# Urban skill progression?



## Stalk (May 24, 2005)

Great newly reopened forum. 

Through the rainy winter I decided to start learning stuff on the parking lot, so here is question: What "right" or "left" or "best" or "good" progression in the skills for the Urban riding?


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## coma13 (Sep 3, 2005)

What the hell are you talking about?


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## PCinSC (Oct 25, 2005)

coma13 said:


> What the hell are you talking about?


LOL. That was my first thought also. Maybe he meant to say "easy" to "difficult"?

Patrick


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## Epschoenly (Jan 25, 2006)

Well in terms of skills for urban, I don't have a ton of experience(Im 17, and have been riding liek maybe 3-4months "urban"), but I find that the most enabling thing is a bunnyhop, there are numerous places to get technique on this but, the way i like to practise is i started off doing gaps over small grassy areas or a drainage ditch, and then got a 1x6 and started hopping it, not I have a cinder block etc. 
I imagine that it would be next would be manuals, cant help you there I stink, and another thing is going to like a skate park one night and just sorta seeing where the skaters skate and kinda run their lines. Just kinda do what you want.... I like to hit as many drops/stairs around town as possible they really build offroad confidence, I moved to this after hopping)

Hope that's helpful.


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## i like downhill (May 15, 2004)

just practice your bunny hops. thats the most important thing you can do.


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## inkdwheels (Apr 14, 2005)

Bunnyhops, manuals, 180's. All good places to start. Whatever you do don't become a park/dj rat. I know guys who can ride the park all day or clear big doubles, but can't bunnyhop a 2 foot ledge. Practice is key. Being comfortable with your weight over the rear wheel will open the doors for abubacas, tail taps, bunny hops to manuals, etc.


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

I can damn near 180 on flat ground after practicing for a lil bit. Bunny hop over decent sized stuff (30") and manuals and fufanus and abubucas. Fufanus are kinda easy though...


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## Epschoenly (Jan 25, 2006)

Alright you guys, this is a question for those who can bunnyhop 30'', I can get like six or so and maybe a little more if im hopping onto something, so do you guys have any like tricks you use when hopping to get all that air?


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## inkdwheels (Apr 14, 2005)

you've gotta get your front wheel higher than the object you are jumping over. Then boost and bring the back of the bike up. Lower your seat (if it isn't already) so that it doesn't smack you in the a$$. Spot your landing. ou can also use your suspension to ge your front wheel higher, but that can be unstable at times


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

I can usually only bunnyhop like a foot but I can get onto stuff over 2 ft tall...


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## i like downhill (May 15, 2004)

yea my highest ive hopped OVER something was around 2' 8" (not a ledge). but when you are bunny hopping up onto ledges get your front wheen on first then use it for leverage to boost up your rear wheel. heres a random pic of me riding a fun wall thingy last night.


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## zerossix (Jul 25, 2004)

practice practice practice ride your bike and practice. ride everything you see at first. bunny hop every curb and every little obstacle on the side walk while yoru riding along. then your bunny hop willg et big quick then you can get real creative and start really having some fun. the biggest thign i think, aside from practice, is being comfortable on yoru bike/getting used to your bike. i used to be able to bunny hop my total xc built stumpjumper a good 2 feet consitently now i cant get it off the ground. but i can get my stp (that i ride everyday and jump over everythign i see) over 3 feet.

learn how to manual and stuff at the same time. abubacas are sweet too but your gunna pop alot of tubes and destroy your basguard/chainring but yeah your'll get better.

just ride yoru bike thats the absolute most important thing and yeah you'll start getting creative and learning new stuff.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

good advice


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## borry (Nov 7, 2005)

hey guys, this is all good advice and i thank you all.

(Not trying to hijack)

I use my stock Norco Sasquatch ('06) for Urban because thats my one and only bike... and i love it (its also my commuter).

I have just started bunnyhopping last week and i can hop about 5" (i know, nothing compared to you guys) but practice is the key...

Just 1 Question.

Can my SasQ handle about 2 ft to flat (ive done 4' 8" drop) on concrete?
As there is a nice gap from a ledge over some shrubs to flat which i have been keen to try... 


Thanks guys... keep this thread goin', good for everyone.

Laurence


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## PCinSC (Oct 25, 2005)

borry said:


> Can my SasQ handle about 2 ft to flat (ive done 4' 8" drop) on concrete?
> As there is a nice gap from a ledge over some shrubs to flat which i have been keen to try...


