Hopping The Front End

[tman427]

Just started to get the movement of hopping the front end. I use my knees, rear brake, bend forward, compress the forks and straighten knees on the rebound while slightly pulling one side of the handle bars up. This works fairly well, the frnt gets to move, but not very high.

I was told to use the front brake before compressing the forks....I have tried this and it messes me all up...is this the correct technique I should be trying to do or just keep with what works for me...kind of new here, so I want to be on the right path.

Thanks

Tman427

Sherco 2.5

[steve_earle]

Hi, Riding techniques are hard to explain in writing. Practise is the best way. With regard to hoping the front you have the right idea.

Back brake on, slight compress on the forks (front brake not important). You need to shift your weight back while lifting up and back, basicly you are using the back wheel to anchor and use as a pivot to lever the bike.

Go get a push bike, stand beside it with your hands on the bars, Pull in the back brake and lift the front end. You will notice you are not lifting the front by upwards movement alone you are rocking against the back wheel in an arc shape.

Hoping to the left or right is helped by your inside legs and swinging your hips along with leaning slightly in the direction you want to travel and using more pull on the opposite arm to the direction you want.

Hope this is not too confusing, This is the technique I use after thinking about it as I have been doing it naturaly for years.

Edited November 20, 2012 by steve_earle

[coxy]

You can use the throttle and clutch to bring the front wheel up when hopping. Only very small amounts of both are needed though but as you say i would just keep practising and you will master your own technique as you become better at it

[0007]

After doing this on an Echo trials bicycle I find it helps to not only pull the bike over but you kind of push off the front tire

Another thing is practice just stopping and balancing momentarily with the front tire straight, kinda gives you a better chance to set up

[twinshockdude]

why bother - no stop is coming to a trial near you soon !!!!!

[tman427]

Hi, Riding techniques are hard to explain in writing. Practise is the best way. With regard to hoping the front you have the right idea.

Back brake on, slight compress on the forks (front brake not important). You need to shift your weight back while lifting up and back, basicly you are using the back wheel to anchor and use as a pivot to lever the bike.

Go get a push bike, stand beside it with your hands on the bars, Pull in the back brake and lift the front end. You will notice you are not lifting the front by upwards movement alone you are rocking against the back wheel in an arc shape.

Hoping to the left or right is helped by your inside legs and swinging your hips along with leaning slightly in the direction you want to travel and using more pull on the opposite arm to the direction you want.

Hope this is not too confusing, This is the technique I use after thinking about it as I have been doing it naturaly for years.

Thanks, makes sense, more peg time on my part and just trying to paint a visual picture oof shifting my weigh back over th erear will help. Edited December 7, 2012 by tman427

[tman427]

After doing this on an Echo trials bicycle I find it helps to not only pull the bike over but you kind of push off the front tire

Another thing is practice just stopping and balancing momentarily with the front tire straight, kinda gives you a better chance to set up

Thanks, I found it easier to be on the bike moving and set up than to just hop on a stationary bike and try to hop....make sense about pushing off of the front.

[tman427]

why bother - no stop is coming to a trial near you soon !!!!!

Just think of it as a challenge of hopping without stoping....

[mr neutron]

I hope it's okay to dig up this old thread. I didn't feel it was necessary to start a new thread, so thought I would ask what I hope is a relevant question. And I apologize if it is a "thread hijack".....

0007 said

Another thing is practice just stopping and balancing momentarily with the front tire straight, kinda gives you a better chance to set up

In my barn (concrete floor), when I practice balancing & then hopping, I find it nearly impossible to balance with the front wheel straight. I can balance with the wheels turned (when I'm having a "Good Day" balancing.... ) for a pretty good length of time. But the instant I begin to turn the front wheel straight, I'll normally need to dab before I can even begin compressing the forks. I've had afternoons in my barn where I've literally soaked my shirt with sweat from all my attempts at trying to pick a foot up with the wheel straight, and begin hopping. I've begun to view it as part of my exercise/weight loss program. But I really don't want to allow bad to technique to become so ingrained in my riding that I can't break a bad habit.....

Does anyone ever begin hopping with the front wheel turned in either direction, and then turn it straight? And is it normal for someone new at this to have an easier time going in one direction (to my left, or counter clockwise) than the other? The few times I've been able to hop my front wheel, say, 4-5 hops before I dab, I've always rotated to my left......

Thanks for any help y'all may have,

Jimmie

[toofasttim]

why bother - no stop is coming to a trial near you soon !!!!!

And how long do you think this ill-considered rule change is going to last?

Edited April 25, 2013 by toofasttim

[0007]

I hope it's okay to dig up this old thread. I didn't feel it was necessary to start a new thread, so thought I would ask what I hope is a relevant question. And I apologize if it is a "thread hijack".....

0007 said

In my barn (concrete floor), when I practice balancing & then hopping, I find it nearly impossible to balance with the front wheel straight. I can balance with the wheels turned (when I'm having a "Good Day" balancing.... ) for a pretty good length of time. But the instant I begin to turn the front wheel straight, I'll normally need to dab before I can even begin compressing the forks. I've had afternoons in my barn where I've literally soaked my shirt with sweat from all my attempts at trying to pick a foot up with the wheel straight, and begin hopping. I've begun to view it as part of my exercise/weight loss program. But I really don't want to allow bad to technique to become so ingrained in my riding that I can't break a bad habit.....

Does anyone ever begin hopping with the front wheel turned in either direction, and then turn it straight? And is it normal for someone new at this to have an easier time going in one direction (to my left, or counter clockwise) than the other? The few times I've been able to hop my front wheel, say, 4-5 hops before I dab, I've always rotated to my left......

Thanks for any help y'all may have,

Jimmie

Hey I should have put more emphasis in the word Momentarily LOL, stopping for a split second without making the transition to wheel turned balancing is more usefull to me, I use it often

It is the same feeling as riding slowly and balancing the bike without steering, all of us do that all the time when riding in the rocks, I call it wheel placement

I would love to be able to balance with wheel straight like the trials gods but I can't do it for more than a second, I guess it helps me to avoid that irresistible feeling of wanting to dab when I stop, it's as much habit as it is skill, I have a lot of habits but very little skill

[mr neutron]

Here's a video that's a few years old; forgive me if it's been shown before......

This young man seems to have mad balance & hopping skills. I'll never have this much ability, but it is nice to dream.

How's he do dis???????? Hours & hours of practice, or is he just blessed with a ton of ability??

Jimmie

[zippy]

I think he may be practicing to be the next Toni Bou

Toni with no engine running.

[hamster]

what the duece ^

that honda must have anti gravity