a clean arc through the berm. Make subtle steering inputs and let the bike’s momentum carry you through the turn. Stay off the brakes and let the berm’s banking control your speed naturally.

As you get comfortable, start to lean the bike and push it lower into the berm. But resist the urge to attack too aggressively early on. Be patient and methodical in developing your skills.

Pumping through mini berms is also great practice. Time your compression and extension movements to generate speed through the transitions. Smooth pumping will be vital when you start hitting larger berm sequences.

Gradually start seeking out larger berm features when you feel confident. Look for flow trails with long, sweeping berms to expand your comfort zone. Mellow bike parks also offer great progression options. Just avoid the urge to bite off more than you can chew.

With time and practice, you’ll be ready to conquer truly massive berms and expand your adrenaline rush. But start small to build proper skills and safety.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Once you’ve honed your berm skills on mellower trails, it’s time to up the challenge on some truly gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements that will test your skills and get the adrenaline surging:

1. Hip Bone Transfers: Hit a solid rock hip bone to launch into the adjoining berm. Mistime either transition and you’ll wreck.
2. VD Berms: Two 180 degree berms linked like a VD shape will whip you violently back and forth. Stay off the brakes!
3. Rollercoaster Berms: Follow a series of berms with multiple blind transitions. You’ll need Jedi reactions.
4. Rhythm Berms: Time your entrance speed and body movements perfectly to flow through a series of 5-10 progressive berms.
5. Step-Up Berms: These rising radius berms use a jump to launch you high into the sky – if you enter with enough speed.
6. Hip Transfers: Clear a tabletop jump then land into a berm on the backside. Nail the timing or faceplant.
7. Off-Camber Berms: Berms tilted heavily to the side try to suck your tires downward. Fight the forces to stay upright.
8. Bowling Ball Lines: Choose unpredictable lines through pockmarked berms. One wrong move and you’ll get knocked off line.
9. High-G Berms: Over-vertical berms will press you deeply into the bike as you fight the intense g-forces.
10. Pro-Level Berms: Follow berms filled with pro-level rock gardens, jumps, and off-camber pitfalls.
11. Wood Rollercoaster Berms: The limited flex of wooden berms makes line choice and traction more critical.
12. Sand Trap Berms: Berms filled with marbles, gravel, or sand will cause unsettling drifts. Be prepared to correct.
13. Wall Ride Berms: Outside berm walls angled upward allow you to ride high across them. Don’t look down!
14. Blind Transfers: Berms with takeoffs you can’t see until you’re airborne demand a leap of faith.
15. Mini Berm Mazes: Long strings of 10-15 tiny rounded berms require intense focus and precision.

Seeking out features like these is reserved for experienced riders only. Make sure your bike handling skills are dialed before attempting them. Pack safety gear too, because crashes are nearly guaranteed. But if you have the skills, these gnarly berms will wring every last drop of adrenaline out of your body! Just be careful not to cross the line between thrill and plain stupidity. It’s easy to get carried away chasing that berm-induced adrenaline rush.

Pump For Speed: Use Your Body To Accelerate Through Berms

Carving berms is a thrill, but pumping through berms takes it to another level. Using your body movements to generate speed through berms creates an energizing flow. Here’s how to pump through berms to carry more speed and boost your adrenaline:

• Weight Back: As you enter the berm, shift your weight back slightly to pre-load the suspension.
• Compress Down: As the berm apex approaches, push the bike down into the turn to compress the suspension.
• Extend Out: As you exit the berm, push your body upwards against the bike to extend the suspension.

Timing these compression and extension movements with the berm’s transitions allows you to pump through the turn. When done correctly, you’ll accelerate out of the berm without even pedaling.

Start practicing on smooth rollercoaster style berms with mellow transitions. Build speed incrementally on each pass as your pumping skills improve. Stay centered and low through the bike as you pump aggressively.

As you pump harder, you’ll feel the g-forces increase through the berm. The bike will want to stand up, so you have to apply downward pressure to keep it pressed into the turn. The extra force required to fight the g-forces engages your whole body and creates an energized, connected feeling.

Once you have smooth pumping wired, add in pedal strokes to compound the speed generation. Time your pedaling with the pumping movements to maximize acceleration out of the berm. You’ll be rocketing out of turns faster than you thought possible.

Pumping berm sequences is even more exciting. As you race through a series of berms, time your pumping perfectly to build speed turn after turn. Anticipate the next berm and use its entrance transition to prep your next pump stroke. Extended sequences become an intricate dance of body English and bike handling.

Mastering the skill of berm pumping allows you to seek out more advanced features. Look for berms with bigger transitions that you can really load up on and explode out of. Timed right, you can clear huge gaps or step-downs using nothing but your pumping power.

