What tricks are useful?

Stokie
Stokie Posts: 80
edited April 2009 in MTB beginners
When your out finding your own route through the woods/hills what tricks do you need to master to help you on your way? how long did it take you to master them ?

Comments

  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,136
    Bunny hop is a definite must!
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Whytepeak
    Whytepeak Posts: 2,616
    Being able to lift the front wheel with/without pedalling is useful aswell
    Now that we are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. ROMANS 15:1
  • alaric@epicmtb
    alaric@epicmtb Posts: 80
    Track stand can be very useful, too - both as a tool in it's own right and also as a general development of your balance.
  • Anderzz
    Anderzz Posts: 103
    When I ride locally I always bunnyhop kerbs, stairs, obstructions etc.

    So i find thats pretty important, keeps a nice flow :)

    Also Im trying to master Manual but im not too good at it, i can do a few , but fear ill fall over the back before engaging my rear break!

    Its not a trick, but I feel i really must master throwing myself around berms without using breaks on them. purely because its seriously dodgy breaking on a berm! :(
  • nonnac85
    nonnac85 Posts: 1,608
    Also Im trying to master Manual but im not too good at it, i can do a few , but fear ill fall over the back before engaging my rear break!

    This sounds a bit weird but try deliberately going to far back - I found that if you go past the balance point too far, you just end up sliding off the back of the bike and standing up with the bike vertical. Probably best to try somewhere that the ground is soft just in case!
    My Website - Trail Centre info for the UK: MTB Trail Time
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    nonnac85 wrote:
    Also Im trying to master Manual but im not too good at it, i can do a few , but fear ill fall over the back before engaging my rear break!

    This sounds a bit weird but try deliberately going to far back - I found that if you go past the balance point too far, you just end up sliding off the back of the bike and standing up with the bike vertical. Probably best to try somewhere that the ground is soft just in case!

    and remember to practice tricks with flat pedals, knee and shin pads otherwise you will get hurt :wink:
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    Giant STP0

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  • Stokie
    Stokie Posts: 80
    How long did it take to perfect these tricks?
  • xtreem
    xtreem Posts: 2,965
    [b]Stokie[/b] wrote:
    How long did it take to perfect these tricks?
    Hey, from July last year, my middle proper bunnyhop has improved to 39cm (15.3")
    and I can now jump onto 2 stairs with no problem, but sometimes even 3.

    My manual has improved a lot in the past few weeks, well that was the time I was
    practising most, and I can manual at least 10 yards and in the best case20-30 yards. :D

    Trackstands is just too easy, I've learned in the first try long ago. :lol:

    Berms, just trust in the laws of the physics, lean a lot, don't brake, and you'll never
    fall, well unless you push it too much. Btw, I've learned berming, in the 5-10th try, after
    we've build four on my local hill.
    NS Bikes Eccentric Alu custom - 2016
  • Specialized27
    Specialized27 Posts: 57
    Erm ... sounds a boit embarrasing :oops: how do you bunny hop? I can only lift front wheel :(
    Giant XTC 3 2009
  • xtreem
    xtreem Posts: 2,965
    This thread helped me a lot.
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... quickreply

    And to correct my self I can bunnyhop 50cm now. :D
    But if you have for example 19" hardtail, don't expect too much on the height,
    because you're pretty limited.

    Two wheels bunnhop is pretty easy (lifting both wheels together).
    You can learn that in 1 day, just remember to push back the pedals if you want to
    lift the rear wheel.
    NS Bikes Eccentric Alu custom - 2016
  • nonnac85
    nonnac85 Posts: 1,608
    when you life the front wheel, pull the pedals back and up with your feet (scoop!).
    The movement is the same as if you stand over the bike without moving and use your feet to push back on the pedals to lift the back wheel off the floor.
    My Website - Trail Centre info for the UK: MTB Trail Time
  • Specialized27
    Specialized27 Posts: 57
    i have a 20" hardtail, and i can only seem to lift the front wheel, as when i try to 'scoop' it dosent seem to do anything, and i am not lifting the wheel for so long, does it help to go faster or somehting? any help would be handy :? :D
    Giant XTC 3 2009
  • blablablacksheep
    blablablacksheep Posts: 1,377
    lol i trying to master liftig the front wheel up. early days...

    funny though sinse when i ride trails going mad i find i can just pedal my front wheel over stuff without thinking lol.

    yet when i try get over a big log of something thats when it goes pear shaped.


    heck maybe a rider with no brain and pure instint best rider:)

    less thinking more crazy riding seems to work
    London2Brighton Challange 100k!
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  • xtreem
    xtreem Posts: 2,965
    Specialized27, when trying to lift both wheels together, to lift the rear wheel too,
    your feet should be at an angle on the pedals, and when you jump, pull up on the
    handlebars and at the same time push back the pedals or scoop as nonnac85 said.

    Because you can lift the front wheel, for now, just try to lift the rear wheel just using
    your feet, don't use the front brake. You have flat pedals wright?

    And watch the video here on bikeradar for "How to bunnyhop", it's good.
    NS Bikes Eccentric Alu custom - 2016
  • Specialized27
    Specialized27 Posts: 57
    thanks! will try once Ive finished work!
    Giant XTC 3 2009

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