RIDE THE HIGH LINE FOR MORE FLOW

Tips for staying smooth and straight

When you’re looking for ways through a trail section, the high line is often the quickest, straightest and/or smoothest option, although rarely the easiest. Like with a lot of techniques, the key to holding high lines is in the set-up – you need good balance and stability to get you through. The most common mistake I see on high lines is riders entering them too fast. You need to control your entry speed and then build it up as you go through the line.

01 braking

Hit the brakes early so that the bike isn’t sliding when it’s on the high line. I’d advise overbraking instead of hitting the line with full speed. Your aim should be to accelerate through the line, not slow down once you’re on it. One of the most common mistakes on a high line is coming into it too quickly. You’re then forced to brake, which causes you to stall.

02 turning

Get into the best position to make it through the line (ie. do most of your turning) before you enter it. This is especially important if the line is technical, because it’ll be tough to make your turn once you’re in there. After you’ve slowed down, make a significant movement to get your bike at the correct angle so that you can fully commit to the line.

03 mid line

No braking, minimal turning and stable body position – these are the key things to remember once you’re on the line. As the bike is accelerating, avoid making any drastic steering movements. Stability comes from your footwork and your arms so, where you can, keep your cranks flat and a bend in your elbows. Then just allow the bike to move freely underneath you.

04 exit

The number one rule is to look at the exit. As soon as you’ve completed the turn to set you up for the high line, stay focused on exactly where you want to end up, and your bike will follow. You’ve already seen the line, so you don’t need to look down at it. Any reactions you make should be based not on what you can see but on the feedback the bike is giving you.