serpico7

I can bunnyhop in a straight line pretty well, and I suppose it would be useful to be able to hop to the side, for example, onto a curb. Any special technique involved beyond a straight-line hop? Swing the front over, then the back? I'd go out and practice it right now, but it's too friggin cold!

anthemracer

You got it! Lift the front wheel up and start to swing it over, at the same time start to lift the rear end. The rear end will start to come over by itself for the most part. It is just a modified j-hop. You don't want to just bunny hop (lift both front and rear at the same time). It will throw you all off. I suggest triing with a beater bike 'cause this all sounds easier than it is!!!

waterrockets 

I suggest learning to do it three ways:
-One wheel at a time spinning the bike on the wheel that's remaining
-One wheel at a time by jumping sideways, but crooked to the curb
-Both wheels at the same time.

The 2nd option is the most stable because it doesn't require massive weight shifts and you're only changing one wheel elevation at a time.

When I jump up stairs, I usually do the crooked method so my front wheel is one step ahead of my rear. I can do it with a two-step difference too.

Jumping up stairs by swinging one wheel at a time or both at the same time on the same step requires much more skill, and you may end up going down the wrong way

Bunny hopping sideways is a lot like getting around on a pogo stick. You lean over the curb so you start to fall, then you hop your wheels back under you so you don't fall.

yonderboy

Watch Ryan Leech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKsi5isykV8

ekimeno

THAT was impressive

Homebrew01

Yup ! Trials riders are pretty amazing.

Tri-FatBoy

+1 Wow.

Hammertoe

Anyone can do that without a saddle....

I would like to see him try it with a saddle...







Actually that is pretty amazing since I can't even get both wheels off the ground unless I am crashing...

yonderboy

The frame Ryan rides is one of the only stock frames that still has a seattube. Just about everyone else has gone to a no-saddle frame. He actually rides with a full-size saddle, unlike a lot of people that use BMX mini saddles.

The technique for sidehopping a road bike is going to be the same, just less exaggerated. Hence, you're not going to be able to side hop onto a 12" curb, but you might be able to make a 4" curb. It'll work for hopping a pothole at 30mph, anyway.

mrt10x

Anyone have any cool videos of Road Pros bike handling skills? Out takes from races etc?

serpico7

Thanks for the responses. I didn't make myself very clear - I'm looking to do the sideways hop while moving at speed, not while standing still. I'm guessing the technique is a little different?

waterrockets 

Nope, same technique, but you need to land with the frame and front wheel pointing the same direction as when you launched. Everything else is the same.