How to Bump Jump on a Mountain Bike (Step-by-Step MTB Skill Guide)

🏔️ How to Bump Jump on a Mountain Bike

The bump jump is one of the most fun and useful skills you can learn on a mountain bike. It bridges the gap between regular trail riding, bunnyhops, and J-hops—letting you turn almost any trail into a playground. Once you get the hang of it, you can use a bump jump to clear rocks, roots, rough sections, or just catch a little air off random trail features.

Learning bump jumps also helps you understand the timing behind real hops and jumps. It trains you to preload your body, roll your wrists forward, and unweight the back end—all the movements that make bunnyhops and trail jumps easier later on. When I was a kid, a friend taught me on a tiny bump—just a one-inch rise on a concrete foundation with a bit of dirt in front of it. That little bump taught me how to pop the front wheel and pull the rear up naturally. So if you’re trying to learn bunnyhops on flats or get more air off lips, the bump jump is where it all starts.

🧠 Why Learn the Bump Jump

• Builds the foundation for J-hops and bigger jumps

• Helps you stay smooth and controlled through technical sections

• Makes even a flat trail more playful and dynamic

• Teaches body timing, preload, and how to “let the terrain do the work”

⚙️ What You Need

You don’t need anything fancy to start.

• A wide, open space like a driveway, parking lot, or flat dirt lot works best.

• Use a small bump — a 2×4 board, a small root, or a rock a couple inches tall.

• Lower your seat a bit for more movement room.

🚴‍♂️ Step-by-Step: Learning the Technique

1.Approach at a moderate pace.
Start slow to medium speed — fast enough to roll over the bump cleanly, but not so fast that you can’t control your timing. Once you master the motion, you can go faster and slower on purpose to fine-tune control.

2.Body position before the bump.
Shoulders over the bars, knees and elbows bent, standing tall but relaxed. Eyes up, scanning past the bump.

3.Preload your body, not the suspension.
As you near the bump, sink down into the bike — compress your body slightly to store energy. Think of this like loading a spring.

4.Light hands, active feet.
As your front wheel reaches the bump, lighten your hands and let the bump lift the front. Don’t yank or pull up hard like a bunny hop — let the terrain pop you.

5.Drive your feet into the bump.
Once your front wheel is airborne, push down into your pedals as your rear wheel reaches the bump. This is what makes the back wheel launch upward.

6.Explode upward.
When the rear tire hits the bump, extend your legs and body straight up — this sends both wheels airborne smoothly.

7.Suck the bike up.
As the rear leaves the bump, roll your wrists forward and “suck” the bike up with your legs to stay compact and balanced.

8.Prepare to land.
Level the bike in the air and land light — knees and elbows bent to absorb impact.

🧩 Practice Tips

• Keep your shoulders low and centered — don’t lean too far back.

• Try with different-sized bumps to feel how timing changes.

• Once consistent, link multiple bumps in a row or use trail features like roots and rocks.

• Film yourself to spot if you’re pulling too hard on the bars or mistiming the rear-wheel push.

🎥 Watch It in Action

⚡ Final Thoughts

The bump jump is pure trail fun — simple, effective, and a skill that instantly adds style and control to your riding. Once you nail it, you’ll start seeing opportunities everywhere: a root becomes a launch pad, a rock becomes a mini-jump, and even a rough trail section turns into a playground.