Always start small and build your skills before progressing to truly gnarly berm lines. But with practice, you’ll be able to pump your way to warp speed through any berm, unleashing your inner adrenaline junkie.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Once your berm pumping skills are dialed, it’s time to test yourself on some truly burly features. Here are 15 berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to get your heart racing:

1. Hip Bone Transfers: Use a solid hip bone to launch into the adjoining berm. Mistime either transition and you’ll wreck hard.
2. Step-Up Berms: These rising radius berms boost you high into the air – if you enter with enough speed to clear the backside.
3. Rollercoaster Berms: Follow a series of wooden berms with multiple blind transitions. Wood offers minimal forgiveness.
4. Rhythm Berms: Time your entrance speed and pumping perfectly to flow through a series of 5-10 progressive berms.
5. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick unpredictable lines through pockmarked berms. One wrong move knocks you off line.
6. Sand Trap Berms: Loose gravel thrown into a berm tries to kick your rear end sideways. Be ready to catch big drifts.
7. Double Black Berms: Berms filled with pro-level rock gardens, gap jumps and off-camber pitfalls.
8. Hip Transfers: Clear a tabletop jump then land into a berm on the backside. Nail the timing or faceplant.
9. Step-Down Berms: These banked turns drop away suddenly within the arc. Maintaining speed takes commitment.
10. Outside-In Berms: Ride straight into the berm wall before carving downward. Feel the g-forces build as you dive in.
11. VD Berms: Two 180 degree berms linked in a VD shape will whip you violently back and forth. Stay off the brakes!
12. High-G Rollercoaster Berms: Non-stop undulation within the berm creates intense positive and negative g-forces.
13. Wall Ride Berms: Outside berm walls angled upward allow you to ride high across them. Don’t look down!
14. Mini Berm Mazes: Long strings of 10-15 tiny rounded berms demand intense concentration and control.
15. Pro Lines: Follow the most challenging possible line into and around the berm to test your limits.

Attempting gnarly features like these is for experts only. Make sure your skills and safety gear are fully dialed beforehand. While the adrenaline rush will be powerful, remember your limits. Build up slowly and ride within your abilities. Staying in control while pushing your limits is the sweet spot for properly progressing your berm riding.

Get Low: Proper Berm Riding Body Position

Dialing in the optimal body position is crucial for railing berms with control. Getting low and centered through the bike allows you to carve smooth arcs and handle the forces. Here are some tips on proper body position for berm riding:

• Stay Balanced: Keep your weight evenly distributed centered between both wheels.
• Get Low: Crouch down to drop your center of gravity through the turn.
• Inside Knee In: Point your inside knee into the turn to help initiate lean.
• Outside Arm High: Raise your outside arm up and wide on the bar for maximum leverage.
• Neutral Spine: Avoid overarching – keep your back flat to absorb force evenly.

Getting low into an athletic position preloads your suspension and brings your mass closer to the bike’s rotational axis. This mass centralization maximizes stability and control.

Pointing your inside knee initiates bike lean and gets your body angled in sync. Driving that knee consistently into the turn helps regulate lean angle and steering inputs.

Extending your outside arm ups your leverage on the front wheel to muscle it down into the turn. Press down through that hand and bar end to carve a tighter arc.

Keep your eyes up and head level as you look ahead to your exit line. Avoid staring at the front hub – it will wander if you don’t keep your vision up.

Relax your ankles, knees and elbows to absorb bumps fluidly through the berm. Let the bike move beneath you as you float evenly through the arc.

As you get comfortable, progressively lower your body position to increase cornering forces. But avoid getting too low too soon. Find the sweet spot between stability and agility based on speed and berm steepness.

Dialing in this balanced attack position takes practice, especially at speed. Session smooth berms focusing only on technique before trying to go full speed.

Once mastered, this low body position enables you to carve any berm with precision control. You’ll be ready to seek out more challenging features to test your skills.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

When your berm riding skills are dialed, it’s time to up the intensity on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to pin the adrenaline meter:

1. High-G Rollercoaster Berms: Continuous undulation creates intense positive and negative g-forces you need to brace against.
2. Step-Up Berms: Use a jump at berm entrance to boost you high into the air – if your speed is sufficient to clear the backside.
3. Double Black Berms: Berms filled with pro-level rock gardens, gap jumps and off-camber pitfalls.
4. Hip Bone Transfers: Use a solid hip bone to launch into the adjoining berm. Mistime either transition and you’ll wreck.
5. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick unpredictable lines through pockmarked berms. One wrong move knocks you off line.
6. Blind Transitions: Berms with takeoffs you can’t see until you’re airborne demand total commitment.
7. Wall Ride Berms: Outside berm walls angled upward allow you to ride high across them. Don’t look down!
8. Step-Down Berms: These banked turns drop away suddenly within the arc. Maintaining speed takes nerves.
9. Rollercoaster Berms: Follow a series of wooden berms with multiple blind transitions. Wood offers minimal forgiveness.
10. Rutted Berms: Follow the smoothest line through minefields of braking bumps and holes. One wrong move and you’ll get knocked off line.
11. Sand Trap Berms: Loose gravel thrown into a berm tries to kick your rear end sideways. Be ready to catch big drifts.
12. Sideways Berms: Unconventional berms you ride straight into, forcing you to carve downward across the slope.
13. Pro Lines: Follow the most challenging possible line into and around the berm to test your limits.
14. Wood Wallrides: Concrete berms with wooden walls ride high up across while scraping the walls.
15. Hip Transfers: Clear a tabletop jump then land into a berm on the backside. Nail the timing or faceplant.

