Look! Up ahead. It's a rut. No, it's a washout. What should you do? Can you gap it? Is it too wide? Should you hit the brakes? Nothing strikes as much fear into the heart of an off-road rider as a chasm-like gap in the trail. Making the decision to jump a big erosion rut isn't the same as deciding between a blue and red tie for Aunt Minnie's birthday party_you have to make the choice quickly, and you can't afford to be wrong.
The best way to make the right decision is to practice your options before the big day arrives. Spend some time practicing MBA's step-by-step gapping techniques and you'll have no trouble spanning those pesky washouts. Just don't try to Evel Knievel the Grand Canyon.
Hopping the gap: This technique requires the rider to approach the gap at a fair clip and hop over the gap. It is actually easier to do than a traditional bunny hop since you aren't concerned with height. As your wheels hit the edge of the gap lift up on the bars and pedals (keeping your pedals parallel with the ground) and let your momentum carry you across the gap, ideally with your front wheel a tad higher than your rear wheel. The key is having enough speed to sail over the gap. When doing this maneuver, make sure you have a safe runout on the other side.
Slamming the gap: If there isn't a clear runout or enough room to pick up the necessary speed to hop the gap, you can wheely across the gap instead. To do this successfully, the only skill you need is to be able to hop a curb. The speeds for this maneuver are slow; when your front wheel gets to the edge of the gap, loft it to the other side. Lean your body back, preparing for the sudden slowing of the bike when the rear wheel hits the far side. When your weight moves forward, pull the back of the bike up in the same fashion as when hopping up a curb. That's it, you're across!
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