Lifting the rear using clipless pedals

Every tuition video involving lifting the rear (bunny hops etc) says that you should learn using flats so that you get used to the rearward scooping technique and don’t rely on using your clipless pedals to pick the back end up. Why is that? Is there really a danger that you will pull out of the pedal lifting the rear of the bike that way or is it just that flat pedal riders are jelous of how easy it is to lift the rear with clipless pedals so claim that it is cheating? It just seems strange that, if you ride clipless, you would bother to learn a technique that you don’t need.

it’s to stop you looking like a spaz pulling up when jumping.

carry on if you’re not bothered

mtbel – Member

it’s to stop you looking like a spaz pulling up when jumping.

this ^ although you really can’t beat the awesome style of a good ‘spud hop’ 🙄

I used my clipped in technique on my town bike that had these fitted;

I’ve still got a three lines of scarring on my shin.

I’ve stopped using flat pedals at all now…

Since I exclusively ride flats (for now) I’m not too bothered. Mind you I also prefer to ride on my own so I don’t need to worry about how awful my lack of technique looks to others either. I was just struck by how often this advice is repeated and wondered why.

Mind you I also prefer to ride on my own so I don’t need to worry about how awful my lack of technique looks to others either.

It’s not just a looks thing, it is actually terrible technique of lifting both wheels at the same time by just picking up the bike. This means that (hopping a log for example) you need to try and carry the rear wheel an entire bike length(+) in order to clear the object. Hopping front then rear sorts this

Yes, I can see that you still need to lift front then rear if you are hopping while clipped in, but why do you need to worry about the point and scoop technique (which you need to stop your foot coming off the pedal with flats)?

roverpig – Member

I was just struck by how often this advice is repeated and wondered why.

because there will come a moment when you find yourself wearing normal clothes/shoes, riding a normal bike, with normal pedals, and you’ll need to ride up/down a kerb…

And you’ll be grateful that you spent a little time learning a skill that will see you happily through a lifetime of cocking around on bikes.

it really isn’t *that* hard, and it’s useful just about everywhere, that’s why.

or is it just that flat pedal riders are jelous of how easy it is to lift the rear with clipless pedals so claim that it is cheating?

You seem to be under the impression that bunny hopping on flats is a hard skill to learn? 🙄

Not at all, as I said I ride flats anyway. It just seems that one of the advantages of clipless pedals is that you can lift and place the rear end more easily and precisely. Obviously there is no harm in learning to do that with flats and it isn’t that hard. But there are lots of skills that you could learn. Most of us just learn the ones that we need though (life being too short and all that). So why are clipless riders always told that they need to learn the correct technique for riding in flats? I was assuming that there must be some danger in using the wrong technique when you are clipped in, but so far the only danger seems to be that you might want to ride flats one day.

Didn’t you all learn this as a kid? I learned to bunny hop (and American bunny hop for those who know the difference) on a racer in my teens. Street skillz that every kid should have.

this:

why are clipless riders always told that they need to learn the correct technique for riding in flats?

is a good example of a straw man.

clipless riders are not ‘always told’ anything.

Occasionally someone mentions that getting confident with flat pedals might be a good idea.

you can relax now.

So why are clipless riders always told that they need to learn the correct technique for riding in flats?

because for internet idiots this sort of thing is how they measure their self-worth?

Ah… the American bunnyhop (I’m guessing a short manual into a hop? That’s what ours is/was anyway) took me longer to learn than the normal British (wtf? 😆 ) both wheels at the same time bunnyhop. Stuff like that is picked up when you’re out on a Goonie adventure with the rest of the Red Hand Gang on your BMXs 8)

Ah… the American bunnyhop (I’m guessing a short manual into a hop? That’s what ours is/was anyway)

Top of the class! 😀

You can go higher with American bunny hops, it’s a pretty simple answer really I reckon

Woo hoo! Yeah! Eat my dust, suckers

roverpig – Member

Not at all, as I said I ride flats anyway

I call BS.
The OP is sad as he can’t bunnyhop without his special pedals. 🙂

I’ll take that back if the OP posts a video of him bunnyhopping over a tin of Birds custard using flats.

Custard test or GTFO.

What i thought for american hops , useful for “gap” hops and higher IMHO

You seem to be under the impression that bunny hopping on flats is a hard skill to learn?

Its certainly harder than doing them clipped in which is so easy it is mastered in one attempt.

Learnt to do them on BMX FWIW
I doubt I can do 7 bricks these days

Blimey, is it school holidays or something.

roverpig – Member

Blimey, is it school holidays or something.

There you go kids, roverpig can’t bunnyhop. 😆

Hi Roverpig. Bet you almost wish you hadn’t bothered posting now?