Attempting challenging features like these demands sharp bike handling skills and a daredevil spirit. Build up to them gradually as you master proper technique on mellower berms first. Pack safety gear too. While the thrill will be powerful, know your limits and ride within your abilities. The adrenaline rush of berm riding is addicting, but don’t let it cloud your judgement.

Look Ahead: Keep Your Eyes On The Exit

Where you look has a huge impact on how well you ride berms. Staring at your front wheel causes it to wander off line. Looking ahead towards the exit keeps your path true. Here are some tips for looking ahead on berms:

• Scan The Exit: Identify your exit line before entering the turn.
• Keep Eyes Level: Don’t let your gaze drop to your front hub.
• Look Through The Turn: Stay focused well ahead of the bike.
• Avoid Target Fixation: Don’t lock your eyes onto obstacles – look where you want to go.

It takes discipline to resist staring at your front wheel, especially at speed. But letting your eyes wander downward will cause the bike to follow.

Scan the whole berm first to pick your exit line. Then commit your eyes to that line before turn entry. Trust your peripheral vision to monitor your actual path.

Focus on looking 5-10 feet ahead of the bike – almost to the point of feeling disconnected from the front wheel. This pulls your trajectory smoother through the arc.

Avoid target fixation on rocks, holes or other obstacles. Making them the focal point increases the chance you’ll hit them. Look intentionally towards clear spaces.

Consistent practice helps retrain your natural tendency to look downward when nervous. Session mellow berms focusing only on your vision discipline.

You can also follow a leader with better vision skills than you. Ride their rear wheel and force your eyes ahead to mirror their line. This muscle memory will translate when you ride solo.

Dialing in your vision gives you the confidence to seek out more challenging berm features. Your eyes will help guide you smoothly through any gnarly line.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Once your berm riding vision is trained, it’s time to test your skills on truly burly features. Here are 15 berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to pin the adrenaline meter as you force your eyes ahead:

1. Hip Transfers: Spot your landing blind before launching off a hip bone into the adjoining berm.
2. Step-Down Berms: Look ahead to the bottom as the trail suddenly drops away mid-berm.
3. Rollercoaster Berms: Follow a series of wooden berms with multiple blind transitions. Wood offers minimal forgiveness.
4. Hip Bone Transfers: Spot your landing early before using a hip bone to launch into the berm.
5. Rutted Berms: Focus ahead to pick the cleanest line through minefields of braking bumps and holes.
6. Wall Rides: Look ahead to angle up the berm wall without staring down at your front tire.
7. Step-Up Berms: Ride blind into a berm that launches into the air, resisting the urge to stare down.
8. High-G Berms: Let your eyes pull you all the way around over-vertical berms without giving in to the fear.
9. Double Black Berms: Trust your eyes to guide you through rock gardens and off-camber pitfalls at speed.
10. Blind Transfer Berms: Spot your landing early before launching blind off a hidden takeoff.
11. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick clean lines through pockmarked berms without fixating on obstacles.
12. Pro Lines: Resist staring at danger as you push the hardest possible line on the berm.
13. Sand Traps: Stay focused ahead as your rear end drifts unpredictably on loose gravel.
14. Sideways Berms: Look smoothly along the fall line as you carve these flat-in berms across the slope.
15. VD Berms: Stay committed ahead through violent whip-back transitions from one berm direction to the opposite.

Gnarly features like these demand your eyes lead the way. Sculpt your vision discipline on mellower terrain first before moving to this level. Pack safety gear too, as crashing is likely. While temptation looms to fixate on danger, stay committed to focusing ahead, and your skills will follow.

Weight Back: Put More Pressure On The Rear Wheel

Balancing your weight properly is vital for railing berms. Sitting too far back helps avoid sliding the front wheel, while being too far forward risks washouts. Here are tips on getting your weight back for optimal berm riding:

• Preload The Suspension: Crouch low into the bike on berm entry to load the rear shock.
• Drive The Inside Knee: Press your inside knee forward and down to stay balanced backwards.
• Shift Hips Back: Concentrate on keeping your core rearward as you lean into the turn.
• Weight The Outside Peg: On bikes with pegs, put pressure on the outer peg to anchor your mass back.

You want your weight biased slightly to the rear, without going so far back that the front wheel lifts or wanders. Find the sweet spot based on speed and berm steepness.

Loading the rear shock helps drive the rear wheel into the dirt for traction. But don’t sit so far back that you disconnect from the front end.

Driving your inside knee forwards counteracts the backward forces. Keeping it consistently pressed down and in also engages your core muscles.

Extend your arms while keeping your hips rearward in an athletic riding stance. This centers your mass low and rearward.

Un-weighting the front wheel slightly reduces understeer and front washing. But you still need enough front pressure to keep it biting in the dirt.

