Sidewalk Sessions: Basic Ways to Go Up and Down a Curb

Welcome to the first sidewalk session! Everyone is welcome to participate, but since I created this series especially to help get women stoked about skills practice, I'll be giving away a dusty betty t-shirt to one lucky female participant. If you're a female rider and you want to a chance to win a dusty betty t-shirt, film yourself practicing the skills in this sidewalk session and post a link the in the comments by February 23, 2018. Wear your helmet and be safe!

You can also follow me on:

[sergiomtb]

This is so good. While some may consider it way too basic, this is exactly where to start people you want to get into MTB. While a curb may seem like nothing that has been doing this for even a short time. Someone that has never been, is easily intimidated by a curb, especially going up that curb. A parking lot session can help with so many skills, instead of being on a trail and realizing a few miles in, that the person has never done something like gone over a large root.

[jamesbailey]

Way to begin Dusty Betty, one of the best instructional videos I've seen!

[chuckc.]

Off to a good start! Brilliant that you thought of including going off the curb at different angles!

[grammyonthetrail]

This is is going to be a great series of videos. I am a big fan of practicing in the neighborhood. You are right -- the skills will transfer to the trail.

[avilesvidal]

Starting for the abc of the mountain bike, very instructive and useful video.
Congratulations from Chile, South America.

[ATherese]

Thank you for these videos. I am a 40+-year-old mother of two who just purchased my first mountain bike in 20 years yesterday. I can't wait to get outside to try some of these skills. Do you have a video about how to utilize gear shifting efficiently or a video about terminology or how to pick a good trail?

[goldretrmtb]

Thanks so much for starting this series. Looking forward to more.

[elenadiazvavrina]

Great idea... Thanks for helping us all ladies!

[Brm]

2:02 I ride rigid for commuting. what am I suppose to do with no suspension fork?

[BryantJBole]

Awesome video and great execution, Tess!

[TTT]

Given that my "daily driver" around my big city, even fir groceries, is a mountain bike, this was quite helpful.

[traceybyrd]

Very informative channel overall. Thanks for sharing.

[DirtWireTV]

This is perfect. It's how I often start beginner rides. If you can awp a curb, you can awp a lawg!

[MTBMOM]

Im so going to do this! I love the challange! Plus, I want that awesome shirt!

[paulmarkunas]

Cool idea Tess! I hope some people will post videos. Great opportunity for learning as a group.

[TCENDURO]

I'm glad you started this series! I am teaching a mountain bike class this year and I will use your videos to show my kids in the class.

[dazholi]

Woo! I haven’t tried mountain biking yet, but I might session this with The Crashing Dad later!

[Kent.]

Good idea and it's going to help a lot of beginners!! It's always easy to say it's simple when you already can. And it's probably true that we men always doing wheelies because we did that already when we was 5 on our first little bike... hehe! We just have to impress ;)

[josereneducharme]

I live in northern Alberta. Can you hold off episode 2 until next May?

[freerangemtb]

Great video, Tess. Some may think this is a simple skill, but I have seen it cause no small amount of fear for some people. Indeed, I myself have had some trepidation at times when approaching a curb. Especially a tall one. So good little tutorial.

I am wondering, do you film your videos at 120 fps at all? If you're looking for smoother slow motion, you should. I don't know what you used to film this tutorial, but if it was an iPhone or Samsung, it should have the ability to film at the higher frame rates.

Of course, I'm making a huge assumption that you even WANT smoother slow motion. I can see why you might have purposefully made those slow motion segments the way you did. At any rate, just thought I'd share that. I hope I didn't cross a line.

-Brian