I should hope so, Norco markets that bike as a "shore freeride" bike. I've done 2' to flat (on concrete) on my XC HT (Kona Hoss) lots of times. For reference, I'm a pretty big guy (~255lbs). And haven't had any failures or any problems related to those drops. Drop away, I say.

Patrick

ps. Unless you meant to say 20' to flat concrete. Then I may suggest a beefier bike w/ full suspension (or a padded room to keep you from hurting yourself


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## borry (Nov 7, 2005)

PCinSC said:


> I should hope so, Norco markets that bike as a "shore freeride" bike. I've done 2' to flat (on concrete) on my XC HT (Kona Hoss) lots of times. For reference, I'm a pretty big guy (~255lbs). And haven't had any failures or any problems related to those drops. Drop away, I say.
> 
> Patrick
> 
> ps. Unless you meant to say 20' to flat concrete. Then I may suggest a beefier bike w/ full suspension (or a padded room to keep you from hurting yourself


Thanks man. I am hoping the same thing although (like i said previously) i have been doing 4fts to (relatively) flat.

Do you know how much abuse the Alex 22 rims can take? (the stock rims on the 2006 sasquatch)

Thanks again Patrick, we have to keep this thread going it has potential (i hope)

Laurence


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## trail nazi (Apr 25, 2006)

Epschoenly said:


> Alright you guys, this is a question for those who can bunnyhop 30'', I can get like six or so and maybe a little more if im hopping onto something, so do you guys have any like tricks you use when hopping to get all that air?


Bunny hops are all weight distribution. Put your weight forward and then back to get the front wheel up over the object, then push back on the pedals to weight the pedals. Then you move your weight forward again to level yourself out. The best thing to do is to put something low in a parking lot and start hopping over it. Steadily increase the size and you will naturally learn how to go bigger. When hopping up on to something you can get the front wheel up on the object and then lean and press on the front wheel. Unweighting the rear and using the object to get onto higher spaces. Its what I use to do when riding trials and bunny hopping on to things that were higher than you could actually hop onto. Last is the really, really tall stuff, in which you can land on a pedal and then pedal forward.


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## Stalk (May 24, 2005)

Sounds like Bunnyhop is most important and too bad I'm *** at it. I can break move into parts while getting on something (2ft biggest "curb" I can get onto) but hoping in single motion, well 6" at best and rear well coming back first most of the time. 

But what about other stuff? Does pivots are good and usefull trick? seems like getting up on the long stairs sounds not bad.
Once you get onto the stuff, what about getting down? Weelie drops? I for instance can't weelie for few feets, but seems droping off is nailed down (still scary as hell)
I was guessing most of urban will come from trials, but their progression is ..... "fun"
First they advice to do trek stand couple of month, bunnyhoping I think somewhere in 3rd or 4th year.

Any suggestion for lazy folks like myself?

P.S. I have huge respect for Trials guys and crazy stuff they are pulling out, I just let's say less patient


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## VDknuckles (Oct 27, 2005)

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but this seems like the place for newbies to ask how to get into urban riding. Anyways, my rig is currently a '05 Hardrock SS. Besides the tires, are there any other upgrades that would be really handy to have as soon as you start getting into this type of riding seriously? I really just planned to let everything wear itself out until it needs replacement, but if there is anything that would be useful right way, I don't mind breaking out the lawnmower and making a few extra bucks.

Thanks,
VDK


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

New fork, pedals, grips...



About it really... you'd need a new front hub for something like a Pike..


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

ok, drops to flat are not the place to start, or even progress really... look for smooth lines. Finding lines is the true eye of a street rider, dropping ledges is not. You'll find the seasoned street rider will ride lines you have never even thought of, not just, hey, there's a ledge, let's drop it...  

that said, I think the manual is a key to the big bunny hop. once you are comfortable with that balance point, you can tell where to transfer weight when bunnyhopping. It makes your bunny hop looks smoother too, not like some xc rider with clipless pedals hopping both wheels at the same time.

but, what I'm working on, and I CANNOT get right now is the bunny hop to manual... I can get it just for a bit on up curbs, but that's it.... I can get the air for it, but usually land both wheels on step-ups. If I lean too far back preparing to land manual, I don't get the air, or I bump the curb with the back tire, and it brings the front down.... It's frustrating....