Practice sessions on mellow berms help you find the optimal balance point before upping the speed. Don’t go straight to high-speed without dialing in your weight balance.

Perfecting your fore-aft weight bias gives you the confidence to charge full speed ahead on any berm by minimizing the traction limits.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

When you’ve mastered proper weight balance on berms, it’s time to test your skills on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping:

1. Step-Downs: Stay anchored back as the trail suddenly drops away to avoid going over the bars.
2. Step-Ups: Drive weight into the rear wheel to pump up the face of jumping step-up berms.
3. High-G Berms: Counteract intense g-forces trying to buck you forward by staying low and weighted back.
4. Off-Cambers: Don’t let the angled surface pull your weight too far downhill – stay centered.
5. Rollercoasters: Pump your body weight evenly through consecutive humps and compressions.
6. Rutted Berms: Absorb holes and braking bumps without pitching too far forward.
7. Hip Transfers: Weight the rear wheel to drive off hips smoothly into the next berm.
8. Wallrides: Stay anchored rearward to keep your center of gravity away from the wall as you ride it.
9. Flat-In Berms: Keep weight equally distributed as you carve across super-steep side slopes.
10. Bowling Lines: Pick smooth trajectories through rocky, holey berms without shifting weight too far rearward.
11. Sand Traps: Stay centered as the rear end drifts and slides unpredictably on loose gravel.
12. G-Outs: Preload the shock on negative G-force dips by driving your weight downward.
13. Hip Transfers: Launch off hips smoothly by putting pressure on the rear wheel.
14. Step-Downs: Stay weighted on the rear as the trail drops away quickly mid-berm.
15. Blind Transitions: Trust your weight balance entering unseen rollercoaster transitions.

Gnarly features like these put your skills to the test. Start with weight balance mastery on mellower berms first. Pack protection too – flying over the bars is a real possibility. While the adrenaline rush is alluring, don’t let it cloud your judgement on when to push your limits.

Carve Clean Lines: Ideal Berm Riding Technique

Perfecting your berm riding technique lets you carve smooth, efficient lines. Dialing in proper body position, vision, suspension use, and line choice results in buttery arcs at any speed. Here are some key tips for ideal berm riding technique:

• Look Ahead: Keep your eyes up and focused towards the exit at all times.
• Outside Leg Out: Drive your outside knee consistently into the turn to initiate lean.
• Weight Centered: Stay balanced with even pressure on both wheels.
• Outside Arm High: Extend your outside arm high and wide for maximum front wheel leverage.
• Neutral Spine: Avoid overarching your back – keep it flat to absorb force evenly.

Let the bike move beneath you as you float evenly through the arc. Make small steering adjustments with your knees, hips and shoulders rather than muscling the bars.

Time your suspension compression and rebound to maintain stability smoothing out trail chatter. Pump through transitions to generate speed.

Pick smooth lines starting wide, diving down to the apex, then exiting wide. Avoid sharp choppy inputs or late diving.

Control your speed solely with smart line choice and braking before the turn. Maintain momentum through the berm by staying off the brakes.

Relax your ankles, knees and elbows to absorb bumps and let the bike track naturally. Loose limbs provide more responsive control.

Dialing in all these techniques fully takes extensive practice. Session mellow berms focusing only on honing each skill before combining them at speed.

Mastering proper berm riding technique builds fundamental bike handling skills that translate to riding all trails with fluidity and control.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Once you’ve refined your berm riding technique, it’s time to test your skills on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to challenge your technique and get the adrenaline surging:

1. Step-Downs: Stay off the brakes as the trail plummets suddenly mid-berm.
2. High-G Rollercoasters: Pump efficiently through consecutive undulating transitions.
3. Rutted Berms: Pick the smoothest trajectory through minefields of braking bumps.
4. Hip Transfers: Launch off hips and nail the landing smoothly into the next berm.
5. Wallrides: Carve high up the berm walls using angled shoulders and hips.
6. Flat-In Berms: Lean and carve across steep side slopes to link fall line turns.
7. Sand Traps: Stay off the brakes and float evenly as the rear drifts on gravel.
8. G-Out Dips: Pump through negative G-force rollercoaster dips to maintain speed.
9. Step-Up Jumps: Compress down the upramp to launch higher off the backside.
10. Hip Bone Transfers: Pump the transition to and from the hip bone smoothly.
11. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick fast, fluid lines through rocky, pockmarked berms.
12. Blind Transitions: Trust your instincts and technique hitting unseen rollercoaster lips.
13. Double Transfers: Whip side to side quickly but smoothly through Two linked opposite berms.
14. Off-Cambers: Counteract downhill forces subtly with upper body movement.
15. Pro Lines: Charge the most technically demanding entrance and apex lines.

Features like these demand sharp technique and skills. Build your fundamentals on mellower terrain first before moving to this level. Pack protection too as crashes are very likely. While the thrill is enticing, remember to develop at your own pace and ride within your abilities.

