Can't decide between Street vs Comp Trials Bikes? Watch this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-juJ2xnoqIzo.html Here is a playlist with all of my Beginner Trials tutorial videos: ru-vid.com/group/PLycZkTUrZFP70rKjYsYQLavpt7koKTCZ_
@@SuperRiderTV thank you so much, currently learning how to do longer wheelies as of the moment, but still don't wanna try something extreme because hospitals are scary nowadays due to COVID haha! Take care always brother!
I'm getting my inspired hex this saturday.... dang you depressed me, I was thinking that the first day I would be starting with backflips!!!! :) Just joking, I really love your content!
Higher rise will definitely help you out, not only with handling but also lifting the front wheel up - I run an 80mm rise on all my trials bikes. The Deity High Side handlebar is my go-to bar on all the bikes I ride.
I am comfortable in lifting the front wheel while the bike is moving, but once I lock the rear brake I find it so hard to lift the front wheel. Any tips?
Get your body weight over the back of the bike (behind the rear hub). That should make it a lot easier to lift the front wheel. Here's a video about the technique: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HqMwiQJrXtQ.html
Just like many, my intrigue in this content is to be better at MTB. To get familiar with these moves, is it recommended to purchase a trials bike instead of learning on my full-squish?
You can definitely do all of the basics on any bike - the best route would be to get a dedicated trials bike to learn the skills faster, then transfer the skills back over to your MTB...but ultimately you could do everything on your full squish, it'll just take a little bit longer to learn.
It took all of 3 days after watching your videos and advancing my skills to discover my 24pt engagement hubs were woefully inadequate for a lot of these movements. After 5 days I had already ordered a 72pt engagement hub. Thanks for all of the great content, and thanks for sharing your knowledge to help the rest of us!
Awesome, so glad to hear that it was helpful! There is a Discord channel link in most of the video descriptions if you ever want to connect with other riders who are learning. Have fun!
This is awesome, thanks for these inspiring instructions! At 44 I final got a trials bike and I’m enjoying it immensely, a used Inspired Element. I knew it would be harder than it looks, but I was shocked as to how much hard work it is! I train in 15 minute stints and come back exhausted 😅
That's awesome, welcome to the sport of trials! Those 15 minute sessions are going to add up, you'll be surprised how quickly it builds from here. There's a Discord link in the description if you ever want to chat with a giant crew of up-and-coming riders that are down to chat technique (and more)!
This was awesome! I just bought a MTB yesterday to ride in national parks. I want to have good skills for this. Would these 5 exercises also be the best for riding a MTB, or would you recommend other exercises specifically for MTB riding? Thanks!
Awesome! These five will help, but I would also recommend checking out the "30 Day Challenge" Playlist on this channel. Tons of useful stuff in there that you can quickly learn - and most of it is similar to what you see here.
You can definitely learn on a dirt jumper - it would be helpful to have a front brake for some stuff, but I suppose you could work around it. Gotta start somewhere!
I'm not looking to be a trials rider but I really want to learn these skills as they're so translatable for trail riding. Bike balance and bike control are essential. Awesome stuff. This may be a dumb questions, but how do you figure your dominant foot? I snowboard with left foot forward. Is that my dominant foot?
I couldn’t agree more! So essential. Dominant foot…if it hasn’t already appeared when you’re riding MTB, the fastest way I’ve seen is to have someone push you from behind without warning. Whichever foot you put forward first to balance you is usually your dominant foot. It’s a wild, but effective, way to find out!
Yes, with one caveat: as you get more comfortable with the technique, you may occasionally ease off the rear brake to help adjust your pedals (while the back wheel is in the air). But other than that, yes - both brakes on for rocking. Have fun!
@@SuperRiderTV ok i understand. when i can do the motion with both brakes, later I can decide to use the front brake only...and when i want to get the front wheel up i use the pedal kick motion.... for me is the rocking a very hard thing. i can do so much things on my dirt jumper. but this is very hard...i lose the balance so fast.... maybe you can make a in depth tutorial in a short version? i combine a lot of your teaching trial motion. when i do track stand and i lose balance i do the hop with both wheels up...and so on. thats the reason why i learn the truck stand very fast.
@@SuperRiderTV ah sorry you mean i can open the rear brake only for short. when the rear tire hits the ground i have to close the brake and bring the front wheel up to the air!
Hi, I'm having some trouble with the rear wheel pivot, I can do the move, but it's difficult to keep balance after. Do you go into a track stand after to balance? I I found that leaning to one side gives me more balance/control, but in your video seems like you are upright during and after the move, your reply will be much appreciated. Sorry if it seems like a odd question.
I normally trackstand - or I’ll quickly lift and move the front wheel slightly back under me if I feel like I’ve over-rotated. Another thing you could try is to sink your weight down into the bike, that normally helps slow your momentum and hold the bike in place.
