Berms can be found on almost every bike park trail and are a guarantee for full flow. Whether in natural form with a small earth bank or a board wall ride. Anyone can roll through. But only those who know how to take the full momentum with them will keep the speed and thus the riding enjoyment high. The normal berm is not too much of a technical hurdle, it just takes a little effort, as significantly higher speeds are possible than on a normal bend. In contrast to the flat bend, the tyres on the steep bend are almost at right angles to the ground and therefore enable high acceleration forces.
You must pay attention to this on berms and steep bends
1. get an overview. What is the radius of the berm, how steep is the banking, are there any holes or stones in the way, what is the ground like? Adjust your speed before the bend so that you can ride smoothly through the berm. Braking in a steep bend impairs the flow and traction.
2. the line choice is more or less predetermined in a berm. If you approach the berm early on the outside, you will maximise your momentum. If you approach the bend at an acute angle in the centre, you will lose! The height of the driving line is primarily determined by the speed. The faster, the higher.
3. already at the apex, your gaze is directed towards the exit of the bend. By aligning the head, the correct steering movement is automatically transferred to the arms and upper body.
4. look a few metres ahead in order to recognise the further course of the track/obstacles early enough. For experts: If you want to gain extra momentum at the end of the bend, stretch your arms and legs. This push technique additionally accelerates the bike. Another variation for more speed is to consciously pull inwards/downwards. This reduces the radius.
You can find the entire riding technique article on berm turns with the MTB as a PDF download below.
