On Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 at 11:53 pm, No Comments » In cycling, particularly BMX and mountain biking, the bunny hop is a bike trick that involves the rider lifting the bike over an obstacle while remaining on the bike and in motion. An experienced rider can lift their bike in excess of ½ a metre or 1½ft. The world record stands at around 4ft.
A bunny hop is carried out by approaching an obstacle at speed, lifting the front of the bike and leveling the pedals. If the bike has suspension (full or just front) then pre-load the shocks by pressing down just before the obstacle.
Once pre-loaded, the rider springs upwards, simultaneously pulling up with hands and feet. Toe straps or clipless pedals help with this*, but if plain platform pedals are being used, it is still possible. As the rider lifts, roll the hands forward as though twisting the throttle on a motorcycle. After the object has been cleared, push down on the bike to put it back on the ground, and then absorb the impact with the arms and legs.
* Using toe straps or clipless pedals is easier at first but leads to improper technique.