Thank you so much ! Just tried an hour of rocking and it exploded my competences! Just like that.Your teaching clicked. Can not believe twenty five years of mountain biking and I never knew the simple but powerful technique of rocking . Look forward to the other 4 session I will ride through.
You could start for sure, it’ll give you more bike control on that bike as an added benefit. Eventually as you progress, you might consider a hardtail or even a proper trials bike. But there is a ton to learn before that point!
my new favorite channel. my goal is to CLEAN Hi-Line in Sedona on my 50th birthday in July! I walked a LOT of it my first time, and decided I need to get way better to enjoy it enough to do it again. Well, with your channel, I think I can polish all things I need to get better at to actually CLEAN it. INCLUDING the uphill, or at least most of it maybe excluding some of the super exposed tech lines.... anyway, my new favorite channel! plan of getting a lot of watch hours off me!
Interesting take on the first five skills as compared to e.g. the TrashZen book and other RU-vid and Internet sources. I started with my mountain bike doing trackstands and wheelies - I didn't know about trials at the time. The wheelies never got perfect, because once I discovered trials, I bought an Inspired Hex. I really wanted to hop on the back wheel, so I focused on that first (was probably a bad idea). I spent months just trying to pedal kick to the rear wheel from a trackstand position and didn't get anywhere. I then started practicing rocking (I still suck at it) and practiced hopping/keeping my balance with my front wheel on a picnic table bench. I then started moving my weight backward trying to hop on the rear wheel from the front-elevated bench position. That's what worked for me and now I can pedal kick and hop on the back wheel from a static trackstand position some 9 months later. In between all that, I'm doing other things like endos and pivots. Pivoting on the front was easy for me. Getting it down so it was actually decent was harder though. I'd say I'm ok at it now. I can't for the life of me pivot on the rear. I even asked Ali Clarkson to do a tutorial video, which he did, and I still can't move my front wheel left or right. It just stays straight. I can't figure out what the hell I'm doing wrong. Anyway, I do think trackstand should be #1. Prior to that, I couldn't even hold my bike steady long enough at a low speed to place my front wheel (and like I said, I still can't do it, haha). Granted, I'm extremely clumsy and lack balance even standing up. After that, I think what you have is ideal. Rocking (I think) is missing from the TrazhZen manual and I believe is critical to help keep you from falling from one side or the other when hopping on the rear wheel. One thing accomplishing a trackstand did for me was give me the confidence that I'd be capable of learning other things (like backhopping) with enough practice. It's also something you can show off like a cool dog trick. :D
Interesting - I hadn't seen TrashZen until just now. Lots of great stuff in there! I ordered this video this way, because you could start to learn the first two skills in a rolling fashion (without learning to balance in place). I agree that learning to trackstand is a great way to boost confidence - and it helps the other skills listed here, too! It can be so overwhelming to look at all these tutorials and not know where to start, so this is kind of a "tutorial tutorial"? :)
@@SuperRiderTV That makes sense. Start by learning some things while rolling and then incorporate the track stand. Anyway, awesome video. Any suggestions on getting my front wheel to move on a rear wheel pivot?
This channel is great. I just started trials for like a month or so and it was difficult to find some videos that explain the basics. Your videos help me with my progression, thank you.
Thanks so much, I’m glad it’s been helpful! If you ever want to get more help beyond the videos I have here, I do a livestream on Twitch on Tuesdays and Thursdays with extended tutorials. Come join us, ask questions and hang with a solid crew!
Have you looked at the PinkBike classified page? There are usually quite a few Trials bikes up for sale there - it's a great spot to hunt down cheaper and lightly used trials bikes.
It makes things a lot easier to learn and control the bike - but there are some trials riders who can do it without brakes at all. I would recommend a front brake, especially if you’re starting out!
I’m just trying to ride my mountain bike and dirt jumper better, but I’ll be practicing these skills all winter. It’s slow going when you’re oldish (63), but Im determined. Thanks; you explain things well.
Awesome! I just posted a “5 Trials Drills” video that builds on these skills - a good way to continue progressing after you learn these five skills. Have fun!
Absolutely! I started on an XC bike, but dirt jumpers work well, too. Honestly most of the basics for Trials are useful (and possible) on any kind of MTB. I've been able to transfer almost everything to my 29er full-sus bike.
If learning these skills on a mountain bike do you suggest locking out suspension to get started or learn the skills the way I will ride the bike on the trail from the very start? Thanks!
I suggest locking them out when you first start, so you're learning the pure technique and not fighting against the bike/suspension. Once you have the basics sorted out, then you can open up the suspension and adjust accordingly. But, I think it's fastest/easiest to learn with the suspension locked out. Hope this helps!
Aaron, For any of your videos, as a beginner I have to learn balance and I am slowly getting there. Also, after a minor accident I wear shin guards. All of this is great exercise. Thanks for great education and thoughtfulness. Bruce from Yuba.
