Exercise R Us

Question:

>I always wondered this… I had friends who had trick/freestyle bikes, >for doing ramps and street tricks, and the bike was heavy as hell, and my >friend who raced bmx bikes, had the lightest bike i’ve ever seen! i >thought that the trick bike should be light, to jump it in the air and >stuff.. > John Phillippe

Yeah, and break when you land from those insane bunny jumps Chill, Mike

Response:

>I always wondered this… I had friends who had trick/freestyle bikes, >for doing ramps and street tricks, and the bike was heavy as hell, and my >friend who raced bmx bikes, had the lightest bike i’ve ever seen! i >thought that the trick bike should be light, to jump it in the air and >stuff..

Okay, *you* make a 17-pound freestyle bike (with equipment!) that can take the severe poundings that freestyle bieks take, and price it so that the average 12-18 year old can almost afford them with help from Mom & Dad. Sheesh, how much do 48 9-10" 80-gauge spokes weigh? Times two. Okay, now four pegs, a pound, pound and a half each.  Those bolt to the heavy thick solid steel axles.  Plus heavy pedals, heavy handlebars (hate to have a handlebar break after you’re landing from 15′ up, I have seen it happen, not fun)…

Response:

> BMX bikes are *LIGHTER*?  Hah!  My Hutch Trick Star weighs about 30 > pounds, and it doesn’t even have those 2" diameter 8" long steel pegs. > And it’s nothing like the modern bikes with Big Fat Chromoly Tubes > and dropouts machined from 1/4" steel plate.

I always wondered this… I had friends who had trick/freestyle bikes, for doing ramps and street tricks, and the bike was heavy as hell, and my friend who raced bmx bikes, had the lightest bike i’ve ever seen! i thought that the trick bike should be light, to jump it in the air and stuff..  John Phillippe

Response:

People, it’s not a matter of weight, it’s more a matter of technique.  If weight is the case, shouldn’t a light person be able to jump real high?   Most good trial riders are very solidly built and are not very light.   Yes, the weight of the bike matters, but it’s not the key. What do I mean by technique?  Have you see a high jumper cross the bar?   He doesn’t just jump, he makes a small arc with his body, so that there will only be one point of his body that’s higher than the bar.  The rest can be just under and it won’t affect the jump. A good mountain bike jump is very similar.  The bike first does a wheelie, and the front wheel goes over.  Now, push forward so that the back rise up.  While in mid air, push down so that the bike will pivot at about the bottom bracket and the back wheel will rise up extra high.   This is the same technique that will help you clear a lot of thing.  Not necessary hang time or anything, but you will clear things. Vince — — Vincent Cheng         University Of Alberta         1st year Engineering -Maintainer of the Mountain Biking FAQ  http://www.ualberta.ca/~vccheng/faq.html -Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Society’s Mechanic and Homepage maintainer  http://www.srv.ualberta.ca/~vccheng/ebc.html -Columnist for the Gearhead Mountain Biking Magazine  http://www.gearhead.com/

Response:

Not one of the current Verical leap World record Holders use toe clips, clipless pedals, power grips etc…. Just platform B.M.X pedals. Mtn Bike=Jeff "Big Mac" Lenosky(Schwinn Racing) (tie) Jake "Earthquake" note worthy;               44.8". Japan               World record vertical drop 16 feet OT PI (Monty Bicycles)                 Spain               Vertical Leap on to Wall 69" OT PI (Monty Bicycles) Spain   This weeks Specials; NEW! Hans Rey Monkey See, Monkey Do videos $12.00   1995 Magura HS-22 Brake set complete front & rear with Quick Release…$187.50

Response:

> I have friends that can bunny hop a recycling bin (approximately 1.5 feet > high). I can only hop like 6 inches. How do I get higher?

Get a light wheelset and a small framed bike.  Also clipless pedals or powergrips help alot.  If you can get good airtime, try to tip the bike sideways. — —–BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—– Version: 2.6.2 mQCPAzDSCzwAAAEEALKECB1hKchDj+L61BaKWckb0u1aZxFOUzylWGUD1YzAHgby Dlb16jSer2FwrriaTXlk4nlUuXNOFBSbY4AwlFwAnHjK0enBAHHQom7PfLygvQ4V s3+hO7+if/rGNYmjxSQITvZ6G8JDBC2nte/TFo/7p6aIPL1b6Xb6+CvXjqrdABEB AAG0Hk1hcnNoYWxsIFBhaGwgPG1wYWhsQG5lY2EuY29tPg== =1qNi —–END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—–

Response:

> > I have friends that can bunny hop a recycling bin (approximately 1.5 feet > high). I can only hop like 6 inches. How do I get higher? > Get a light wheelset and a small framed bike.  Also clipless pedals or > powergrips help alot.  If you can get good airtime, try to tip the bike

But make sure to tip it up straight before landing.  Failure to do so can lead to embarrassing photo opportunities. -Barry

Response:

>When you have the front lifted up, jump with your legs.  (If you don’t >have clipless pedals or clips/straps, it’ll be difficult.  Those BMX >guys make it look so easy without feet retention system, but their >bikes are much smaller and lighter.)  When you jump up, push the >handlebars FORWARD…to make your bike horizontal in the air.  Don’t >get too heavy on them and end up landing on your front wheel.

