What a berm is
A berm is a banked turn, usually a raised wall of earth or built material on the outside of a corner. It lets the bike lean while the surface supports the tyres, so you can carry more speed through a turn than you could on flat ground. Bike parks use them on many trails, from gentle beginner loops to fast, steep runs.
Berms look simple, but speed and a small mistake can lead to a fall or a run wide of the turn. This article gives general principles, not guarantees. Start on the easiest graded trails, wear a helmet and appropriate protection, and build up in small steps. If you are unsure how your park’s grades work, our piece on trail grading explains the idea.
Start where the berms are gentle
The best berms to learn on are low, wide and short, with a smooth, packed surface and a clear view of the exit. Many parks have a few on their easiest trails, and some have a flat skills area with practice corners. Ride the trail at a pace where you feel you could stop at any time. A pump track, with its series of small banked turns, is another low-stakes place to get used to the feeling.
If the berm is tall, steep, rutted or has an unclear exit, give it a miss for now. Walking a feature first, as described in our article on walking a feature, applies to berms too.
Enter: slow down before, not in, the turn
The most useful habit is to finish braking before the turn. Braking hard in the middle of a berm can unsettle the bike and cause the tyres to slide. Aim to approach at a speed you can hold through the whole corner.
On the approach:
- Look ahead, through the turn to the exit, rather than down at your front wheel. Your bike tends to follow where your eyes go. This links to the idea of visual focus.
- Get into a balanced stance. Pedals level, weight evenly spread, elbows and knees slightly bent, and your body relaxed. This is often called the attack position.
- Choose your entry. Enter wide, near the outside of the turn, so you can use the banking. Cutting early to the inside tends to leave you with no room.
Hold: let the bike lean
Once in the turn, the aim is to be smooth.
- Keep the outside pedal down and weighted. This pushes the tyres into the surface and helps traction.
- Let the bike lean beneath you while your body stays fairly upright and balanced over it. Many riders find it helps to point their chest and hips along the direction of the exit.
- Keep your head up and eyes on the exit.
- Stay off the brakes. If you need to scrub speed, do it gently before the turn, or use light, steady pressure on the rear brake.
- Avoid pedalling through the turn if your pedal could hit the ground. Keep the inside pedal up.
If you feel the bike sliding or you are heading for the top edge of the berm, stay calm, look where you want to go and ease off any braking rather than grabbing it.
Exit: unwind and re-balance
As you leave the turn, let the bike come back upright and look toward the next section. Resume pedalling if the trail allows it. Be ready for the next feature, since berms often lead directly into a straight, a roller or another turn. A common error is to relax too early and arrive at the next obstacle off-balance.
Common mistakes
- Entering too fast. If you are using the brakes mid-turn, you came in too fast. Slow down earlier next time.
- Looking down. This tends to make you run wide or stiffen up.
- Sitting heavy on the saddle or stiffening the arms, which reduces control.
- Leaning the whole body into the turn rather than letting the bike lean.
- Following too close behind another rider. If they fall or slow down, you have no time to react.
- Skipping the warm-up. Take a few easy runs before you push.
Building up
Practise the same berm several times at a comfortable speed before you go faster. Increase pace only a little at a time, and only when each run feels controlled. Move to a harder grade once the easiest berms feel dull, not when you feel pressured. A skills lesson can give you personal feedback on your body position and braking. Many riders find that an instructor spots small habits, such as dropping the outside elbow, that are hard to notice alone.
Also think about other riders. Do not stop in or just after a berm, and look uphill before you start. If you fall, move clear of the trail when you can do so safely. Rest if you are tired; fatigue makes berms harder than they look.