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Climbing: the essence
of bike trials

Trials riding is all about climbing on any kind of obstacles like a mighty goat. This is when you go up that you are most likely to smash the bike rather than yourself (especially the crank set).

Walls and concrete kerbs are rather unforgiving for the chain-rings (try to practice on wood logs or heavy duty palets). Start easy and build it up.

Biketrials climbing techniques for all kinds of situations

• Use the bunny hop approach at any speed (raw street style).
• Rolling over the obstacle, a smooth quiet move.
• In one hop jump sideways to bring both wheels on the same level.
• Launch a rear wheel side-hop, when there is no room for both wheels and it is too high for using the static hop technique.
• The rolling pedal kick to cross a gap up.
• Use the static hop with the front wheel already onto the obstacle
(wheel transfer for accurate positioning).

• Pick the front wheel onto the obstacle to support a smooth wheel-swap.
• Bang or hit the front wheel on the upper edge of an obstacle
(for higher stuff where rolling over or the bunny hop are not possible)
• Hook the bash plate onto the obstacle, by landing a slow bunny hop or a pedal hop (that way you climb in two steps, but you need a good crank protection).
• Hook one pedal onto a wall edge, and pull up the bike.
• Hook the front wheel to an edge, to pull yourself up over huge obstacles.
(a two-step move, for the pros).
• Enjoy the wall ride for a bit of urban fun, or for quick transition on slanted rocks.

What tyre pressure?
It depends on the ground and the sharpness of the edges you climb onto.
The sharper the edge, the more inflated you want the tyres so that you don't get a double pinch flat when banging the back wheel on it (the unfamous snake bite, rim rails pinching the tube against an edge).

For round blunt obstacles like wood logs, less pressure gives extra gripping because the tyre can litteraly grab the edges and shapes. Less pressure also gives extra bouncing for the take-off impulse and for landing, it is also more comfortable. Fat tyres (2.5" or wider) are the best, and allow a lower pression than thin tyres, so more comfort and more grip.

Climbing: the essence of bike trials

Climbing: the essence
of bike trials