Forward Elevated Hop

I just rode MUni with Jon and Jake in San Diego. They are excellent
MUni and trials riders. I don't think a 15" (vertical) static forward
hop would challenge them in any "ultimate" sense.

If the idea is that the highest levels still challenge the very best
people, then perhaps 15" should be an "upper middle-ish" rung on the
ladder, but not the top rung.

It's out of my reach, but I'll bet a lot of people can do it. (Maybe
they haven't tried it yet. But let's see who weighs in when this thread
is revived a year from now.)

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munipsycho said:

*I just rode MUni with Jon and Jake in San Diego. They are excellent
MUni and trials riders. I don't think a 15" (vertical) static forward
hop would challenge them in any "ultimate" sense.

If the idea is that the highest levels still challenge the very best
people, then perhaps 15" should be an "upper middle-ish" rung on the
ladder, but not the top rung.

It's out of my reach, but I'll bet a lot of people can do it. (Maybe
they haven't tried it yet. But let's see who weighs in when this
thread is revived a year from now.) *

The 15" (vertical) forward hop is in the highest section in the
intermediate category.

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Would a hop still be counted as a "forwards spike" if my tyre was
pointing 5-10 degrees to the right on takeoff?

Maybe rather than "forwards spike" or "forwards hop" it should be called
something like a "under 45 from forwards". This would be because it
would be impossible to judge that someone has jumped perfectly forwards
(but then again, equally impossible if they're "really close to
45degrees"😉.

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pete66 - Level 6 downhiller
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onefiftyfour and I explored an awesome new trail today.
The trial is on the side of a hill.
I believe it to be more difficult than the commonly ridden trails around
here.

There were several cases where a forward hop was needed, i.e. hopping
the wheel through two large rocks.

I re-learned a fact: A forward static hop is much more difficult going
UP an incline. If you can incorporate a slope, (like hopping up a ladder
with a 6" block mid way) it will make the course much more difficult.

Due to the heat and the near continuous ups and downs, I didn't have the
power for such hops today.

Another note: The forward hop is a lot easier on a 20"

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pete66 said:

*Would a hop still be counted as a "forwards spike" if my tyre was
pointing 5-10 degrees to the right on takeoff?

Maybe rather than "forwards spike" or "forwards hop" it should be
called something like a "under 45 from forwards". This would be
because it would be impossible to judge that someone has jumped
perfectly forwards (but then again, equally impossible if they're
"really close to 45degrees"😉. *

I think it would be fine to have the wheel 5-10 degrees to the right or
left from takeoff but 45 degrees is probably too much. As long as the
wheel is pretty much perpendicular to the obstacle it is a forward
spike.

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how many levels are you thinking of making and have you done any yet if
so what are they?

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how many levels are you thinking of making and have you done any yet if
so what are they?

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Butty - bout level 5/6 nd a bit of 7

yer you're right, but only when i say you are
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I don't think that the point of trials is to have to use any particular
skill at all... Isn't it more like an obstacle course in which you can
use any techniques that are legal. I think that there would be ways
around so called "forced" forward hopping... but still, if all else
fails, it probably would be a good idea to be able to hop forward and
upwards roughly 20". The biggest problem is that the lack of momentum
that is gained in rolling hops would mean that there was an increased
risk of injury if the tyre slips down. If you watch the latest rolling
hops from dan heaton or yoggi, you will see that the wheel usually
squashes onto the surface of the obstacle, with the momentum carrying
the rider up and over the edge. Without this added momentum, I can see
scraped shins and sore heads!!!

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I don't think that the point of trials is to have to use any particular
skill at all... Isn't it more like an obstacle course in which you can
use any techniques that are legal. I think that there would be ways
around so called "forced" forward hopping... but still, if all else
fails, it probably would be a good idea to be able to hop forward and
upwards roughly 20". The biggest problem is that the lack of momentum
that is gained in rolling hops would mean that there was an increased
risk of injury if the tyre slips down. If you watch the latest rolling
hops from dan heaton or yoggi, you will see that the wheel usually
squashes onto the surface of the obstacle, with the momentum carrying
the rider up and over the edge. Without this added momentum, I can see
scraped shins and sore heads!!!

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Just bringing this thread back to page 1 to get some more votes before i
leave for NAUCC (in 6 hours or so)

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I've gotten around 2' forward static, seat out. Not a skill i value
much, and rarely practice. They are useful for some trials lines, such
as a rail ride to a ledge in front of you, but they are extremely
strenuous, as others have said. Forward hops are one of the skills where
the difference between wheel sizes is most profound.

I think versatility with pedalgrabs and sidehops makes forward hops
relatively useless for most trials. On the above mentioned line, a
pedalgrab of 90 degree turn in midair would be just as good as a forward
hop, and be easier and safer.

Forward gaps are *very* useful, but it's often easier to approach one
from a 45 degree angle and turn during the initial spring for the gap,
and then do susequent gaps strictly forward (example, sets of rail
gaps).

Who cares if there's another line in muni? If you always pick the line
you can already do, where's the fun and where's the challenge? Then
again, if I have a choice between a steep downhill and a 9' drop, i'll
take the downhill and look at the drop with quite a bit of scrutiny
before any thoughts of attempting.

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gerblefranklin said:

*1. Who cares if there's another line in muni?

2. If you always pick the line you can already do, where's the fun and
where's the challenge?

Then again, if I have a choice between a steep downhill and a 9' drop,
i'll take the downhill and look at the drop with quite a bit of
scrutiny before any thoughts of attempting. *

1. People who ride M-uni.

2. That was not my point at all.
(Contrary logic: if you "always" take the hardest line available, you
won't make it past the trail head. 🙂 )
Some people have the goal to ride with as few UPDs as possible.
Selecting the easiest route is part of the challenge. Others take the
tough line. Some people blend the two. Some walk. :o

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No, you don't always take the hardest line available, you take the one
just beyond your skill level, so as to facilitate improvement. I rarely
find trails where there's lines all over the place that are too
difficult for me (due to not very difficult bay area trails, not skill),
and I never would if I constantly looked for the easier option. Most of
the time I leave the trail for a good difficult line. An example is a
long, steep rocky downhill to the main trail. I know I can't do the
entire downhill, but rather than just not doing it or only doing an easy
12' portion of it, I'll climb it until I'm quite confident I won't make
it down (without falling, I'd still like to survive), yet still have a
chance. Then I see what I can get myself to do.

Essentially, I don't think I'm pushing my limits enough until my pads
re-earn themselves and I fall more than I ride on every ride. Of course
I don't always do this, since I'm a wuss, but those are my ideal trail
conditions. Well speak of the devil, Northstar this Saturday. 😄

Honestly, I'd love to ride with you if you've got trails where you can't
make it past the trail head without creative use of where the trail
really is.

I seem to remember John Foss posting on how profoundly devoid of fun the
ride where he tried to go "no UPDs" was.

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Nick's main man.

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there yet--Not nearly."--Cold Duck Complex
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