Drops.

You'll encounter drops on almost all rides in Central Texas. Some are small, some big. Most of the drops where we ride have no or bad runouts and sketchy approaches at slow speeds. None of this is ideal (as you'll see when watching the videos at the end) but it's all the more reason for you to learn this simple skill. 

How not to drop

We need to start off a discussion of how to drop by discussion how NOT to drop. The actual skill of a drop is pretty easy, unfortunately there are many ways that people have 'learned' to hit drops that are dangerous. 

• Do not pop off the lip

• Do not bunny hop off the lip

• Do not manual off the lip

The reason all these are dangerous is b/c you're adding energy and, for most folks, that energy can be unpredictable. If you're unexperienced, underexperienced, tired, distracted, the takeoff is slippery, etc. adding energy to a takeoff is just adding chaos. These input methods can turn what should have been a smooth transition from a takeoff to a landing into a dead-sailor's trip to the ER. Keep it simple, safe, and keep the input minimal. 

Note: yeah, yeah, I know - you can do these things, but they're much more advanced than simply taking the drop properly. Unless you're an advanced rider, popping, hopping, or manualing off a drop is not a good call

How to drop

To safely do a drop, you need convince your front tire to postpones it's date with gravity long enough for your back tire to leave the takeoff.  These motions do not need to be 'big' or exaggerated. Just enough to help that front wheel not dive. 

There are 2 ways to accomplish this, the outcome is same and the body movements are almost identical but some people like to think of it one way and some the other way. 

1. Close the disance to your bars by bending your elbows and slackening your wrists. As the bike is about the leave the takeoff, shove the bike forward, releasing that space you made by bending your elbows. This also shifts your weight back over the back axle which unweights the front tire giving it less reason to dive off the lip.

2. Shove the bike off the lip with your feet/hips. As you approach the takeoff, you close the distance from your chest to the bar, hinge at the hip, and push your weight through the balls of your feet (dropping the heel). This also accomplishes pushing your weight back closer to the rear axle - preventing the front wheel from diving.