Tackling a natural zone, front wheel first is safer
It is a smoother and less physically demanding alternative to big sidehops. Because the front wheel is positioned higher up when you start, the height you must reach up with the front tyre is lower than the height you would have to hop if you were side hopping directly to back wheel.What's the difference?
Vincent Hermance moving his rear wheel up
Nicolas Agyemang about to re-align his rear wheel
Position yourself with the obstacle on your front foot side, balancing over the rear wheel. The compression phase is the same as in a regular side hop, crouching and lowering slightly the front wheel.Side hop to front wheel
1° Position yourself with the obstacle on your front foot side, balancing over the rear wheel.
2° Same as in a regular side hop, crouch and lower slightly the front wheel, arms stretched.
3° As you jump, skew your impulse sideways by leaning your shoulders slightly towards the obstacle, on your front foot side.
4° Tuck your knees up to take-off the whole bike while actively aiming your front wheel at the obstacle.
5° As soon as the front tyre has reached the upper edge of the obstacle, force the front wheel down to secure your position.
6° Lock the front brake and use the front wheel as a pivot on top of the obstacle, to swing the rear-wheel up over the obstacle.
Maximizing front-wheel support
Karin Moor secures her front wheel to lift the rear wheel
Jack Carthy in precision mode, front wheel first.
When you side hop to your back foot side, you tend to aim the full bike at the obstacle (often even landing directly to back wheel). That is because you have a bigger lateral weight transfer to perform (moving your centre of gravity) from the front foot support across to the back foot side, and you don't want to miss the edge.Front-foot side is mostly a favourite
Aurelien Fontenoy tucks flat-out to let the rear wheel fit-in
Swing your rear wheel up by pivoting over the front wheel.
Most riders end up going higher on their front-foot side. This side hop variant is very energy efficient and you can land your front tyre with a lot of precision for optimum grip.180° side hop to front
Drive the rotation with your torso as you jump.
Just to make things a bit more interesting, maybe at demos, you can turn 180 degrees as you side-hop up an obstacle. This move combines a twisted extension driven by your torso with a nose-pick onto which you will pivot the bike over the front wheel. This will work best turning on your front foot side (i.e clockwise if you are right foot).180° side hop to front
1° As you jump, drive the rotation with your torso, on your front foot side.
2° Swing your shoulders into an upward spiral as you jump, trying to lurch over the obstacle.
3° As you force the front wheel down onto the obstacle, transfer your weight over the bars.
4° Then swing the rear wheel sideways and finish up the turn by pivoting further on the front wheel.