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Trials Techniques on trail

3K views 28 replies 18 participants last post by  53x11 
#1 ·
What trials techniques do you use on trail? And what techniques you found most useful?

Inspired by some of the youtube videos, I've been learning to do the "static hop" (I hope that' the correct terminology), where you lock up the brakes and hop around, hoping one day I'll be able to get up some of the technical features that you can't just pedal up. It's one thing to hop around on flat ground, it's entirely different thing to do it on uneven terrains and the move is so energy intensive and being old (and light weight) doesn't help either. It might never happen but I'm going to give it 6 months to see if I can even make any good progress.
 
#2 ·
What I find most useful is a controlled front wheel lift, once in place you can shift your weight onto the wheel, followed by a hopping of the rear onto/over an object.

It seems like all that hopping wastes a lot of energy I probably don't have on that type of move so I've never really tried to incorporate it.
 
#4 ·
If you are hopping around, maybe one of the most useful hops is to hop forward so that your rear tire lands exactly where your front tire was. I don't know that that's necessarily a "trials" move, but it is really useful in certain situations.

Other than that, I don't really have a "trials" move per se.

I'm sorta working on a low-speed drop, or drop from 0 mph, but failure will be painful. I've done it successfully, esp. when the terrain forces it (I can do a lot of good moves out of sheer survival), but it's still not comfortable.

-F
 
#5 ·
I used to compete in trials wayyy back and got pretty good at the static hopping but I have to say that I don’t use that skill much during a trail ride. It burns a lot of energy.

I think a useful skill is to ride like your skeleton is made of rubber. Watch the body language of really good riders and you’ll see what I mean. Watch motorcycle trials riders too for the same concept. It’s very feline.

Another useful skill that I employ all the time is to wheelie up onto a tall object and pop the rear end up to follow. It’s the same thing LaXcarp was talking about.
 
#14 ·
No. I did not see that thread. I've been practicing for about a month now after watching Jeff Lenosky clearing some of those technical sections. There is no way in this life that I would ever be able to do what he does but I know of some lesser technical sections where the same techniques would work well, if I ever get good enough.
 
#11 ·
The only people I've seen that utilized "trials moves" on the trail typically just made everyone behind them wait for 10 seconds for them to stop bouncing around like an idiot and put their foot down like a normal person.

They also look stupid when you practice in the parking lot. I've seen 2 people taco their wheels BEFORE the ride even started.

Concentrate on riding forward.

This is just my opinion.
 
#12 ·
The only people I've seen that utilized "trials moves" on the trail typically just made everyone behind them wait for 10 seconds for them to stop bouncing around like an idiot and put their foot down like a normal person.
Haha, that sounds accurate. Really good trials riders will flow forward smoothly.

I recall doing a trials competition back in the late 1980's where most of us were hopping around like weird bunny rabbits. Some new guy who had never done a bike trials competition before but was experienced doing moto trials showed up and flowed quickly like water right across each section. It blew the rest of us all away. We were sitting there going, "What just happened???"
 
#13 ·
I find myself pivoting on the front wheel multiple times per ride. It can make some corners much easier, and can help you get setup for other moves. My local trails have a good number of steep 180 switchbacks and it helps there a lot, both up and down. That and track stands are the trials moves I use the most.

Sometimes a wheelswap or punch is useful in really tough terrain. Good to get up things you can't just pedal or coast up/over. Punches combined with momentum can get you through some hairy stuff smoother and faster than bashing through. Any time I have a ledge to deal with going up hill I try to punch it instead of roll it.

I've never successfully used any rear wheel moves on the trail, except for showing off. It's fun to do but for me it isn't really useful on the trail.
 
#15 ·
I find myself pivoting on the front wheel multiple times per ride. It can make some corners much easier, and can help you get setup for other moves. My local trails have a good number of steep 180 switchbacks and it helps there a lot, both up and down. That and track stands are the trials moves I use the most.

Sometimes a wheelswap or punch is useful in really tough terrain. Good to get up things you can't just pedal or coast up/over. Punches combined with momentum can get you through some hairy stuff smoother and faster than bashing through. Any time I have a ledge to deal with going up hill I try to punch it instead of roll it.

I've never successfully used any rear wheel moves on the trail, except for showing off. It's fun to do but for me it isn't really useful on the trail.
I find that I can do an okay nose-pivot in open space (a grassy field or dirt parking lot), but have never been able to use it effectively on the trail. I'm sure more of a mental block than anything else. I need to force myself to use it regularly, even on easier/flatter/more open switch backs.
 
#23 ·
Like anything in life the only way to perfect such moves is practice. It also helps to be born with some natural ability skill. I rode with a guy who started riding mtb at the same time I did. Within 6 months of riding he was pulling off nose wheel stand 180° around switchbacks and stall bunny hop 180° turns as well. I watched and just shook my head in amazement. That was 19 years ago and to this day I have yet to perfect such moves.
 
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