Here is a video from some action over the last few weeks around Grand Junction. We had a guest filmer for the Ranch stuff…Aaron Gwin was staying with me while getting his teeth fixed up after knocking them out in Moab a few weekends back. He couldn’t ride so he volunteered to film us – there is something ironic about one of the best riders in the world filming us!
-James Wilson-
Wait, so how do we learn these things? If love to know how to bunny hop in my flats.
Wait, so how do we learn these things? If love to know how to bunny hop in my flats.
I have a couple of resources on this site but here is are a couple of good ones to check out:
http://www.bikejames.com/strength/how-to-manual-and-bunny-hop-your-bike/
http://www.bikejames.com/strength/how-to-use-your-wrists-to-bunny-hop-with-flat-pedals/
Hi James, I’m a big fan of your advice and especially your approach to increasing mobility. Do you have any advice for increasing mobility and strengthening for your ankles and feet? I suspect a lot of mountain bikers, including myself, end up with problems in this area such as flat arches, tight ankles and calves. If you’re ever in Wellington, NZ and keen for a ride send me a line. Great technical riding here within 5 minutes ride of the city centre. Cheers, Jonathan
Hi James, I’m a big fan of your advice and especially your approach to increasing mobility. Do you have any advice for increasing mobility and strengthening for your ankles and feet? I suspect a lot of mountain bikers, including myself, end up with problems in this area such as flat arches, tight ankles and calves. If you’re ever in Wellington, NZ and keen for a ride send me a line. Great technical riding here within 5 minutes ride of the city centre. Cheers, Jonathan
Sure thing, here is a video I did on some things you can do for the ankles. Plus, I’m a big fan of getting out of your shoes as much as possible and training barefoot or in minimalist shoes, which is the best way to strengthen the feet.
I’ve never need to NZ but it is on the bucket list, thanks for the invite and I’ll let you know if make it that way.
James, I came across this article searching for an answer to the following question:
I’m pushin’ 38 years old, and I’ve mountain biked for ~17 years. I’d say 16 of them with clip-less pedals. I can not do a true bunny hop, and my local trails are just now growing their jumps. I understand the value in struggling through new learning curves I’m just not sure how to go about it.
Should I go back to flats and learn these skills, or should I learn them with the clip-less pedals?
James, I came across this article searching for an answer to the following question:
I’m pushin’ 38 years old, and I’ve mountain biked for ~17 years. I’d say 16 of them with clip-less pedals. I can not do a true bunny hop, and my local trails are just now growing their jumps. I understand the value in struggling through new learning curves I’m just not sure how to go about it.
Should I go back to flats and learn these skills, or should I learn them with the clip-less pedals?
My advice is to learn the skills on flat pedals since they force you to learn the best, most efficient way to do those skills. Once you have them down you can apply the same technique to clipless pedals, it is just really hard to learn properly without the feedback flats give you. You might also find that you like flats just fine after learning how to use them properly. BTW, if you are going to give flats a try then check out the pedal I designed, the Catalyst Pedal, which will give you a better experience coming off of clipless pedals than a normal flat pedal will.