I’m in a similar place to you. Recently gone back onto flats after years clipped in. My view is that you do require better technique to ride on flats and that this will be carried over when (and if) reverting to clips. Had a couple of scary moments forgetting and attempting to pull the back of the bike up only to find it was’t there! With proper weighting etc. this won’t happen.

Regarding bunnyhops etc. “scooping* the back up isn’t right – it should be about weight transfer. Skateboarders can manual and jump without any facility for scooping. As nickc implied there are many people on here with seemingly very few life skills.

I particularly enjoyed

it’s to stop you looking like a spaz pulling up when jumping.

carry on if you’re not bothered

Take a step back and imagine meeting the sort of person who would say this. Is this someone you would take advice from?

Enjoy your riding – clipless or otherwise.

Don’t you know who HE is?

I don’t see the problem, do it the way that works for you, personally if i’m clipped in i just lift using them, its not cheating its using the clips to their advantage.

Skateboarders can manual and jump without any facility for scooping

Not really, the front foot gets dragged up the board during an ollie pulling the griptape up with the foot. Same as scooping IMO.

I see many clipped in riders looking like a spaz when jumping.

If you can’t bunny hop on flat pedals then you can’t bunny hop.

Genuine question though, those that use clips to do the two wheels up at same time hop, what do you use it for? I can’t imagine that you can hop over …. anything… using that technique. Like say there is a fallen tree over the path , can you ‘clipped in’ bunny hop over that? As said no beef just curious.

Ok, I’ll bite with my two penn’orth.

As I understand it, it is all to do with ensuring not so much that you get the back wheel up into the air ok, but that the whole movement is done in a way that gives you the best possible chance of landing you, and the bike, in a fashion that minimises the chances of a nasty tumble.

The correct technique for a bunny hop is to compress the front end and then let the wheel come up whilst moving your weight more to the rear of the bike. As the front comes up you kick down and back (don’t forget to point your toes) effectively bouncing the back wheel up as well. As the back comes up you are shrugging and rolling your arms/shoulders to control the height and pitch of the front wheel and the bike in general. This whole movement should be smooth and flowing and, done correctly, will allow you to position the bike for landing regardless of the pitch of terrain that you’re landing on and will ensure that your body is in the right position to absorb and drive through the landing.

Now if you lift the back wheel by simply pulling up with your back legs, you’re less likely to be shrugging and rolling correctly, meaning that it is less likely that the bike – and your body weight – will be in the right position to land.

That’s not to say that if you don’t use this technique you’re going to crash per se, but I’d suggest that it is fair to say that people who haven’t learned to get the bike airborne properly (and FWIW that pretty much includes me, though I do try) are more likely to come a cropper than those who have

howsyourdad1 – Member
Genuine question though, those that use clips to do the two wheels up at same time hop, what do you use it for? I can’t imagine that you can hop over …. anything… using that technique. Like say there is a fallen tree over the path , can you ‘clipped in’ bunny hop over that? As said no beef just curious

Strangely enough I actually find it easier to bunnyhop on flats doing this technique than I do doing it properly. No idea why. FWIW I can’t see that there’s any real benefit, been OTB a couple of times trying – and failing – to clear big logs in this fashion. Very disconcerting.. 😉

Not really, the front foot gets dragged up the board during an ollie pulling the griptape up with the foot. Same as scooping IMO.

No Scruff. You’re close but don’t mess with physics. Griptape aids friction on the board but this only helps with lateral movement. Admittedly once the board is pointing upwards then lateral movement (relative to the board) is of course upwards (relative to the ground). Similar to pushing forwards on bars with a front wheel raised. When correctly unweighted, the rear of the board and/or bike will follow. This is NOT the same as scooping.

I see many clipped in riders looking like a spaz when jumping.

And your syntax is just wrong 8) .

Bet you almost wish you hadn’t bothered posting now?

Nah, if you were bothered by the comments of idiots you’d never post anything. I do miss the old killfiles, but there are usually enough sensible (or funny) comments to make it worthwhile.

Regarding bunnyhops etc. “scooping* the back up isn’t right – it should be about weight transfer

Good point. When I get it right (and I’ll be the first to admit that’s not as often as I’d like) I’m not lifting the back at all, it just kind of follows.

I’m kind of in the opposite position in that I ride clipless on the road but have always used flats offroad. I’ve toyed with the idea of clipless offroad a few times but one of the things that puts me off is a fear that I’ll lose what little technique I have.

Ok, I’ll bite with my two penn’orth

Thanks funkrodent. That made perfect sense. I think I get it at last 🙂