Session Step-Up Berms: Increase Height And Speed Slowly

Step-up berms use a jump face to launch you into the air off the backside. Mastering step-ups requires methodically increasing speed and height over multiple sessions. Here are some tips for successfully progressing your step-up berm riding skills:

• Start Small: Begin with mellow step-ups with minimal airtime.
• Build Speed Slowly: Add speed incrementally over multiple attempts rather than maxing out initially.
• Pump For Height: Use proper pumping technique on the face to reach higher trajectories.
• Focus On Form: Dial in optimal takeoff and landing technique before going big.

Trying to hit massive step-up berms without proper progression leads to crashes and potential injuries. Building your skills over time is crucial.

Start by simply rolling moderate step-up berms to understand the motions required. Get comfortable handling the increased forces before adding more speed.

As you start going airborne, focus on smooth suspension compression on the face and a balanced, centered takeoff. Land smoothly with your weight evenly distributed.

Once consistent in the air, start pumping harder on the transitions to reach higher trajectories. Bend your arms and legs to absorb harsh landings.

Periodically move to slightly larger step-up berms as your skills improve. But avoid big jumps between features – progress incrementally.

With time and repeated practice, you’ll develop the technique and confidence to boost massive step-up berms and land cleanly. Just take it slow – speed and height will come.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

When you’ve mastered step-up berms, it’s time to test yourself on other gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to spike your adrenaline:

1. Hip Bone Transfers: Use a solid hip bone to launch smoothly into the next berm.
2. High-G Berms: Stay anchored as intense g-forces try to eject you from over-vertical berms.
3. Rollercoaster Berms: Pump evenly through continuous undulating transitions.
4. Rhythm Berms: Perfectly time your entrance speed and pumping to flow through a series of progressive berms.
5. Step-Downs: Stay off the brakes as the trail plummets suddenly mid-berm.
6. Wallrides: Carve way up the berm walls using proper lean and hip angles.
7. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick fast, fluid trajectories through rocky, hole-filled berms.
8. Rutted Berms: Stay off the brakes as your wheels drop into and climb out of deep ruts.
9. Off-Cambers: Use subtle body movements to counteract downhill forces trying to buck you.
10. Hip Transfers: Launch off hips and nail the landing smoothly into the next berm.
11. Sand Traps: Stay centered as your rear end drifts and slides unpredictably.
12. Double Transfers: Whip side to side quickly but smoothly through two linked opposite berms.
13. Pro Lines: Charge the most technically demanding entrance and apex lines.
14. Blind Transitions: Trust your instincts hitting unseen rollercoaster compressions and lips.
15. G-Out Dips: Pump through negative G-force dips in berms to maintain speed.

Features like these demand sharp skills and a daredevil spirit. Build up to them gradually as you master proper technique on mellower berms first. Pack safety gear too, as crashes are very likely. Remember to progressively push your limits, not recklessly exceed them.

Find Rhythm In Roller Berms: Time Your Inputs

Rollercoaster berms feature consecutive undulating transitions that can buck you off if you’re not in sync. Finding the right rhythm and timing your movements is key. Here are tips for mastering the flow of rollercoaster berms:

• Study The Rhythm: Walk the course first to visualize the patterns.
• Time Your Pumping: Compress and extend your body precisely in the transitions.
• Load Your Weight: Crouch low coming into compressions to preload the suspension.
• Stay Loose: Absorb oscillations with soft knees and elbows.

The undulations come rapidly, so picking up on the cadence is crucial. Smoothly surfing the peaks and valleys requires matching their frequency.

Time your pumping by compressing into dips and extending over humps. Let the bike move beneath you rather than muscling it.

Crouch low and shift your weight back slightly entering dips to load the suspension. Then drive your weight down to pump back out.

Avoid fighting the bike. Let the bars oscillate side to side as you stay loose to absorb the forces. Keep your movements subtle.

Once you lock into the rhythm, the sensations become almost melodic. The bike will dance beneath you as if floating on a wave.

Rollercoaster mastery gives you the skills to seek out more rhythm sections. Just make sure to dial in the sync on mellower features before upping the intensity.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

When you’ve mastered the flow of rollercoaster berms, it’s time to test your skills on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to spike your adrenaline:

1. Step-Downs: Stay off the brakes as the trail suddenly plummets mid-berm.
2. Hip Bone Transfers: Use a solid hip bone to smoothly launch into the next berm.
3. High-G Berms: Stay anchored as intense g-forces try to buck you on over-vertical berms.
4. Rutted Berms: Pick smooth lines without getting bucked by deep ruts.
5. Wallrides: Carve high up the berm walls using proper body positioning.
6. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick fast, fluid trajectories through rocky, hole-filled berms.
7. Blind Transitions: Trust your instincts hitting unseen rollercoaster compressions and lips.
8. Step-Up Jumps: Compress smoothly into the face and pump for maximum airtime.
9. Double Transfers: Whip side to side quickly but smoothly through two linked opposite berms.
10. G-Out Dips: Pump through negative G-force dips to maintain speed.
11. Sand Traps: Stay centered as your rear end drifts and slides unpredictably.
12. Off-Cambers: Use subtle body movements to counteract downhill forces trying to buck you.
13. Pro Lines: Charge the most technically demanding entrance and apex lines.
14. Hip Transfers: Launch off hips and nail the landing smoothly into the next berm.
15. Rhythm Sections: Perfectly time your pumping and movements to flow through progressive berm sequences.

