Hi Lee,

The bigger they are the harder they fall. Or jump.

So I’ve just found the local jump spot and I want to start building up my jump-fu. There’s a bunch of jumps from 2ft high table tops to 6ft high doubles and so a nice learning curve, but my question is this. As a heavy rider (+230lbs) riding a full squishy is there anything different I need to be doing to get airborne? I got your book and that’s been a lot of help, but I’m guessing I’m not going to able to lift the bike as easily as the 150lbs bmx/hardtail riders I see sailing through the air. More speed? More compression and release on the up ramp?

Cheers, Marz

The more you click, the more I can post. Lee Likes Groceries dot com!

Read Can big riders jump?

Hey Marz,

Yeah—jumpfu—great word!

The solution IS NOT MORE SPEED! Two things:

1. Power-to-weight ratio. If you want to pop higher off a lip, you have to compress harder into the lip. A big rider can jump just as high as a small rider, but smaller riders tend to have better power-to-weight ratios. Minimize your weight. Maximize your power.

Read Pumping with suspension

2. Pump. Before you can compress into the lip, you must compress your suspension. This is like bouncing on a big, soft trampoline. Your movements have to be slower and more deliberate than on a hardtail or BMX. Learn to really crush your suspension into the lip. Use all your Massive Power.

Read these entertaining yet informative articles:

Can big riders jump?

Pumping with suspension

Rider weight and landing force

Yeah, freakin’ rip it

—Lee

Matt Fisher is a bigger guy—in the 200lb range—and a great rider. Why? He’s powerful and fluid. Talented too.