Dirt Bike Riding Tips: Uphill Rollers

When you’re new to riding and exploring different local tracks, you’ll likely encounter uphill rollers sooner rather than later. Uphill rollers are a series of small bumps leading up a slope, and taking them with the proper technique will help you take the slope with ease.

Getting Into Gear

You may be tempted to shift gears as you ascend the hill, but it’s most efficient to choose a gear to drive you all the way up the hill, and keep with it. Look for consistent top end power– 3rd gear will usually give you consistent drive all the way through the bumps and off the crest of the hill.

Body Position

As you attack the hill, you will want your weight to be centered in the middle of the bike, but with your weight slightly towards the rear. This will allow you a light front end, which will make your riding experience a whole lot easier. No matter how high your skill level uphill rollers are a rocky road, so you want to tightly grip your dirt bike with your legs to maintain proper control and balance.

Controlling Your Bike Through the Rollers

The goal as you hit the rollers is to soar over them. Don’t let your front end dip into the base of the rollers. Allowing this to happen will compress the suspension, and it will unload on you which is far from ideal when you are going uphill. Keeping your front end light and keeping your body weight to the rear of your bike will help you accomplish this. Accelerating steadily uphill will also help you avoid getting bogged down in the base of the rollers, and will keep momentum going where you want it.

Cresting the Hill

You can often jump the top of this type of hill, so pick a line and get ready. Whipping the bike may be the best way to handle it depending on what’s upcoming on the track. This will help you keep your dirt bike closer to the ground, so you won’t waste valuable seconds on your track time. Approach the top at an angle, control the bike with your legs, and make sure you are able to straighten out and recover in time to land.

Uphill rollers are a common obstacle on the tracks, so knowing how to handle them will improve your quality of riding. The objective is to keep your front end light enough that it doesn’t sink into the base of the roller, and to do so is simple: all you need to o is manage your speed and body position and you are golden!

Speak Your Mind

*