Features like these demand sharp bike handling skills and a daring spirit. Build up your capabilities gradually on mellower terrain first before moving to this level. Pack protection too, as crashes are very likely. Remember your limits and don’t let adrenaline cloud your judgement.

Lean Into Switchback Berms: Gravity Is Your Friend

Switchback berms make tight 180 degree flip-flop turns, often across steep slopes. Leaning downhill uses gravity to your advantage. Here are tips for maximizing speed through switchback berms:

• Let the Bike Fall: Allow gravity to pull the bike down across the fall line.
• Outside Knee Down: Point your outside knee straight downhill into the turn.
• Weight the Downhill Peg: Put more pressure on your downhill foot peg to drive weight down.
• Look Through the Turn: Keep your eyes focused along the fall line, not at the front hub.

The natural tendency is to resist angling down steep slopes. But letting gravity pull you allows tighter, faster arcs.

Pointing your outside knee straight downhill initiates bike lean. Keep pressing it into the hill to increase your edge angle.

Driving weight onto your downhill foot peg anchors it lower on the slope. This lowers your center of gravity and ground clearance.

Looking where you want to go, not directly in front of your tire, keeps your trajectory tracking downhill. Trust your wheels will follow.

Entering wide sets you up to swoop a smooth arc down and around the berm without an abrupt direction change. Exit wide as well.

Be ready to countersteer out of the turn to straighten back out across the slope. Manage speed with trail braking before entering.

Practice leaning downhill on low angle switchbacks before moving to steeper berms. Let gravity work for you to rail berms like a pro.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

When you’ve mastered fast lines on switchback berms, it’s time to test your skills on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to spike your adrenaline:

1. High-G Berms: Stay anchored against intense g-forces trying to buck you on over-vertical berms.
2. Rollercoaster Berms: Pump smoothly through consecutive undulating transitions.
3. Step-Downs: Stay off the brakes as the trail suddenly plummets mid-berm.
4. Rutted Berms: Pick smooth lines without getting bucked by deep ruts.
5. Hip Transfers: Use hip bones to launch smoothly into the next berm.
6. Wallrides: Carve high up the berm walls using proper body positioning.
7. Step-Up Jumps: Compress smoothly into the face and pump for maximum airtime.
8. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick fast, fluid trajectories through rocky, hole-filled berms.
9. Double Transfers: Whip side to side quickly but smoothly through two linked opposite berms.
10. Blind Transitions: Trust your instincts hitting unseen rollercoaster compressions.
11. Hip Bone Transfers: Time your compression and extension perfectly.
12. G-Out Dips: Pump through negative G-force dips to maintain speed.
13. Off-Cambers: Use subtle body movements to counteract downhill forces.
14. Sand Traps: Stay centered as your rear end drifts and slides unpredictably.
15. Pro Lines: Charge the most technically demanding entrance and apex lines.

Features like these demand sharp bike handling skills and courage. Build your capabilities gradually on mellower terrain first before moving to this level. Pack protection too, as crashes are very likely. Remember to push your limits methodically, not haphazardly.

Straighten It Out: Tips For Exiting Berms Cleanly

Nailing the entrance and apex of a berm then crashing on exit is frustrating. Cleanly straightening out your trajectory takes finesse. Here are some tips for mastering berm exits:

• Look Where You Want To Go: Focus your vision on the exit line, not your front hub.
• Countersteer: Initiate direction change by briefly turning the bars opposite of the exit.
• Drive Outside Knee Out: Press your outside knee forward to stand the bike up.
• Shift Your Hips: Push your hips forward and upright to bring your body perpendicular.

The keys are looking ahead early, subtle countersteering, and evenly bringing your body back to neutral. Avoid abrupt or rushed movements.

Plan your exit line before entering the turn, then lock your eyes onto it. Let your gaze lead your bike out smoothly.

Briefly turn the bars slightly opposite of the exit. This countersteer input helps stand the bike back upright.

Driving your outside knee forward brings your body perpendicular to the bike again. Resist staying leaned over.

Push your hips forward as you exit to shift weight slightly rearward. This centers your mass evenly again.

Avoid sudden braking or accelerating through the exit. Allow momentum to smoothly carry you out of the turn.