Pedal kicks are another thing I've worked on, but my bashed shins disagree...



after writing all of that, I still don't know what the first poster said... yeah, I ride right foot forward in most cases, but I've tried becoming ambidextrous, but can't bunny hop the same lefty... I whip to the right, I x-up to the right, I 180 to the right.... cannot do that left... it sucks.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

I can spin the same both ways: 90°, it sucks. I can bunny hop high enough (2 feet) but I can't figure out how to do a 180 on flat ground.


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## zerossix (Jul 25, 2004)

BikeSATORI said:


> ok, drops to flat are not the place to start, or even progress really... look for smooth lines. Finding lines is the true eye of a street rider, dropping ledges is not. You'll find the seasoned street rider will ride lines you have never even thought of, not just, hey, there's a ledge, let's drop it...
> 
> that said, I think the manual is a key to the big bunny hop. once you are comfortable with that balance point, you can tell where to transfer weight when bunnyhopping. It makes your bunny hop looks smoother too, not like some xc rider with clipless pedals hopping both wheels at the same time.
> 
> ...


i really agree with you on the drops thing. i hate (extremely dislike) when people think that urban is jsut taking there DH bike and goign and doing stair gaps and dropping to flat off ledges. its not really impressive and its not at all, in my oppion, impressive. dont get me wrong, i did it for along time. id go out and jsut find the biggest stair sets i could and just pedal at them and jump off. but then i realized that any one can just pull up. learning to do stalls and find the weirdest most creative lines possible, thats street.

i think the whole idea is supposed to almost be making do with what you got. i think it started with, you dont have mountains so you go ride in the city. and has since progressed in to its own style. but the whole getting creative and not just doing the most obvious line is what is the most important aspect of the disicpline. i still definitely still do drops, but i try and throw x-ups and get some style points off of them haha.

oh and about your in ablity to bunny hop to manual. try learning abubacas, so you learn where to put the tire to hit the ledge on purpose, then you can learn how to just barely clear the ledge and hold that balance point. definitely takes some work but you'll get it. start on short things. cause then you'll get the confidence and get used to that feelign of clearing it, then you can just move on to longer stuff. but yeah just like try hitting medians as you ride along. which goes back to my whole riding everything you see. i can bunny hop to manual some pretty long **** but is till will manual across almost every median i see jsut for sh!ts and giggles and alittle bit of practice. oh and try bunny hopping alot higher then you think you should.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

ya, I think the bunnyhop is the base of most urban riding, if you can do it, it opens up a whole new world, if you can't, then your going to have to learn how to.


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## Z1bomber (Dec 1, 2004)

street for me is not about dropping stairs etc, but i still do it

street bmxers are way ahead of anyone on a mtb, and frankly do more stuff, but the times are changing, as more riders are beginning to run pegs, air quarters etc

im happy with my hops up 2 foot ledges and manuals off of stuff

im starting to try front wheel tricks, cos they look great in my opinion


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## SantaDakota (Feb 19, 2006)

How do I do a flat ground 180? I'm stuck at about 150 degrees.


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## JBsoxB (May 18, 2004)

standard235 said:


> Fufanus are kinda easy though...


What the **** is wrong with me? that is what everyone says, but abubucas are SOOO much easier for me. wtf?

:mad2:  :idea:

AND THIS FACE IS REALLY PISSING ME OFF. WTF DOES IT MEAN? :aureola:


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## KevinM[Freerider] (Aug 12, 2005)

i can bunny hop 3 1/4 feet. it was a standing up rubbermaid trashcan. its all about manualing and getting ur tire as high as possible then pogo sticking yourself off the back tire and jumping up and forward to even it out.


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## philw86 (Jul 18, 2005)

since this is sort of a "getting into street riding" thread...

my friends and i were riding around town the other day and made a goofy video of us screwing around...

one of the silly things i was trying was jumping off the pedals and planting both feet on somthing, because i heard its a decent way for getting the motion for a no-footed can can down. I tried jumping between two posts...kinda fun.

anyways...we also had a blast on this wood chip bank  we're not that good either.

http://media.putfile.com/Messin-Around


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## JBsoxB (May 18, 2004)

BikeSATORI said:


> but, what I'm working on, and I CANNOT get right now is the bunny hop to manual... I can get it just for a bit on up curbs, but that's it.... I can get the air for it, but usually land both wheels on step-ups. If I lean too far back preparing to land manual, I don't get the air, or I bump the curb with the back tire, and it brings the front down.... *It's frustrating....*
> 
> Pedal kicks are another thing I've worked on, but my bashed shins disagree...


so true i have been trying it for the last 2 weeks, and i have only at the best been able to hop up to a manual (on a curb) and ride the manual for mabye 20 ft. but not much more.:madman:


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Bunny hop to manual is easy at least to me. One thing though, concentrate on the hop itself and not the manual after it. I find that hopping slightly higher than I normally would then keeping my weight just slightly back until the landing works best. As soon as my rear tire touches the ground I find the sweet spot and just ride it out. There's not much else to it than that.