This video is another reminder that it doesn't matter what the weather is doing, there's always room to practice something on the bike which will help me be a better rider!
Agreed! I made most of my originally progress in my parents basement during a cold and snowy winter - just repeating all five of these over and over until I had them locked in. Makes everything much easier once you’ve got them in place!
I'm 43yo and I've been mountain biking for 15 years. Decided to get into trials to help out with obstacles in the woods. I ride flats, can bunny hop and track stand pretty well, manuals and wheelies are so-so, but i lack the ability to rear wheel hop and pedal kick, which is my ultimate goal. I lose balance after a hop or two. I bought myself a street trials bike to use when i don't have the time to get to the trails. I'm struggling with a lot of these skills. These "basic" moves are highly frustrating, however, very glad to have found your channel. Any advice on not instantly losing balance on a rear wheel hop? Sometimes i feel off balance before the bike is even in the correct position. Thanks! Keep these videos comin! Best channel I've found in a while 🤘
Awesome, so excited that you found the channel! My best advice for keeping balance on the back wheel like that is two-fold. First, spread your knees out when the front wheel comes up: this will give you a wide base and strengthen your side-to-side balance. Second, sink down onto the back wheel and use your body weight to counterweight the bike. If you are doing it right, you can look straight down between your legs and see your rear hub. Hope that helps!
Also now people are going into trail in roads bike maybe this will be a new modality who nows, so maybe you could do some videos on a road bike and also those who rides gravel and cross will watch you for sure.
That's a great idea - have you seen Road Bike Party from Martyn Ashton?? Brumotti has some incredible trials videos on a road bike as well. It's so fun to watch!
@@SuperRiderTV, i listened to your interview on Vitalmtb and it made perfect sense what you said. These basic skills really make an incredible difference out on the trails. I'm working on trackstands, which i can now do on uphills, and starting to work on hopping and rocking.
@@SuperRiderTV Thanks Aaron, I have to reminding myself that neither Rome nor solid bike skills were built in a day :) I hope to jump into the Twitch channel on Thursday.
@@SuperRiderTV awesome! Sometime you should make a video of just riding there and put music over all the tricks you do! Also thanks for this video I’m new to trials and sort of jumped in without the basics like this
That would be fun, just a full-on shred session! Sort of like the weekly Twitch streams we’ve been doing…just with music added in? Come join us sometime, there is a great crew in there already - I think you would dig it!
My 2c... In april I just turned 50, somehow, despite riding bikes since I was 3, I have never learned to wheelie... at the end of march I decided that my birthday gift was going to be learn to wheelie by my birthday. my starting point was 2-3yards in good attempts.... I was not able to be wheeling well by my birthday, but now 2 months later I got to 90 yards controlled wheelies. Moral of the story, dedicate some time and effort and you will get it. I just got me an inspired hex and I'm working on those 5 skills and despite the frustration that come some days, I'm really enjoying the process!!!
@@SuperRiderTV It takes some get used to... on the HEX every input is practically instantaneous, compared to SC tallboy. On the tallboy I can shift my body weight around and if the movement is not big enough the dynamics of whatever I'm doing won't change much... on the HEX every little movement is going to have IMMEDIATE effect. But overall SO MUCH FUN!!!! 😀
You could always start with the flat ground basics - plenty to work on before you take it to obstacles. My first two years riding were just in my parents basement and in our driveway. It would probably end up being an advantage, to have the time to lock it all in - most people get distracted with flashy moves on obstacles and skip the basics..
First of all, I want to thank you so much for doing all these tutorials, I just started trials riding, and your videos have been a major help for me as I just didn't know where to start. Your videos are short yet detailed and made me focus on all the little things that make the moves possible. I am currently learning trials on my hard tail mountain bike and it has a completely flat handle bar, will a wider maybe taller(more rise) be better, should the handle bar be turned to the front or rear? Will a longer/ higher stem be better. Sorry if I'm asking too much question, but the position feels funny, and I know nothing about trials bike. Again thanks so much for all the effort you put into your videos.
Awesome, thanks! Glad these videos are helpful - I recommend the 80mm rise Deity High Side bar, I use it on all of my bikes (including my MTB) and it makes a big different with your leverage over the bike. I would recommend that over changing the stem - try changing the bar first. Have fun!
Don't know if you covered this but I wonder about foot placement and pedal angle. I've always ridden clipless pedals and can do a lot of this while clipped in. But on flats it is scary and challenging. Just a side note: I'm 54 and have a 4 year old son. I want him to have the advantage of learning things that took me years to figure out or find a work around. Thanks.
I haven’t covered it in depth yet, but definitely encourage everyone to learn on flats, so they can apply the skills to any bike setup and without relying on the clipless.