Learn how to ride trials and street trials with TrashZen: this will also improve your general MTB riding skills.
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Clinching a static hop


If you must rest on a small obstacle that just fits within your wheelbase, with your wheels litterally holding the obstacle at both ends, a static hop is your only way forward (unless you decide to drop off the obstacle sideways).

Clinch the obstacle with your wheels

trials riding tutorials Carles Diaz is about to lift the bike up.


This situation arises on most rounded obstacles where a pedal kick would throw you over the handlebars. Maintain a trackstand position with the obstacle locked inside the bike's wheelbase. When ready, flex your ankles and arms to compress both tyres against the edges (lowering your torso) and spring up immediately into a full extension boosted by a firm push-up from your arms.

trials riding tutorials Hanging by the rear wheel, Vincent Hermance gets ready.


Try to concentrate your efforts in a forward motion, pulling yourself on the handlebars as you push up on the obstacle to initiate forward momentum with your torso. After this surge, lift the bike up in front of you while tucking your knees to let the rear wheel take-off.

As soon as the rear tyre has cleared the back edge, swing the bike further in front of you to bring the rear wheel on top of the obstacle, landing well balanced and ready for your next move. You can think of this as a horizontally hooked static hop, in the sense that you want to move your rear wheel forward rather than high up.

trials riding tutorials Flexing before the hop, Kenny Belaey pinches both tyres.

With a little bit of practice, you'll be able to perform this variant of the static hop on slanted obstacles going downwards, where you'll have to pull the bike a bit more vertical to secure your balance on the rear wheel.

The biggest difference with a regular static hop is that you must concentrate all your efforts to hop forward and still maintain a good balance on the rear wheel when you land. Try this on a few pallets before you challenge yourself high up on slippery rocks.





Click on any photo and use the scroll-wheel to animate the move.

Static hop over a short wheelbase

trials riding tutorials
1° Place the bike with your wheels litterally holding the obstacle at both ends. Flex suddenly to compress both tyres.

trials riding tutorials
2° Spring up immediately into a full vertical extension boosted by a firm push-up from your arms.

trials riding tutorials
3° Lift the bike up in front of you while tucking your knees to let the rear wheel take-off.

trials riding tutorials
4° As soon as the rear tyre has cleared the back edge, swing the bike in front of you to land on the rear wheel.


Biketrial video Watch this move in slow-motion Biketrial video



serious connection