180's can be a hassle, but with the right technique, they become easy. Worry about spinning your shoulders and front end more than your rear end, as the rear end is really easy to flip about. If you can do a 90 degree to either side, you are in the right direction. Start out the movement the same way, but quickly whip your shoulders the way you are spinning, giving the front the exta 90 degrees it needs for the full rotation.

I hope I was of some help.

Edit: A good way to get a feel for 180's is to try them on an upward incline, since the front wheel will end up being higher than the back wheel once you've started spinning, which will help you complete the movement.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

snaky69 said:


> Bunny hop to manual is easy at least to me. One thing though, concentrate on the hop itself and not the manual after it. I find that hopping slightly higher than I normally would then keeping my weight just slightly back until the landing works best. As soon as my rear tire touches the ground I find the sweet spot and just ride it out. There's not much else to it than that.
> 
> 180's can be a hassle, but with the right technique, they become easy. Worry about spinning your shoulders and front end more than your rear end, as the rear end is really easy to flip about. If you can do a 90 degree to either side, you are in the right direction. Start out the movement the same way, but quickly whip your shoulders the way you are spinning, giving the front the exta 90 degrees it needs for the full rotation.
> 
> ...


Thanks, now I think I need to go out and try it.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Not a problem, that's how I learned them.


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## basikbiker (Sep 24, 2005)

its all about doing 360tiretaps and hurricanes on banks.


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## travis712 (Apr 30, 2006)

BikeSATORI said:


> ok, drops to flat are not the place to start, or even progress really... look for smooth lines. Finding lines is the true eye of a street rider, dropping ledges is not. You'll find the seasoned street rider will ride lines you have never even thought of, not just, hey, there's a ledge, let's drop it...
> 
> that said, I think the manual is a key to the big bunny hop. once you are comfortable with that balance point, you can tell where to transfer weight when bunnyhopping. It makes your bunny hop looks smoother too, not like some xc rider with clipless pedals hopping both wheels at the same time.
> .


QFT. On my redline single x (20''bmx) I can hop like 2' using the manual hop. With my mtb I can barely manual hop, more like a single hop which is queer. I just got the mtb so I just need more practice.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

Okay, I think this is just a bit weird. I can do a 180 nose pivot on my BMX without using the front brake, but I can't do a 180! It's bugging me so much...


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## fiddy_ryder (Jun 15, 2005)

use your head.. your body and bike will follow which ever way your head is going.start the 180 with you head then shoulders. keep your head turned the rest will follow.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Look where you're going is all I can say.


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## Korrupt (Mar 15, 2004)

Bunny hopping ( or j hopping as we call it here) is only 1 aspect of riding. While it IS the BREAD AND BUTTER of biking, there are many other aspects that need to be learned. 

1. Jhop-- make sure you can atleast get a foot off the ground without going over any obsticals, and you will find out that you can get over obsitcals ranging anywhere from 1.5ft to 3ft with ease.
2. The manual-- is somthing that is important, and A TON of riders over look this... Riding to me and many others is about style and rythem...by adding a manual to your arsenal you will add much style and much rythem to your riding.
3. The 180-- Even after a few years of riding, i am just starting to get into the 180s, and besides being fun to spin and adding variations to your riding style, they look VERY nice if done cleanly and can def. add a WHOLE new demention to your riding.

The cool things about these 3 tricks is they make up (my opionion mind you) 90% of riding, and the really cool thing is you need nothing but a parking curb to make some sick skills i.e. hop onto it and 180 off or hop and manual it. 

Point and Case-- Practice these 3 things and you will be a gnarly rider withen the year.


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## SDriding (Mar 20, 2006)

i completely agree with korrupt on that, but just to add a little....

practice being able to ride backwards, at least for like 5 ft. it will open up a whole new world for tricks and also goes along well when doing 180's
i found this vid online the other day and to me this is the essence of street

http://broadbandsports.com/node/980
enjoy


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