Trail Features
Along the different types of mountain bike trails, you will find trail features. You will find more and more as you ride trails of increasing difficulty. This page will briefly cover some of the most common trail features so you know how to describe the ones you ride to friends.
Berms
Berms are corners with a big banked wall built up—like on a race track. They're super fun to ride and they help riders keep their speed throuogh the twisting corners of a trail. You will find quite a lot of them on flow trails.
Drops
Drops are places where there is a sharp drop-off or ledge in the terrain. Their height and other factors like landing quality will greatly vary depending on a trail's difficulty rating. Be sure with drops that you keep your weight back and land on both wheels simultaneously!
Jumps
Jumps are fairly self-explanatory. However, they can be dangerous so be careful and progress safely! There are few things more rewarding than successfully pushing your limits on a jump line. In the same way, few things are more scary or dangerous than crashing on them.
Rock Rolls
Rock rolls can be very fun to ride! In general, they are steep sections made up in part or entirely of rock. There is no more important time to keep your weight over the back wheel, and not over-brake! Traction is key, and losing it can be a death sentence. Sometimes, it is safer to pick up a little more speed and have to control it at the bottom than to grab a handful of brake, lose grip, and crash. That said, it is very exciting to conquer a steep rock roll that has been scaring you for a while!