rolling hop

General
1

Any advice on how to do a rolling hop/jump would be welcome before I kill myself either through frustration or by ungraceful UPD. I can hop till the cows come home with either foot foward and hold the seat with either hand but can’t seem to get the hang of the rolling hop, hence the frustration.

2

This may or may not help. I just started doing these and i found this technique works. Try to hop while your feet are at 10 and 4. Since your rolling, by the time you pull up your feet will be at 9 and 3.
Hope it helps

Scott

3

Scott Bridgeman has a good article at www.muniac.com in the tips section. I haven’t worked on this myself, though.

My overenthusiastic nephew, trying to do a rolling hop: “Uncle David, I bet you can’t do th—” {{CRASH}}

:stuck_out_tongue:

4

Blast from the Past

This is no help at all, and the commentary is worthless, but hey- I was young and foolish then (I feel old and foolish now):

I started rolling hops using a short section of 2x4; if you hit it, it will deflect harmlessly. I learned to roll hop a curb before stop-n-hopping; after hitting the curb 500 times you begin to feel when your approach is mistimed (angling the approach can help, if you aren’t too far off). I highly recommend learning rolling hops with either foot forward.

Going out and doing it on the 2x4 will teach you more than words could relay, for basic technique; however, it would be great if we could get some advanced instruction from somebody skilled at getting serious air…

I push off with the back pedal below horizontal; the more speed you have, the more the pedal will push against you and help push you up. I don’t think the link arm pull has to be particularly hard, as much as the crunch and unfold need be agressive.

Babbling,

-Christopher

5

Thanks for the advice everyone!
Seeing as how there are a few hours of daylight left and my medical insurance premium is paid up, I think I’ll go for a ride over the family car. If the crashing/falling dosen’t maim me, the wife will.

6

You folks give great advice! I was able to clear a 2x6 lying flat on the second try and five minutes later I could clear a 4x4. Starting my jump with the cranks almost vertical seem to work for me.
I 'm no good at judging and adjusting my distance to the hop but I’m sure that will come in time. Right now, I’m happy just to be able to do a rolling hop. Thanks again. Onward and upward to the land of bent rims, twisted axels,and snapped cranks!

7

I’ve always wondered, does everyone plan exactly where the wheel will be, take a few steps back, get on , and then try to do a rolling hop? I’m the sort of person who gets put off if I’m not exactly where I want to be just before I try to hop. How does everyone judge where the wheel will be and correct it if it’s wrong?

Thanks,
Andrew

8

With time you should develope a ‘feel’ for optimal wheel orientation. If I totaly misjudge, I’ll change my intention or cycle back for another approach. Just like when you start a descent, you’ll feel right or wrong about your orientation; pain is a great teacher. Practice lofting over curbs, up or down, where an over the curb dismount won’t endager you.

Eventualy, you will leave no marks on the rice paper whatsoever. :wink:

-Christopher