How Much Must I Tuck

[TrialZonn]

Hi everyone.

I know that many topics like this have been posted, I mean from people trying to learn a new move etc..., but I really have a big problem with this one for a long period of time.

I ride a stock trials bike almost for 2 years.I have learned everything alone by watching videos on trashzen or here.

I am in a level that I feel really confortable with all the fundamentals of trials riding.

But for some reason I just can't sidehop correctly and I don't progress during the last 2 months.

My personal record until now is 72cm (or 28,34 inches) over a rope from a rear wheel sidehop.This record seems to be to pretty easy to beat from many of the ''quick lerners'' here.

So...there must be something I do wrong...

I don't know how much these are affecting someone's riding but here are my personal statistics:

Weight:67kg

Height:1,75 m (68,89 inches)

I captured some clips of my sidehops to compare them with other's and see why I fail, and notices that I just can't lift the rear wheel as much as the front.I have tried to put my weight more to the front after the kick but then I loose height and can't jump high enough to clear the obstacle.

Is my record too pathetic for my experience? (I ride almost 5 days in a week for 3-4 hours, and I can gap really well)

Is the method of sidehopping over a rope good for learning the technique or should I try it at obstacles of the same height?

How can I lift the rear wheel higher (to the level that the front is)?

Everything else that you found helpfull when you were in the learning process of this move?

I would really appreciate your help!

Thanks

Nick

[Maladie]

Hey there mate, I'm just learning the fundamentals of trials and my friend Chris (El Cristoff) was helping me to learn sidehops just the other day.

He told me that when I'm on the back wheel right next to the wall and i've got the balance point just right, to preload.

And he showed me that preloading for a sidehop is basically the same principal as preloading to do a gap, so practically just lowering down the front wheel till it's right near the ground,

Then use all your strength to rocket yourself up, (both wheels at the same time).

Give it a go and say how it goes

[IFallOffLots]

Hey there mate, I'm just learning the fundamentals of trials and my friend Chris (El Cristoff) was helping me to learn sidehops just the other day.

He told me that when I'm on the back wheel right next to the wall and i've got the balance point just right, to preload.

And he showed me that preloading for a sidehop is basically the same principal as preloading to do a gap, so practically just lowering down the front wheel till it's right near the ground,

Then use all your strength to rocket yourself up, (both wheels at the same time).

Give it a go and say how it goes

I read that as you jump whilst your front wheel is -still- near the ground (pre-loaded)..

[TrialZonn]

Thanks guys!

My problem is more at how can I lift the bike higher though.I can easily sidehop small obstacles (50cm and lower,around 20 inches) but it seems that for some reason I can reach only there,not higher.I have also tried to have my arms fully streched during the preload (I have read that it enchances the height of the sidehop in a previous topic).

Sometimes, I achieve to lift my rear wheel further and do about 60-70cm but I do it only by luck.And this height (60-70cm) is also too low for a proper sidehop and my confort with the bike.

I should reach higher shouldn't I? How are sidehops of 1m+ (or 40inches + ) are achievable?

[Maladie]

Thanks guys!

My problem is more at how can I lift the bike higher though.I can easily sidehop small obstacles (50cm and lower,around 20 inches) but it seems that for some reason I can reach only there,not higher.I have also tried to have my arms fully streched during the preload (I have read that it enchances the height of the sidehop in a previous topic).

Sometimes, I achieve to lift my rear wheel further and do about 60-70cm but I do it only by luck.And this height (60-70cm) is also too low for a proper sidehop and my confort with the bike.

I should reach higher shouldn't I? How are sidehops of 1m+ (or 40inches + ) are achievable?

You say you can only reach 60-70cm by luck?

But it's just practise mate, you're not going to make every 70cm sidehop you try.

Just keep practising and when you feel comfortable with a certain height find another wall 1 or 2 inches higher.

[TrialZonn]

You say you can only reach 60-70cm by luck?

But it's just practise mate, you're not going to make every 70cm sidehop you try.

Just keep practising and when you feel comfortable with a certain height find another wall 1 or 2 inches higher.

Yes I will have this in mind.I just thought that 60-70cm is enough and it's like I can't push this limit any further...And I wondered why?I have noone to show me the ''right'' sidehop in my town so it's more difficult.I will keep practising on this.

Thanks

[ilikeriding]

Watch videos of the pro's someone like TRA and copy his technique... other than that you don't look so big in your picture so maybe you cant jump all that high, that will get better with practice anyway tucks also come naturally dont force it but try and go to the side you can get the bike higher

Edited May 30, 2009 by ilikeriding

[Sprog!]

I can't sidehop at all I go up to the kledge and then run away LOL it scares me

[3dd]

HI! I have the same problem. II have been riding for almost 3 years now. And sidehops were the hardest thing to do. Once I nailed the technique I was going higher every week. But the I stoped at round 80 +- 10cm. Coud not do anything higher for months! And like you we have not got lot of riders here, so I learn prety much by watching videos. All of the videos I watched, before the sidehope, riders find they balance point then preload - while preloading, your body and the front well can go quite low, then shoot up as fast as you can. Horndean Trials explained it quite well. Since I nailed the balance point I can now do 105 max. This is where I am stuck at the moment, I think I just need more power But the best way to pull your back wheel is the sidehop landing to front wheel, pushing it down and bringing the back wheel up by a little pivot. But that only works on the obstacles!

