Trials riding tutorials to learn bike trials and improve your mtb riding skills.
Biketrials riding techniques Forward with a pedal kick
For this proper biketrials technique, you should know first how to hop on the back wheel, staying in balance on the edge of a kerb, and also how to pedal kick or you won't be able to decide when you are ready.

Dropping Off from a pedal kick or just releasing the rear brake

mountain biking and biketrial skills
1° Balancing on the back wheel, adjust your tyre on the edge of the wall / kerb with a few hops.

mountain biking and biketrial skills
2° Like for the pedal kick, lower the front wheel to the horizontal before you pedal off the edge.

mountain biking and biketrial skills 3° Release the rear brake and give a slight stroke in the pedal to get off the wall. Let the rear wheel drop first.


Upon landing, apply the rear brake to a full stop. That will secure your position and prevent you from slamming your back onto the ground. See this move in a video. Also see the physics of landing.


trials riding video
Joe crouching before the drop.

trials riding video
combined drop off/pedal hop.

Minimising the drop off
Once your rear wheel is well positioned, if you are jumping from high, make sure you lower the front wheel and crouch on the bike as low as possible before releasing the rear brake. Then once in the air, you can fully extend the legs again (with no impulse but just following the bike down to reach the ground sooner). This move will actually reduce the total drop off height (compared to a high standing position with the front wheel lifted). Joe makes a perfect move on his mod (such an overkill for that step that as soon as he extends the legs, he reaches the ground). For the landing, rear brake "on". Damp the impact progressively by leaning your body backward. The higher the drop off, the flatter you'll end on your bike. When the front wheel touches, most of the impact should already be absorbed by your legs and arms. The front wheel shouldn't bang on the ground (a wrist breaker).


trials riding video
Precision landing by Ramiro.

trials riding video
Landing in a slope.

Landing smooth?
Let the back wheel hit the ground first, with the rear brake "on" to gain extra damping power. Using the rear brake will prevent you from slamming the ground with your back (not so healthy). Use the spring of your legs to absorb most of the impact.


trials riding video
Full extension to
bring the rear wheel down.

trials riding video
dropping off from public buildings.

In the air stabilize the bike aligned with your body, otherwise you're likely to be ejected sideways on impact with the ground. then lower the font wheel to the ground by extending the arms. The next step is to drop off from a natural wheelie. If you drop off into a slope, then you can let the front wheel drop down beyond the horizontal, until you are parallel to the slope, to make sure that you don't end up in an uncontrolled manual. Block the rear brake during impact, but use the slope to your advantage and roll down to damp the impact. If you have enough space for two pedal strokes, start on the goofy pedal lifting the front wheel, and the next pedal stroke (with the good pedal) should send you off the wall. Also you can try out some other stylish techniques like the front turn or the 180° twist.
Biketrial video  All the clips in one video  VTT trial
(or right-click to download the .wmv file)


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