How To Ride HUGE Mountain Bike Drop-Offs!

Big MTB drop-offs are intimidating and can be dangerous if they go wrong, but are big drop-offs really that different from the smaller ones? Join Neil Donoghue out in La Fenasosa Bike Park to find out!

⏱ Timestamps ⏱
0:00 - Intro
0:34 - Know your limits
1:42 - Check it out
2:36 - Speed is your friend
3:52 - Mistakes
5:05 - Bike setup
6:11 - Really big drops

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What's the biggest drop-off you've ridden? Let us know down below! 👇

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[TheRotundRider]

"If you want to progress from these little drops..." ...he says pointing at a chest-high drop that's equal to the biggest drops I've done.

[dano]

I mistaked a drop for a roll then realized mid roll that it’s a cliff ledge that’s not rollable and landed on my head and broke my back! I wish I would have been on my normal bike and not the ebike that day! The ebike landed on my back and is actually what fractured it.

[bumpytrailsproductions]

A great video! Thank you Don! I am only a beginner and past forty so I am mostly intimidated by anything bigger than couple of feet but I always find these videos inspiring and educational! Thanks again Neil and GMBN!

[jerikewaterhout]

Thanks for this vid! I've had quite the crash this past summer on the biggest drop I've ever tried. 1st time nailed it, 2nd time I was just too slow and got bucked off my bike. Gotta start and build back some confidence next season..!

[arrowhed]

Neil makes it look so easy. Then i get all confident. When i hit my trails and i face the drop (that i wanna do, probably only 4-5ft), i realise im not ready. lol. rinse and repeat for... over a month now.

So, having some one who knows the speed it takes for some of these bigger gaps ride in front of you and tow you into the feature as you match speed safely behind really really helps.

[DrMichaelCote]

Drops don't bother me at all, but I am terrified of jumps. 😅

Great instructional video!

[AdamAllaker]

Ben Cathro's video on drops in the how to bike series explains it better. You shouldn't manual off a drop, you push through it.

[Adventuregirl]

I really enjoy drop-offs. Still working to perfect my speed so I am not ready for the huge ones yet.

[bobothericefarmer]

I’ve don’t a 5-7 ft drop to flat was scary but it was still fun

[anitalandkroon]

Great video 😃 my limit is really really low 😬

[jamesmarsden]

Neil makes it look so easy. I've had my foot come off pedal on a couple of drops, what am I doing wrong. Its made me scared to do really small drops.

[superspeckyeyes]

Whenever I think of dropoffs going badly I can't help but think of Dave Jenvey stacking it on that slab at FoD. That was painful!

[Thegirlwhomakesart]

I would recommend any newbie to get a guide, wear proper safety gear for the back and neck, a full face helmet and one skill that is not mentioned at all in this video is how to push the bar and prepare with the legs as you go over the edge.

[TimMillernapavalleyfilmworks]

Neil you’re a badd axe! That’s quite a drop.

[FreediveRN]

i always give a little pop before de drop so i don’t get front heavy. but as i can see, i don’t even need to?

[kingrat]

Just observing the initial flight trajectory on the Canyon Torque...
Looks similar to what I've noticed on my mullet Banshee Phantom V3...
I've got a 6ft+ drop I like to hit...
I've noticed on the mullet steed, compared to my 650b rig and even my 29+ whip...
The front of the mullet bike i.e. the bigger wheel likes to drop away quicker then the same sized wheel bikes.
Just from observing your leaving the drop it looked similar to how I have felt on the MX rig.
PS - it's not a technique issue (trolls) as I regularly hit drop on same sized wheel bikes w/o issue... however doing this drop, gets the front wheel falling away quicker then expected on my mullet.
Don't really notice issue on jumps though.
The Don thoughts...??

[ashleytombs]

Yeah Neil I just love the end segment this is big arguably you would call this road gap or a step down this is definitely a road gap and a beauty like Neil sed hitting these sort of things do you have to be comfortable. and know what you’re doing most of these are blind landing and if it’s too windy don’t be a hero in front of your Friends save it for another day otherwise if you do depends on where you were you could get a ride in an ambulance or a helicopter

[wilsarno]

So, 12 cranks, full send and hope not to end up on GMBN Fail of the Day?

[stankersten]

Did a 80cm drop on my XC bike, scariest thing I have done. Constantly felt like I was going OTB although I was central on the bike and had my weight in the right place. Might be due to the XC geo? Anyhow on a enduro bike it was easyyyy