BMX bikes are *LIGHTER*?  Hah!  My Hutch Trick Star weighs about 30 pounds, and it doesn’t even have those 2" diameter 8" long steel pegs. And it’s nothing like the modern bikes with Big Fat Chromoly Tubes and dropouts machined from 1/4" steel plate. My mountain bikes weigh 24 and 27 pounds, aluminum and steel. BMX bikes have the advantage of 29" wide handlebars and a better riding position for hopping around. >I started by practicing in my backyard hopping over a 2×4 like that. >My friend was video taping me just for fun.  But, it actually turned >out to be an excellent learning system…being able to see what you >are doing wrong.  Later on, I just put the camcorder on the deck >change too bigger obstacles.  It’s funny watching myself wreck a few >times on film.

Someone here posted a great tip a while back.  He said to practice doing slow endos.  Going as slow as you can without wobbling, hit the front brake and PUSH FORWARD with your arms.  Your butt should naturally go over and behind the rear wheel.  The object of the excercise is to keep your body weight directly over the front wheel, at the same time trying to get the seat very close to your face. The point of the excercise is to get you used to this position, because the tuck is what you want to approximate at max bunnyhop height, wit the wheels level of course. I had a friend over one day and I started trying to bunnyhop over small household objects like bricks, cinder blocks, and a toolbox about 12" high and 9" wide. I was nervous about the toolbox, and then I remembered that little bit of advice, so I practiced. I’m 6′3, ride a 18" frame, and with the seat all the way down, I was smacking my nose.  I had my trap pedals on, and I found that bunnyhopping was best if I "pumped" on the front tire, then lofted a high wheelie (bars over cranks), and then pushed forward on tyhe nadlebars, tucking into the butt low-and-behind-back-stretched position.  I cleared the toolbox.  I cleared 14"! Then I bolted my clipless pedals on and changed out of my "Chuckies" and into my hard-sole SPDs.  With my feet attached, I could worry more about the initial spring and "influence" the rear with my legs.  (Yeah, I was cheating!)  I managed to clear a 24 inch high bar.  All this on a 35-pound crap mountain bike!  I can’t wait until spring when I can try this again with my aluminum bike.  I’m sure I could clear 24" without the clipless. — ayjayninetwothreeareclevelandpointfreenetpointedu (Big Block Freak)     "First of all, torque, from a driver’s perspective,           to use the vernacular, RULES!"

Response:

>I have friends that can bunny hop a recycling bin (approximately 1.5 feet >high). I can only hop like 6 inches. How do I get higher?

They are using a different technique.  I assume you are lifting the handlebar and the rear at the same time, or almost at the same time.   Strap 25 to 30 pounds on your waiste and try to do a vertical jump over that same object (with both feet at same time) and you most likely can’t do it either. But, if you use the hurdle style jump, you should make it over the obstacle easily. Your friends are most likely using a different technique than yours. I don’t know what it’s called, but they lift the front off the ground first, high enough to clear the obstacle.  Then, they lift the rear of bike. The timing is a bit tricky, cuz you have to worry about 2 lifts…front and rear, rather than just one.  And you have to adjust both lifts according to approaching speed.  But it’s nothing that can’t be accomplished without some practice and some cajones. When you have the front lifted up, jump with your legs.  (If you don’t have clipless pedals or clips/straps, it’ll be difficult.  Those BMX guys make it look so easy without feet retention system, but their bikes are much smaller and lighter.)  When you jump up, push the handlebars FORWARD…to make your bike horizontal in the air.  Don’t get too heavy on them and end up landing on your front wheel. I started by practicing in my backyard hopping over a 2×4 like that. My friend was video taping me just for fun.  But, it actually turned out to be an excellent learning system…being able to see what you are doing wrong.  Later on, I just put the camcorder on the deck change too bigger obstacles.  It’s funny watching myself wreck a few times on film. >Uhh…I need a magnetc strip encoder. if you can help, email me prices and info.

Nelson __            /_                                   *|*/*                             ~__                       ||

Response:

: I have friends that can bunny hop a recycling bin (approximately 1.5 feet : high). I can only hop like 6 inches. How do I get higher? Oh, it’s you again.  The guy who yelled at us for telling you the right price for the suspension forks…. please check the FAQ before asking.  It was posted here yesterday.(that’s what the FAQ is for) Vince — — University of Alberta    URL:http://gpu.srv.ualberta.ca/~vccheng/ 1st year Engineering   |     /’<         | http://www.ualberta.ca/~vccheng/faq.html       | |   ^>|/(*)       | Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Society’s Mechanic  | |  (*)    #       | and EBC Society’s Homepage Maintainer          |

Response:

I have friends that can bunny hop a recycling bin (approximately 1.5 feet high). I can only hop like 6 inches. How do I get higher? Uhh…I need a magnetc strip encoder. if you can help, email me prices and info. Hopefully the SW for it will run on a PC 386 w/ 640k of ram or a mac w/ 8 megs of ram. I NEED ONE BAD! I will only buy if u can ship COD! Check out my web page at <a href="www.tiac.net/users/realtime"> http://www.tiac.net/users/realtime</a>

Response: