How to hop for extra traction on trials bikes︱Cross Training Trials Techniques

Trials techniques like hopping your trials bike for extra traction are part of our ongoing trials skills series. Hopping for traction is a key advanced trials riding strategy needed in A and B grades of observed trials or moto-trials competition. Traction is a constant theme in trials and the evil ones who plan your sections love to put you in sand, rocks, mud and steep climbs so they can laugh at you wheel spinning your way to a five. So before we look at advanced techniques, let's cover the basics again. Thanks to the Western Districts Trials Club members Tom Wager, James Wager and others for their help with these trials training vids. Trials website: http://wdtc.org.au Facebook:   / 167905573420579   Youtube:    / @crosstrainingtrials   Get into these trials training vids. Trials (specific) bikes are specially made high-tech machines. Very light, low seat height and lots of power. They are usually single cylinder, liquid cooled engines, around 250cc capacity. Trials bikes have lots of ground clearance and suspension travel. Hydraulic disc brakes - front and rear. When learning it's best to take it in steps. First, try just bouncing both wheels in the air at the same time when riding slowly on flat ground. Keep your weight to the rear on inclines to get a bigger footprint from the rear tire, but squat to keep your centre of gravity low and prevent flipping the bike. Choosing a higher gear, slipping the clutch and maintaining revs will often maximize traction on steep climbs. Zap for extra traction? You will need to have excellent balance, clutch and throttle skills for this as it's very easy to lose your balance when hopping for traction at a stand still on a steep slope. Basic traction tips to apply before hopping your trials bike for traction? At lower speeds, or even at a stand still, you can use hopping with zaps - using the clutch to jump the bike in the air and keep the front wheel very light or even in the air to maximize weight on the rear wheel. When we weight a trials bike by jumping on the foot pegs, the tires flatten out even more to provide a larger footprint and extra traction. Momentum is your friend. Competitors will ride over an obstacle course of boulders, streams, hill climbs, logs, drop offs, and nearly anything else they can find. Trials bikes are specially made high-tech machines. Trials riders in the top classes attempt seemingly impossible obstacles, and in the process perform some of the most amazing skilled and trick riding - including air turns, bunny hops and bouncing the front and rear wheels during turns. Trial is not racing. It is simply you and your bike pitted against the terrain. For some reason trials riding (or observed trials) is only big in Europe... elsewhere there are just a handful of trials clubs in each country such as Western Districts Trials club. Keeping your legs bent not only lowers your centre of gravity, but your legs act as extra suspension to soak up bumps and provide more traction for the rear wheel.If you have lost rear wheel traction, or are about to, you can hop the bike by weighting it and applying throttle when the tires have a maximum foot print on the ground, then backing off the throttle while in the air. Experienced riders often hop all the way up a slippery climb using this technique - it's poetry in motion! Next, try on a slight incline using blips of the throttle as the suspension compresses fully. Finally, try the technique on increasingly steep and slippery slopes. Get the most speed you can before you tackle obstacles and steep inclines. #trialstraining #trialstechniques #learntoridetrials TRIALS TRAINING MUSIC CREDITS This video uses music loops kindly allowed by www.looperman.com We would also like to thank the following for use of their Creative Commons music in other videos: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Music: https://audionautix.com/ Music by Tobu: https://tobu.io Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free... Music: https://soundimage.org Let us know if we used your music in other vids but forgot to credit you! #learntoridetrials #trialsriding #mototrials Website: https://sites.google.com/view/crosstr...