building drops

Cqc

Hiya, there aren't too many drops over 2ft on my local trails and would enjoy having a go at bigger ones so was thinking of building some myself. Don't worry about if I am allowed to as I'll find a place where it's ok, and I'll try not do damage habitats, etc.
However, on the internet there are plenty of guides for building jumps, but none at all for building drops, so any ideas? Should I use logs? Make current ones bigger? Any tips?

pesky_jones

Try find a natural kind of drop and just emphasise it if you know what I mean. It also depends on what kind of drop you're looking for, a long fast drop or a slow steep drop. If it's long and fast it doesn't need that much distance vertically, just a nice take off and landing. If its slow you'll need a spot a little steeper. Other than that you could build a ladder drop! Built a small one in the winter. About a metre in height at point of take off, but three or four metres long and a good run up, only a foot wide as well which makes it fun

rockmonkeysc

Get the gap right for hitting it at a speed that fits in with the flow of the trail. A sloping landing is always good.
Not much to building drops really.

cooldad

viewtopic.php?f=10002&t=12731015

Cqc

Cqc wrote:

. Don't worry about if I am allowed to as I'll find a place where it's ok, and I'll try not do damage habitats, etc.

cooldad wrote:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10002&t=12731015

Thanks everybody, I don't really want to do any ladder work- I would rather do logs and dirt... Any other suggestions?

rockmonkeysc

Dirt is easy enough to build with. Find a steep slope with a nice run in.
Build a lip, I usually build in a bit of a kicker to it. I try to avoid using logs because they usually rot pretty quickly.
Go to some local downhill trails to have a look at how other people build.

ej2320

I've found the best when building jumps or drops is to use a natural feature and modify it
Find a spot that already has a natural drop or very good potential then get to work

Should only take you a day or two to build a few, just make sure they're safe before you hit it at speed

rockmonkeysc

How do you make sure it's safe before hitting at speed when it's more dangerous to ride it slow?

ej2320

RockmonkeySC wrote:

How do you make sure it's safe before hitting at speed when it's more dangerous to ride it slow?

Stand on it, jump on it

I just mean make sure it's not going to collapse

Cqc

Cheers everybody, just wondering how I could keep the takeoff flat, as to gain the height I would need to have an upslope and then make it flat maybe?

rockmonkeysc

ej2320 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

How do you make sure it's safe before hitting at speed when it's more dangerous to ride it slow?

Stand on it, jump on it

I just mean make sure it's not going to collapse

Freshly built dirt probably will collapse, it needs time to settle and bed in.

Maro

To keep it simple I would suggest finding a natural crest or rolling drop, then dig out a step one side, putting the dirt before the takeoff as required to creat a sensible approach.

I decent approach and a good landing area/run out are key.

Cqc

Thanks everybody, if any of you can think of any vids with drops that are incorporated into the teal in clever ways that would be great, thanks

rockmonkeysc

Here's one of my favourite drops from a couple angles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNtLVsH6 ... e=youtu.be

It's not a small one but it gives an idea of what a well built drop looks like. This one has quite a big gap to the landing but it matches the speed that you carry out of the previous corner. It's always best to do it like this so it's easy to judge speed.

Cqc

It is fairly small, I had in mind something bigger, and it's more of a jump, but thanks anyway, the problem for me now is thinking where I can fit one in, but I'll have my eyes peeled when I ride on the weekend

ej2320

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Here's one of my favourite drops from a couple angles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNtLVsH6 ... e=youtu.be

It's not a small one but it gives an idea of what a well built drop looks like. This one has quite a big gap to the landing but it matches the speed that you carry out of the previous corner. It's always best to do it like this so it's easy to judge speed.

Looks fun to ride.. Not too hard though, only worry would be casing the rear tyre on the landing

rockmonkeysc

It's a good 6' drop but kicks you up a bit as well. Casing the rear on a dh bike isn't too bad but come up short with the front as well and you're on your way to Taunton A&E.

pesky_jones

Looks like a few cases in that video haha

rockmonkeysc

:evil:

Pesky Jones wrote:

Looks like a few cases in that video haha

Yep, it was my first attempt, I just caught the rear wheel.

BloggingFit

RockmonkeySC wrote:

It's a good 6' drop but kicks you up a bit as well. Casing the rear on a dh bike isn't too bad but come up short with the front as well and you're on your way to Taunton A&E.

Looks good. I'd be one of the first visiting A&E. Have no issue with drops but doubles or jumps with cut outs I have a mental block with. Must build my own, start small and build up.

rockmonkeysc

All you need to remember with gaps is that on a well built trail the trail will set you up at the right speed.
It's always good to follow someone over doubles and gaps until you get used to them.
Building your own is ok as long as you judge the length right and shape the kicker nicely.

Maro

For ages I had a mental block at my local trails (jumps), we aquired an old door and stuck it across the gap, I then cleared it first time no problems. I felt like a bit of a turd for being scared of doing something fairly easy but it opened up a whole new world of riding for me.

rockmonkeysc

Would an old door have held if you come up short.

Maro

I think I would have checked for that first by standing on it or something, can't remember that bit though, we're talking about 12 years ago.

rockmonkeysc

Standing on it is a bit different to landing on it on a bike.

Maro

Just as well I didn't land on it I suppose.

I guess I was either lucky or mega to the power of rad, I'll go for the latter.

rockmonkeysc

This weekend I raced at Tavi Woodlands in Devon. They had a step down jump which is perfect for a beginner with two bigger ones next to it to progress to.
Google Tavi Gorse jumps and have a look on you tube. The smallest one is about two - three foot high with a six foot gap to the down slope. Some of us were nearly landing to flat at race speed but even a beginner won't come up short.

Maro

They look pretty sweet, not sure they were there last time I was in Tavistock.

rockmonkeysc

If you're not too far away it's worth a trip.

Maro

Only a 3 hour drive, if I'm in Devon it's normaly near Barnstaple which still isn't that close.

Cqc

Well this weekend I built one about 1 foot high, before gradually increasing its size to four feet, which is higher than I would have thought I would have managed to do, so I'm fairly pleased with myself there. Next weekend I'm hoping to push the size of it up to five feet or maybe even 5.5 feet, but I don't have a very steep landing, so I can't go too high. I built it out of planks resting on logs which is ok, but I wasn't to make it more secure when I build it higher as it wasn't too secure. Thanks for all the help guys