The Bunny Hop

In mountain biking and even BMX riding, the bunny hop

is a bike trick that involved the rider lifting the

bike up and over an obstacle while remaining in

motion on the bike. Experienced bikers can lift

their bikes in excess of a meter or one and a half

feet. The world record for the bunny hop stands at

4 feet.

The bunny hop is executed by approaching an obstacle

with speed, lifting the front of the bike then

leveling the pedals. If the bike has full or front

suspension, pre-load the shocks by pressing down

on the bike just before you reach the obstacle.

Once the shocks have been pre-loaded, the rider

will spring upwards, pulling up with the hands and

feet at the same time. Toe straps or clipless

pedals help with this, although if plain platform

pedals are used, it's still possible. As the biker

lifts, the hands will roll through twisting the

throttle. After the object is cleared, push down

on the bike then absorb the impact with the arms

and the legs.

It's often times a misconception that a bunny hop

without toe clips is achieved by rotating forward

on the handlebars. Lifting up on a mountain bike

while standing next to it is quite difficult to

hold on to the handle bars.

The bunny hop is very popular with mountain biking,

as experienced riders can make it look a lot easier

than it actually is. New mountain bikers should

practice a lot before they actually attempt the

hop, as doing it on a bigger obstacle can easily

be quite dangerous.

With proper practice, the bunny hop can be achieved,

even for beginners. All you have to do is give it

some time and effort, and you'll be pulling off the

bunny hop just like the pro's do it.

The History Of Mountain Biking

There is a lot of history and information out there

in regards to the history and origins of mountain

biking, with some being recognized and some that

depends on who has the best firm of public relations.

Some say that mountain biking began with the Buffalo

Soldiers, which was a turn of the century infantry

who customized bikes to carry gear over the rough and

tough terrain. They began in August of 1896, over

the course of 800 miles. Their mission was simple -

to test bikes for military use in the toughest of

terrain.

Others say it was the Velo Cross Club of France

that started mountain biking. The club was comprised

of 20 young bikers from Paris, who between 1951 and

1956 developed a sport that resembles present day

mountain biking.

It could have also been John Finley Scott, who was

the first mountain biker in the U.S. In 1953 he

constructed what he called a "Woodsie Bike", using

a diamond frame, balloon tires, flat handle bars,

and cantilever brakes. He was more than 20 years

ahead of his time. Even though he remained an off

road enthusiast, there were many at that time who

didn't share that same passion.

Today, we believe that the history of the mountain

bike is most apparent in Northern California. There

are a few areas that claim to be the first community

for mountain biking, although each and every history

book will tell you Marin County.

The sport of mountain biking has taken many twists

and turns over the last several hundred years. Even

though there are many that say different things about

the history and the beginning, we know one thing

for sure - one thing has led to another and the

sport of mountain biking was born.

Things To Take With You

When you decide to go mountain biking on a long days

ride, there are several things that you should take

with you. Below, you'll find the essentials that

you should have with you.

1. Back pack - a camelback or mule is a good idea here.

2. Waterproof - the type that packs down very small is

the best to have.

3. Water - you need at least 2 liters for a long ride.

4. Food - sandwiches and energy bars are the best to

have with you to eat.

5. Pump - take a good one with you, as the small mini

pumps are a waste of time and money.

6. Tire levers if you need them.

7. Two small inner tubes.

8. A piece of medium emery paper about 3 inches long

and an inch wide.

9. A cut up tube of Crest for pinch punctures or to use

as a tire boot.

10. A carpet needle.

11. A card of linen thread to repair torn tires.

12. A good chain splitter

13. At least two black pins. You should tape these

to the inside lid of your puncture repair kit.

14. A set of allen wrenches. The penknife style is

the best to get.

15. A small screwdriver.

16. A first aid kit that includes an elastic bandage.

17. A Spokey spoke key.

18. A felt tip pen that will show on inner tubes.

19. Some lunch and phone money.

If you take the above with you, you should have no

problems with long mountain bike rides. Everything on

the above list will serve a purpose, all you have to do

is give them a chance. If you've ever been mountain

biking and ran into problems in the past, you should

know first hand just how important the proper supplies

Title:

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Wheel Truing

Wheel truing is actually something that is very easy

to do. Even if you have no experience with mountain

biking or truing a wheel, it doesn't take a rocket

scientist to accomplish it.

The first thing to do is make sure that none of your

spokes are loose. To check, grab each spoke in turn

and try to shake it back and forth. If the spoke

wobbles, or makes pinging and grating noises, it's

loose. If it's loose, add tension to the spoke by

turning the spokey anti-clockwise with your finger

and thumb pressure.

Keep turning and shaking until the noise is gone

and the spoke doesn't wobble or move. Move on to

the next spoke until you've gone all the way around

the wheel and checked them all.

Now, it's time to see just how true the wheel actually

is. Turn your bike upside down then spin the wheel

to see where it comes closest to rubbing on the

brake.

You may need to rotate the wheel backwards then

forwards to locate the middle of the bulge on the

wheel. Tighten the spokes which run on to the

other side of the rim. If those spokes are already

tight, you'll need to loosen a few of the spokes

which run to the bulge side of the hub.

Truing a wheel is easier than you may think, although

it can be a little tough with some wheels. If

you need to loosen spokes, be very careful that

you don't break them. They can be very tough

to loosen on older mountain bikes.