Practice sessioning mellow berms and focusing only on dialing in clean exits before attempting high speeds.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

When you’ve mastered fast entries and exits on berms, it’s time to test your skills on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to spike your adrenaline:

1. Step-Downs: Resist oversteering as the trail suddenly drops mid-berm.
2. Rollercoaster Berms: Stay smooth through consecutive undulating transitions.
3. Rutted Berms: Pick smooth lines without getting kicked sideways by deep ruts.
4. High-G Berms: Stay anchored against intense g-forces trying to eject you out.
5. Hip Bone Transfers: Use hips to launch smoothly into the next berm.
6. Wallrides: Rail high along the berm walls before straightening out your trajectory.
7. Step-Up Jumps: Land smoothly off the backside without overcorrecting.
8. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick fast trajectories through rocky, pockmarked berms.
9. Blind Transitions: Trust your instincts hitting unseen rollercoaster lips.
10. Double Transfers: Whip cleanly side to side through two linked opposite berms.
11. G-Out Dips: Stay smooth riding out of negative G-force compressions.
12. Sand Traps: Don’t oversteer drifts caused by gravel in the berm.
13. Off-Cambers: Subtly counteract downhill forces pulling you off line.
14. Pro Lines: Straighten out smoothly from the most extreme entrance and apex lines.
15. Hip Transfers: Absorb the landing smoothly and stay straight exiting the next berm.

Features like these demand sharp bike handling skills and courage. Build your capabilities gradually on mellower terrain first before moving to this level. Pack protection too, as crashes are very likely. Remember to develop at your own pace and ride within your abilities.

Brace For G-Forces: Handle High-Speed Berm Forces

Hitting berms at high speed generates intense g-forces. Lateral g’s pull your body sideways while vertical g’s try to eject you out of the saddle. Managing these forces takes strength and technique.

Here are some tips for mastering g-forces on high-speed berms:

• Low Athletic Stance: Crouch low into the bike to lower your center of gravity.
• Weight Distributed: Keep centered with even pressure on both wheels.
• Core Engaged: Brace your core muscles to resist side forces trying to toss your body.
• Grip The Tank: Squeeze the bike tightly with your legs to anchor yourself down.

The combination of speed and extreme lean angle in berms generates intense g-forces. You’ll feel these forces trying to rip you off the bike.

Get as low as possible to keep your body near the bike’s rotational axis. This reduces the leverage those forces have to dismount you.

Stay balanced with even weight distribution so you don’t get bucked over the high side. Don’t let the bike stand up.

Tighten your core muscles to brace against lateral forces trying to eject you. Resist allowing your body to be flung sideways.

Gripping the bike fiercely with your legs counters the vertical forces trying to lift you out of the saddle. Stay anchored.

Start practicing on mellower high-speed berms before moving to extremely over-vertical ones. Get used to the intense forces gradually.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Once you’ve mastered high-speed g-forces, it’s time to test your skills on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to pin the adrenaline meter:

1. Steep Rollercoaster Berms: Stay anchored and centered through violent high-speed compressions.
2. Massive Hip Transfers: Use big hip bones to launch far into the next berm.
3. High-Banked Wall Berms: Rail way up nearly vertical outside walls using extreme lean angles.
4. Mach Speed Rhythm Berms: Perfectly time your pumping to flow through a series of 10 progressively bigger berms.
5. Step-Downs: Stay off the brakes and stay low as the trail suddenly plummets mid-berm.
6. Double Black Berms: Stay off the brakes racing through berms filled with pro jumps and rock gardens.
7. Hip Bone Transfers: Use precise pumping to launch smoothly between hips and berms.
8. Rollercoaster Body Varials: Spin your upper body violently as your wheels oscillate under you.
9. Rutted Rollercoasters: Absorb deep ruts and holes while handling intense g-force transitions.
10. Storming The Holeshot: Pin the throttle out of the gate to hit the first berm at full speed.
11. Red Bull Straight Rhythm: Maintain mach speed through a huge sequence of rapid fire rhythmic berms.
12. Boss Hog Hip Bone: Use a massive hip bone kicker to launch superman-style into the next berm.
13. Fest Series Mega Berms: Charge blurringly fast through huge wooden bowl berms in a race setting.
14. Step-Down to Step-Up: Go full speed through a step-down immediately into a step-up berm.
15. Red Bull Rampage Big Mountain Berms: Rail impossibly steep and loose berms on the edge of cliff drops.

Extreme features like these require expert-level riding. Work up to this level gradually and know your limits. And never ride beyond your abilities just to chase an adrenaline rush.

Stay Loose: Avoid Arm Pump And Death Grip

Berms put tons of forces through your arms. Gripping the bars too tight leads to arm pump and loss of control. Staying loose is essential for handling berms properly.

Here are some tips to avoid arm pump and death grip on berms:

• Light Grip: Use a gentle grip – don’t white knuckle the bars.
• Elbows Out: Keep elbows slightly bent to absorb shock.
• Relaxed Shoulders: Don’t hunch or tense your shoulders.
• Loose Ankles and Knees: Allow your limbs to act as suspension.
• Control With Body: Initiate turns with your lower body, not just arms.

Gripping too tight forces your arms to absorb trail impacts and g-forces. This fatigues muscles quickly, causing arm pump.

Keep a light but firm grip on the bars, like holding a puppy. Avoid tensing up or death-gripping.

Slightly bent elbows allow your arms to cushion bumps and maintain traction control.

