How to Ride Off a Drop on a Mountain Bike

Last Updated: July 30, 2022

You are buzzing down a sweet single-track with a few of your best pals. As you burst out of a corner, you are faced with a ladder drop. The rider in front of you confidently rides off it and gracefully drops through the air then sticks a buttery-smooth landing. You sheepishly pick the ride-around trail, and internally turn green with envy at the prowess of the rider preceding you.

Safely riding off a drop - ladder or natural - is a mountain-biking skill that will instantly open up new lines and allow you to have more fun than ever on your bike. With a bit of knowledge and some practice, you will be the one filling the new riders with envy as you gracefully and confidently ride off the drops.

Steps

1
Scout the drop. Take note of the condition of the ladder (if it's a ladder drop), the steepness and roughness of the landing, and what the terrain would be like if you overshoot or undershoot the landing.
2
Roll up to the drop at a reasonably fast speed. If you are going too slow your front wheel will dive as soon as it rolls off the edge and toss you over the bars. Too fast and you might overshoot the landing.

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3
Get into your attack position when two seconds away from the edge of the drop.
- Center your weight over your pedals and keep your hands light.
- Bend your knees slightly.
- Keep your arms bent and relaxed.
- Relax your grip on the handlebars.
- Get your chest low - you want you upper body to be almost horizontal.
- Look at the landing.
4
Lighten the front wheel as it reaches the edge by pushing your hips back and lightly lifting up on the handlebar. The slower you are going the further back you must have your weight to keep your front wheel from diving while the rear wheel is still on the ramp.
5
Keep your front wheel level with the take-off until the back wheel leaves the ramp.
6
Maintain your stance with your weight back over your rear wheel as you begin to fall.
7
Extend your legs and prepare to soften the impact as you near the landing.
8
Absorb the landing by using your legs as suspension.
9
Have fun by exploring new lines and finding things to drop from!

Community Q&A

Question

Has someone ever got killed form doing the jump?

Ethan Ong

Community Answer

No, but if you go to fast, then you can probably break your bones if you land in the wrong spot, like your neck or ankle.
Question

There’s this one ladder drop at my local trails and I’m scared to go off it. I go up to it and then immediately stop. How can I take the fear off me? Also, I tend to go sideways.

Ethan Ong

Community Answer

Start off small, like go up the ladder drop just a little bit and then after, work your way up until you are confident enough to go all the way to the top. But since you go sideways, grip the steering wheel a little tighter and be as calm as you can.