Trail feature
Berm
A banked turn: the outside of the corner is built up like a wall, so the bike leans into it and keeps its speed instead of sliding out.
Also known as: banked turn, berms
Key facts
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Surface
- dirt, clay
- Bike types
- MTB, eMTB
Why berms work
On a flat corner only the tyres' grip stops you from sliding. A berm turns part of that sideways force into pressing you down into the ground, so you can take the turn faster and with less effort.
How to ride one
- Brake before the berm and let go at the entry.
- Look through the turn to the exit.
- Keep the pedals level, lean the bike into the wall and stay light on the bars.
- Push down through the middle, then pump out of the exit for speed.
Aim for the middle or the top of the wall rather than the inside: the inside is often flatter and cut up by skidding. More on turns in cornering.
Related articles
- Braking — Braking well is braking in the right place: hard and early on good ground, then off the brakes where the trail is rough or turning. The front brake does most of the work.
- Cornering — Getting round a turn fast and in control: brake before it, look through it, lean the bike more than your body and let the tyres do the gripping.
- Flow trail — A trail built to be ridden on momentum: berms, rollers and small tables, one after another, so you barely pedal or brake. The easiest way to feel fast and learn to use the terrain.
- Jump line — A trail made of jumps in a row, built so that one landing sets you up for the next take-off. Ridden at a steady speed, it feels like one long flight.