Pumping the trail

It wasn’t too long ago that I learned more about pumping. This is a pretty common practice with BMX guys. Basically when you’re going through rhythm section or roller/bump, you pump or push down on your handle bars and legs on the back side to help you gain some free speed to the next roller. Check out this video that shows you how the BMX guys do it.

Then I discovered that this pumping thing was pretty practical too in mountain biking. In fact it makes me a more progressive rider knowing that I’m making the suspension work for me rather than waiting for the suspension to work if there’s a bump on the ground.

I’ve showed this video before, and I’m still a big fan of it. If you pay close attention, you’ll quickly see that you can implement pumping on your next trail ride. For me, not only does it make for a smoother ride, but I’m also able to get my bike to work with my body. I feel more connected and more fluid when I involve pumping in my rides. Besides it also gives you more of a workout!