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understanding Trials riding and trials bikes....

cmc

cmc

Turbo Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
2,052
6
austin
most xc'ers (or bmx'ers) know next to nothing about DJ/mtbmx/freeride.

i know basically nothing about trials. other than seeing Hans Rey back in the day and the occasional short video clip.

never bothered to look at the Trials forum:http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=68

but lately some of the massive bunnyhops i have seen trials dudes doing on youtube makes me wonder whether there is something about a trials bike geometry that makes bunnyhopping different.

why the crazy long stem? why the super long frame? sometimes it looks like they have a super spinny gear in order to stomp down on the pedal (cranking into the hop) to get part of the boost. but other times it looks like they are not, and just pulling up. if the bike is so long, is it like you are getting your shoulders under the push out?
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,884
24,467
media blackout
its all in the technical handling, balance and leverage. Yes, a frame designed for trials helps (super short CS, no seat for max clearance, other specs I don't know), but getting on a trials bike won't make you a trials rider. FWIW I learned trials on a slalom frame.
 
CRoss

CRoss

Turbo Monkey
Nov 20, 2006
1,329
0
The Ranch
Having a long stem and low handlebar give you plenty of room to move your arms pulling the front of the bike upwards. Most DJ bike setups have the bar so high and close to your body you do not have much range of motion the get the bike moving in a upward direction. The rest of getting height in a bunnyhop is pulling your legs and bike upwards into you. A lower seat helps with this since you can pull the bike higher before the seat hits your ass.

The small gear you see on a trials bike does not help as much with forward bunnyhops as it does with sidehops. You can use the cranks to preload the drivetrain then when you release the brake the bike will help you make a move. What direction depends on the rider.
 
w00dy

w00dy

In heaven there is no beer
Jun 18, 2004
3,417
51
that's why we drink it here
A long stem helps a lot with front wheel maneuvers. Much easier to lean into them.
A high bb is normal to avoid unintentional dabbing of the pedals in competition, and (I think) helps when hopping on the rear wheel by putting your weight closer to being in-line with the rear axle and the ground. Good trials bikes are also silly light. That helps the hop for sure.
 
G

greenblinker104

Monkey
Sep 12, 2004
261
0
observedtrials.net

go nuts and read till you cant read no more

the basic moves of trials are the pedal kick and the hook - everything stems off of that. if you can throw a pedal kick in and shift your weight right, you can get up some tall stuff
 
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