As per title.
I’ve been in the carpark today trying to self-teach bunnyhops based on what I was taught in a skills session.
I was taught to do a manual by pushing up and out with the bars and throwing weight back, and pumping with the feet to get the front wheel up.
To turn this into a bunnyhop I was told to then throw weight forward over the bars and scoop the back end up.

Looking at a few online technique vids, they suggest bringing the front end up just by pulling up on the bars, not a manual.

Is either technique better than the other?

Also, as I’m on my own, how can I tell whether I did actually leave the ground and by how far? It’s hard to tell. I’m using a kerb which is about 3 inches high and about a foot wide and I’m not feeling it bump across it but there is some chain clatter but whether that’s from landing or the back wheel hitting the kerb, I can’t tell.

Try bunnyhopping over something like a stood up coke can. You’ll soon know whether you’re actually hopping.

I learned to bunnyhop by hopping up a kerb, then i moved on to a set of 5 steps, hopping about 2ft high.

manual to hop looks much better…

dont need the curb, dont need to use any downforce on the pedal to bunnyhop. Borrow either a bmx or a bike that’s too small for you and then whilst stood up on the bike move your body weight forwards then backwards, lift the bars up then shift your weight forward. Like doing a caterpillar on a bike. This was an easy-to-do and fundamental technique on a bmx as a kid, maybe its harder to learn on a mountain bike and when you weigh more than 5 stone 😀

I compress on the front, then move my weight back and lift the front (not jerking, but with the weight moving back it should be easier to lift). Then just rock forward and lift up the back.

I find it fun to practice with puddles. I find kerbs can cause damage so as above find a branch/cardboard/puddle and have fun.

What you were taught sounds about right. Practice is what you need, it’s all about doing now and not so much thinking!. It’s good to use a roller to help get the bike in the air as well. Pump into it, hop up, rear wheel lift part and land on the downside. Good luck.

Aye – start by just getting the front wheel up in the air by rocking back and pushing up/extending your legs (the idea is not to pull up on the bars). Once you can comfortably get the front end up like this, just take it one step further by pushing a bit harder when your spring up and then tuck your heels up.

there is a good youtube vid by doddy which really helped me – just search for ‘how to bunny hop’

As kids we used a simple garden cane between two equal objects as measure.

My record was a milk crate on its end with two flat house bricks and a Top Deck Shandy can. Took about 100 attempts though… 😳

On my mountain bike i’d struggle to clear the cans!

Difference is partly down to time. When your a kid you just practice, practice, practice…

Don’t know which videos you have already seen, but I think this guy explains it well.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkiJpTkm71Y[/video]

(apologies to Brooes for partial thread hijack) my problem is I learned to hop ‘flat’, front and back wheel at the same time, now I can’t squeeze an extra move in at the beginning!

i just cannot grip pedals to lift back wheel up (i run flats and sometimes wear hiking boots,but other times trainers) have seen the videos,but cannot do the pedal grip and lift part 😡

That video is OK but he talks about pulling on the bars…. And it’s not a pull! Even if you watch him you can see it’s a downward and foreword push first! You push just the same as for a drop off, then pull up and roll the bars foreward with your elbows and shoulders. As the front rises you scoop the rear up with the pedals, pointing your toes down and almost pushing backwards to get the back end off the floor.

As you get better the rear just follows the front without having to think about it really. On a good day I can clear 18-20 inches over a stick. Which is enough to be confident hopping logs and stuff half that height out on the trail. 🙂