bunny hopping problems
- Thread starter 4ftBiker
- Start date
the way i learn to bunnyhop was watching bmx, even though we ride bigger rigs the movement is still the same. make sure you are straightup like your standing on ur bike while its above w/e you are hoppin' over. practice...practice...practice... thats all i can say
I remember when I was learning to bunny hop. I was on 20" BMX bikes and it still took a while, but once I got it hell I can bunnyhop any bike now.
It's obvious you can pull the front end up. It's almost like when you pull up with the front you jump with your feet/legs/hips for the mid/back of the bike and just follow it up. The higher you jump the higher you'll bunnyhop. Doing an ollie on a skateboard is the same concept (well except that one requires more skill, you have to just use your feet).
If you're on a full suspension bike you can use the suspension to sorta "pop" off the ground. If you just have front suspension it's a little more tricky. Best advice though.........pickup some cheap $50-100 BMX bike and learn or borrow someone's if you know somebody who'd let you and practice it.
It's obvious you can pull the front end up. It's almost like when you pull up with the front you jump with your feet/legs/hips for the mid/back of the bike and just follow it up. The higher you jump the higher you'll bunnyhop. Doing an ollie on a skateboard is the same concept (well except that one requires more skill, you have to just use your feet).
If you're on a full suspension bike you can use the suspension to sorta "pop" off the ground. If you just have front suspension it's a little more tricky. Best advice though.........pickup some cheap $50-100 BMX bike and learn or borrow someone's if you know somebody who'd let you and practice it.
When I learned how to bunny hop I focused all of my energy on getting the real wheel off the ground. Just try to get your rear wheel up by sorta pinching the frame in between your legs and pulling up. Once you are comfortable doing that do it once you get your front end up in the air.
Bunny Hopping, lesson one.
Standing flat on the ground, (without your bike!) squat down, in ONE instant, jump up pulling your legs up with you and focus on bringing your knees to your chest like you are doing a canon ball in a pool off a diving board.
Bunny Hopping lesson two.
Now, with the same concept, on your bike, compress down on the bike to push the forks and rear suspension down if you have rear suspension, then in an instant, pull your legs up like to your chest but don't go that far, pull them up a little bit like 10 inches to a foot and a half so the bike pedals will follow up with you but your feet won't be holding them down. Then when in the air, I find it helpful to have a VERY firm grip on my handle bars and "I personally" find it helpful to roll my hands over forword the opposite of a motorcycle throttle direction, and throw your arms forward all at the same time. This concentrates the UP direction energy of the bike coming off the ground to force the front back downward and with your weight off the rear pedals, the back will continue up as the front levels out and back down first.
You are pulling the bike up, and thrusting the front forward and downward and the upward energy in the air will counter with the rear going up and the back going down. I find that works. Also when you can get used to it, clip ins are the way to go to do that same maneuver without all the extra effort. But it's doable without them. Hope that helps.
Standing flat on the ground, (without your bike!) squat down, in ONE instant, jump up pulling your legs up with you and focus on bringing your knees to your chest like you are doing a canon ball in a pool off a diving board.
Bunny Hopping lesson two.
Now, with the same concept, on your bike, compress down on the bike to push the forks and rear suspension down if you have rear suspension, then in an instant, pull your legs up like to your chest but don't go that far, pull them up a little bit like 10 inches to a foot and a half so the bike pedals will follow up with you but your feet won't be holding them down. Then when in the air, I find it helpful to have a VERY firm grip on my handle bars and "I personally" find it helpful to roll my hands over forword the opposite of a motorcycle throttle direction, and throw your arms forward all at the same time. This concentrates the UP direction energy of the bike coming off the ground to force the front back downward and with your weight off the rear pedals, the back will continue up as the front levels out and back down first.
You are pulling the bike up, and thrusting the front forward and downward and the upward energy in the air will counter with the rear going up and the back going down. I find that works. Also when you can get used to it, clip ins are the way to go to do that same maneuver without all the extra effort. But it's doable without them. Hope that helps.