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mountain biking and biketrial skillsStarting on the rear wheel
To prepare any drop off, or to climb small steps, but ultimately, for jumping from one beam to another, you'll need to hop using more the crank than just your legs. The "pedal hop", or "pedal kick", is the solution. That's also a starter for plenty of very cool climbing moves. Here is how you cross a gap.

Excellent for crossing all sorts of gap

mountain biking and biketrial skills
1° Start balancing on the back wheel, right on the edge to leave, to pinch the tire.

mountain biking and biketrial skills
2° Lower slightly the front to get extra torque and pulling margin, and compress the tire.

mountain biking and biketrial skills
3° Throw yourself forwards while standing on the good pedal before the pedal kick.

mountain biking and biketrial skills
4° Give a strong pedal kick (a fast 1/4 turn) that sends you off the edge, in full extension.

mountain biking and biketrial skills
5° Time to fold back. Pull the bike upwards in front of you while folding up the knees to let the bike go up.

mountain biking and biketrial skills
6° Touch down with full brakes on, and fold back on the bike to damp the impact and avoid a pinch flat.


Once landed, try to keep your balance above the bike. At the beginning, it's quite common to bounce back, if your body is too much behind the seat. Start on any street kerb and practice. See the move in a slow-motion video and with a mod bike.


trials riding video
Ramiro over some blocks

trials riding video
Massive rail to rail gap by Joe
(slow-motion video).

You can clearly see the extension in the videos. Also, to get extra distance, you must move the body forward just before the pedal kick. That brings your center of gravity further above the gap, before you even pedal kick. This makes the gap shorter than if you started from a balanced position above the rear hub. Hip motion is key.


trials riding video
Pedal kick / drop off to a rail

More power in the move
Also, by lowering the front wheel, moving forwards gives you more torque and power for the pedal kick, and compensates for the vertical inclination you'll get from it. Then you don't end up so much on the rear when you land. You can even boost your kick with a small bouncing effect on the rear wheel just before lowering the front wheel. You can enhance that effect further by bouncing precisely on the edge you leave, and will have a longer reach by taking off slightly sideways, with the bike making an angle of about 20° with the gap instead of facing it (your bad foot towards the gap) and with a little inclination of the frame inwards the gap. That will allow you to kick-in more power and for longer, until you are in full extension on your driving pedal.

Biketrial video  All the clips in one video  VTT trial
(or right-click to download the .wmv file)

If you want more info about this move or would like to share your own experience and tips, just type in your questions / comments in a TrashZen Discussion Thread

trials riding video
Wing uses a bouncing effect to boost the pedal hop.

trials riding video
pedal kick / drop off over a gap of water