SKILLS: How to Find the Best Line in Berms

Words: Jared Rando
Photos: Nick Waygood

Riding berms has to be one of the best parts of mountain biking. The grip, speed and lean angle make all make for an unbelievable feeling on the bike. Berms are also a great trail feature to have some fun on. Aiming for maximum schralp, tight inside lines and squaring off berms is all great fun and a great way to learn control on the bike. But when it comes to using a berm for maximum efficiency (i.e speed!) your line choice can have a huge effect. The reality is that riding a berm is a relatively easy exercise – just hit it, lean over and hang on! But when it comes to milking it for all it’s worth, there are a few things to look out for to make the most of it. Here’s what to do.

Step 1 – The high entry

99% of the time a high and wide entry will be fastest. Quite often there will be braking bumps coming into the berm. Look to get on the high side of the braking bumps as you’ll get better traction for braking coming in and get a little extra altitude on the berm to help carry your speed through.

Step 2 – Look for traction

As you come into the berm, look for the section of the berm which is going to hold you the best. Most of the time as is the case here; it will be a fairly defined line and easy to spot. You do need to make adjustments though when the line starts to get blown out, gets too dusty or lacks support and in those instances aiming slightly lower and re-joining the line where it has the support can be a great option. You can also see how the high entry here makes for a smoother transition into the main line which will ultimately carry more speed through the berm.

Step 3 – Push through and hold a line

As you lean into the turn, you really want to push through the pedals for traction and look to hold a steady and smooth arc through the turn. Try not to deviate up or down the berm and be rock solid on the bike and throughout your core. Holding the line and your speed is key.

Step 4 – Spot the exit early

This is a really important part of riding a berm. You need to spot the exit and maximise the time on the berm to help carry speed. A really common mistake is to turn off the berm too early or “over turn”. Look up and aim to maximise every last bit of the berm to carry your speed through the whole berm.

Step 5 – Off the brakes!

As you are riding the berm, remember to let off your brakes as soon as you can. Consciously doing this can help you shoot out of the end of the berm to carry that little bit of extra speed out. It’s quite common for riders to drag brakes through berms unconsciously so focusing on releasing can add a huge amount of exit speed, especially when combined with a wide exit.

Got berms under control? Now learn how to ride off camber corners here!