Pump in mountain biking is a technique used to generate speed and momentum without pedaling. It involves the rider using their body weight and the terrain to generate speed without pedaling. Pumping is a skillful way of using the terrain to your advantage, allowing you to save energy while still maintaining speed.
What Is Pump? Pump is a technique where the rider uses their body weight and the terrain’s features to gain momentum without pedaling. It involves shifting your weight from side-to-side or up and down as you pass over bumps or berms.
This helps you absorb shock from the terrain and keeps your tires on the ground for better grip and control. As you let gravity take over, your body instinctively pumps up and down or side-to-side depending on what kind of feature you’re riding over.
Pump can be used for any type of terrain: flat, downhill, uphill, etc. On flat ground, pumping can help you generate speed by taking advantage of small bumps in the trail or even little dips in the trail that may not be noticeable while riding but offer an opportunity to generate some extra speed by pumping them.
When going downhill, it’s important to use pump technique in order to maintain control and stability as well as keep your tires on the ground for maximum traction. On uphill sections, pump can be used to help maintain momentum without having to put too much effort into pedaling up the hill.
How Do I Learn To Pump? Learning how to pump properly takes time and practice but it’s definitely worth it if you want to improve your overall mountain biking skillset! The key is learning how to shift your weight correctly so that it feels natural when you’re going over bumps or berms.
Start by practicing on smaller features like rollers or small bumps until you get comfortable with shifting your weight from side-to-side then move onto bigger features like jumps or drops. Make sure that when you are doing this exercise that you remain relaxed throughout as this will help with balance and control while also helping with speed generation.
Conclusion: Pump in mountain biking is a great way for riders to gain speed and momentum without pedaling and save energy at the same time. It involves using one’s bodyweight and taking advantage of features on the terrain such as bumps or berms in order to create speed without having to pedal hard. With practice, anyone can learn how to effectively use this technique which will not only increase their overall mountain bike skillset but also make them more efficient riders.
