Need help with the "hop" in backhop

[Sinister Proboscis]

I've been into trials for about three years now. I can trackstand, hop, rock and pivot. The backhop, though, has been extremely frustrating.

I can get into backhop position with no problem (either by endoing or pedalkicking); problem is, I can't seem to HOP.

I have watched Cunning Stunts and Mastering the Art of Trials approximately eleventy billion times and read every thread and post related to backhopping.

Obviously, I've developed some bad habits, and I've recently switched from mod to stock, but this is getting frustrating. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[J]

Are you trying to stay on your rear wheel or are you trying to kick forward?

Here's something - push down on the rear tire with your hips. Get way back. Stand up. Stay loose. I push down on the tire with my hips so the rear tire bounces and comes back, therefore I'm able to hop.

You also at some point want to try leveling your pedals a little bit once you get up there, it helps you stay balanced. Else you just pitch back. Are you just tilting back when you go to rear or are you putting a little bit of pedal in with it?

[rush]

Lost of threads on this one. My one tip is to lean back more.







No youre not, lean more.

[stpatr3k]

Can you post a short vid of you attempting a backhop? Could you backhop on the mod?

3 years is frustrating I have to agree since I was able to DO backhops on the 6th month. Do, since when I could make like 3 max before that then when the lightbulb turned on I did from 3 to 14. The key for me was to drop the ankles and that was it. It took a fews more weeks to do it confidently.

One key thing o learn is not to be afraid of falling on your back. If you couldnt backhop then your not leaning back enough. If you could bail out of a manual then you could bail out a backhop.

Concentrate on learning how to backhop like do 100-200 attempts in a day that should do it. Eventually the confidence will set in and gradually you'll get to the balance point.

[xsv4crob]

Ooo, this is a tough one to try to explain to someone -especially without seeing what they're doing.

Don't try to hop on your rear wheel just to hop like you're on a pogo stick - it's pointless, you have no balance goal. I've watched people do this and it seems they have the wrong idea about why they're on the rear wheel. Hop to stay upright on your rear wheel, as in small corrections.

Bend your knees a little and work the bars when you're up on the rear wheel. If you need to hop forward or back to stay on balance, pull the bars towards you to initiate the movement.

Next, you'll have to start putting some pedal into it to hop forward efectively.

I just explained this to someone a couple weeks ago that was having trouble on the rear wheel (trying to hop just to hop). He made quite a change in about 5 minutes.

Make any sense?

[stewpend0us]

Ooo, this is a tough one to try to explain to someone -especially without seeing what they're doing.

Don't try to hop on your rear wheel just to hop like you're on a pogo stick - it's pointless, you have no balance goal. I've watched people do this and it seems they have the wrong idea about why they're on the rear wheel. Hop to stay upright on your rear wheel, as in small corrections.

Bend your knees a little and work the bars when you're up on the rear wheel. If you need to hop forward or back to stay on balance, pull the bars towards you to initiate the movement.

Next, you'll have to start putting some pedal into it to hop forward efectively.

I just explained this to someone a couple weeks ago that was having trouble on the rear wheel (trying to hop just to hop). He made quite a change in about 5 minutes.

Make any sense?

Hmmm that's a good point...I'm trying to learn to hop on the rear as well but when I practice I'm just trying to hop on the rear not really focusing on balancing.....it's almost to obvious

[spoke2570]

Definitely lean on that front pedal a bit and make it like a bunch of little, super-mini pedal kicks.

pete b

[Sinister Proboscis]

Are you trying to stay on your rear wheel or are you trying to kick forward?



When I try the endo method, I just tilt back; right there, I guess I'm screwed . . . I'll focus more on pedalkicking.

[Sinister Proboscis]

Thanks for the tremendous response and the sage advice!

Could you backhop on the mod? Yes, but only 3-4 hops.

Bend your knees a little and work the bars when you're up on the rear wheel. If you need to hop forward or back to stay on balance, pull the bars towards you to initiate the movement.

Next, you'll have to start putting some pedal into it to hop forward efectively.

I just explained this to someone a couple weeks ago that was having trouble on the rear wheel (trying to hop just to hop). He made quite a change in about 5 minutes.

Make any sense?* Yes: thanks!

[popsicle]

ok suck up your hips and push up on the bar somewhat and it will eventually work out that what worked for me and im on a stock......mabey your stem is 2 long as soon as i got a smaller stem instently could do back tire hops well good luck:hsugh:

[MultiRider]

Key for me is to make sure I crouch down and spring up. Being stiff prevents the bounce. In fact, being stiff in any part of trials prevents progress. When you watch videos of good riders, be sure to notice how active they are on the bike -- knees, arms, back; crouching, springing; up, down, side to side.

[Sinister Proboscis]

Thanks for the advice! The doc has told me to stay off the bike for 1-2 weeks: I fell off my mod in the skatepark, and I have tendinopathy in my right arm. Sucks.

Backhops WERE getting better, though . . .