Avoid hunching your shoulders up. Keep them low and loose to absorb bar forces through your core.

Allow your limbs to compress like shocks over trail chatter. Let the bike move beneath you.

Turning using your knees, hips and shoulders reduces force on your hands and arms. Keep movements subtle.

Routinely shake out your hands on longer berm sections to keep them from fatiguing. And build grip strength in the gym.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

When you’ve learned to stay loose on berms, it’s time to test your skills on truly gnarly features. Here are 15 burly berm-filled trail elements guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping:

1. Hip Bone Transfers: Absorb transitions smoothly using your legs.
2. High-G Rollercoasters: Stay loose to manage extreme g-forces.
3. Rutted Berms: Let your limbs cushion holes, bumps and ruts.
4. Step-Downs: Don’t death grip on sudden drop-aways.
5. Wallrides: Rail high along the berm walls with relaxed arms.
6. Step-Up Jumps: Absorb big compressions and landings lightly.
7. Bowling Ball Lines: Pick smooth trajectories without manhandling the bars.
8. Blind Transitions: Stay loose so your limbs can react instinctively.
9. Double Transfers: Whip side to side smoothly through rapid direction changes.
10. G-Out Dips: Allow your arms and legs to compress through negative Gs.
11. Off-Cambers: Don’t fight the bike – stay loose on angled surfaces.
12. Sand Traps: Let the bars twist naturally through rear drifts.
13. Hip Transfers: Pump transitions smoothly using your legs.
14. Pro Lines: Stay relaxed and let your reactions flow on demanding lines.
15. Rhythm Sections: Absorb consecutive berm oscillations with loose limbs.

Features like these demand you stay relaxed to react properly. Death-gripping leads to mistakes and crashes. Build your comfort gradually on easier berms before moving to this intensity level. Remember to stay within your abilities and avoid pushing beyond your limits.

Advanced Berms Await: Continually Progress Your Skills

Berm riding is a never-ending journey of progression. There are always bigger features awaiting as your skills improve. Here are some tips for continually advancing your berm riding abilities:

• Session Features At Your Limit: Ride berms just beyond your current capability over and over.
• Focus On One Skill At A Time: Isolate specific skills like pumping or cornering and master them.
• Follow Better Riders: Let their lines and technique influence your riding.
• Travel To Advanced Trails: Seek out trails with features you can’t find locally.
• Watch Berm Videos: Study the techniques of top berm shredders.

The key is always seeking new challenges just beyond your skill level. This pushes you incrementally rather than moving too far too fast.

Session difficult berms repeatedly to engrain new techniques. Repetition breeds skill mastery.

Focus on dialing one specific skill before combining them all at speed. Isolated practice develops proper muscle memory.

Following advanced riders helps you visualize new lines and techniques. Let them influence and inspire you.

Traveling exposes you to berm features you won’t find near home. Look for rhythm sections, jump lines, and flow trails.

Study videos to analyze the skills and techniques of top riders. Then apply their lessons to your own riding.

Approach progression in a methodical, incremental way for long term success. The journey never ends as the best riders never stop improving.

Can Your Mountain Bike Handle These Berms?: 15 Gnarly Trail Features To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Once your skills reach an advanced level, it’s time to seek out the most insane berm features that exist. Here are 15 virtually unrideable berm-filled trail elements reserved only for the top 1% of riders:

1. Red Bull Rampage Big Mountain Berms: Impossibly steep berms on the edge of huge cliffs.
2. Audi Nines MTB Mega Berms: Massive wooden bowl berms and transfers for the slopestyle elite.
3. Rampworx Pro Line Air Berms: Soaring 15-30 feet out of berms using bike park booters.
4. Steve Peat Signature Rollercoasters: Blind transitions and negative Gs even Peaty struggles with.
5. Darkfest Insane Wallrides: Concrete berms with vertical wooden walls to grind and slide across.
6. Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo: Tight switchback berms on an unimaginably steep urban downhill track.
7. Hardline Mega Hip Transfers: Launching 30-50 feet between massive hip kickers and landings.
8. Retallack Lodge Portal Line: Unbelievably long strings of 20-40 rollercoaster berms through the trees.
9. Burke Mountain Gnar Wall Berm: An over-vertical wall ride berm that crosses Fall Line.
10. Red Bull Joyride Crankworx: Hybrid dirt and wooden features only the Slopestyle GOATs can ride.
11. Air DH Les Deux Alpes Super Speed Berms: World Cup level speed on open mountain berms.
12. Rampage Hip Bonanza: Using massive hip kickers to transfer endlessly from berm to berm.
13. Red Bull District Ride Head Shakers: Absurdly technical urban downhill tracks.
14. Andreu Lacondeguy Style Rodeos: Spinning inverted aerials above the berm before re-landing.
15. UCI Downhill World Championship Track: The most insane berms the world’s best downhill racers can handle.

Seeking out elite-level features like these should only be attempted once you’ve achieved true mastery. Work up very gradually by mastering advanced trails first. And know when to recognize features are simply beyond your current skill level.