Hope it helped.

[Henrik Y]

It may be easier to say if we can see how you do it. So a little video may be good for us to see what you can do different.

But it can take a year without progression and then it just comes one day. I can sidehop about almost 110cm but over a rope about 80-90 that's because I use the front wheel when sidehoping up on obstacles. And I'm trying to learn how to tuck in the air and land on both wheels at the same time and it just won't go as I want. Nothing has happened for about a year but someday I think it will come.

[TrialZonn]

Thanks for all you replies!You really help me!

I will keep practising and maybe capture and upload a video so you can see me on the move.

Thanks for everything!

[Mat Tea Why]

When I sidehop I don't think about tucking. Usually what I try to do is keep my body roughly where it is - I then throw my bike up and to the side and then move my body, that way I can get optimal height without having to tuck alot when I land.

Perhaps you probably already knew this, but I've noticed alot of people do it differently to me and struggle to get past a certain height.

[Dan6061]

You naturally tuck as much as you need to. If you can put the power through, with the right technique, then making it onto the object with the tuck will just happen?

I can only sidehop bar height, left footed going left ('wrong' way) and I don't think I tuck that much, but it's enough.

Stop thinking in TGS - 'Must tuck looooaaaddsss!'

[Henrik Y]

You naturally tuck as much as you need to. If you can put the power through, with the right technique, then making it onto the object with the tuck will just happen?

I can only sidehop bar height, left footed going left ('wrong' way) and I don't think I tuck that much, but it's enough.

Stop thinking in TGS - 'Must tuck looooaaaddsss!'

I bump myself in the but with the rearwheel quite a lot. When I make use of the front wheel to swing in the rearwheel and tuck it up after I've landed the front I'll have to think about it or else I will end up bumping my butt But tuck and land on both wheel at the same time is impossible for me when the hights starts to get over 50-60 cm.

Edited May 31, 2009 by Henrik Y

[Dave Anscombe]

I find to get the rear wheel higher......just pre load alot more ....on the pre load your but should skim the rear wheel and then shoot up

aim to knee your self in the face (full body tuck.)

[Shaun H]

You naturally tuck as much as you need to. If you can put the power through, with the right technique, then making it onto the object with the tuck will just happen?

I can only sidehop bar height, left footed going left ('wrong' way) and I don't think I tuck that much, but it's enough.

Stop thinking in TGS - 'Must tuck looooaaaddsss!'

Like Dan says the most important thign when sidehopping is to really focus on the jump. When you have this nailed the tuck will begin to happen naturally.

[tmks88]

I have a similar problem

ive improved my power and now I can sidehop about 48-49 inches (120cm)

but its without tucking and I cant make higher because I cant seem to get the bike on my side.....I could probably add 2 or 3 inches easily

EDIT: video

you can see me sidehopping about 118-120cm at 0.55 Edited May 31, 2009 by tmks88

[TrialZonn]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yesterday I managed to do a 75cm sidehop over a rope and it seems that I can go over 60cm easier than before.

The strange thing is that I don't dare to try on a 70cm wall as it seems too high compared to the rope (this actualy is all in my mind but it's really a problem)

I have also noticed that when I try on an object I tend to put some off my power forwards so I do a move that sends me and the bike not only upwords but forwards too(it's something like a pedalhop-sidehop thing).I believe I can overcome this with practice though.

One last this is that I haven't realised yet how far from the object (or the rope) must I be to achieve maximum height.Some local bmx riders that have seen my sidehop told me that If I go closer to the wall (or rope) I can clear it easier...

Edited May 31, 2009 by TrialZonn

[basher]

once you have got to a decent level of riding you will find you progress alot slower because its becoming not so much your technique but more physical. obviously it is still alot to do with technique and phycological but dont expect to progress as quickerly as you have done previously.

[tmks88]

dont get closer to the rope

I talked with damon and watched his videos

basically your rear wheel has to be quite far away from the wall so you can throw it to the side and thats how you get the tuck by throwing your rear wheel sideways not just pulling it up....needs a lot of practise though

[basher]

dont get closer to the rope

I talked with damon and watched his videos

basically your rear wheel has to be quite far away from the wall so you can throw it to the side and thats how you get the tuck by throwing your rear wheel sideways not just pulling it up....needs a lot of practise though

i have to say i think it more important to do it how feels comfortable for each individual. but i noticed the tgs boys sidehop like that, they dont go from paralell to the wall there front is nearer and rear futher away, i guess by this they can throw there rear up to achieve a big tuck. personally i dont like that way so don't always copy unless it also suites you. like said above PRACTICE, dont beat yourself up just keep trying

[TrialZonn]

i have to say i think it more important to do it how feels comfortable for each individual. but i noticed the tgs boys sidehop like that, they dont go from paralell to the wall there front is nearer and rear futher away, i guess by this they can throw there rear up to achieve a big tuck. personally i dont like that way so don't always copy unless it also suites you. like said above PRACTICE, dont beat yourself up just keep trying

Yes I think I will find what suites me with time...I will keep practising!

[Alex Dark]

im stuck on about 36ish at the moment.....pretty much the same problem, i cant seem to get enough preload or "pick" the bike up enough

[mike-dyson]

I had this problem, you just have to think to your self "this is piss" and it works every time for me.

[Dave Anscombe]

I had this problem, you just have to think to your self "this is piss" and it works every time for me.

truth......i say that to my self and it does work