Getting front of bike off the ground -- tips?

[indigoiis]

Hi all... today I finally put clipless on my old steel GT mountain bike. DH put a rail and a log in the yard for me to practice jumping over, and I did fine jumping the little rail (I basically rode up and over) but I could not get the front of the bike UP to get over the log.
I know how to do a bunny hop, but this is different. It's like popping a wheelie, I guess, so I tried to do that out in the road... of course, I could barely get the bike up a couple of inches.
DH says this is a skill that will help me out there on the trails so... I am asking you girls for advice/tips on GETTING THAT FRONT TIRE UP AND OVER THE LOG!

[Running Mommy]

+1! I'm so remedial when it comes to jumping over things..

[alpinerabbit]

erm - not being the expert at all, I don't know if this works for no-suspension bikes but we just learned this yesterday:

when you come to the obstacle, bend down (at your hips, hope I'm getting across how I mean it) with your torso over the handlebar and yank up, until your arms are straight, and the bike will follow as your "arms get too short". - don't bend your elbows.

[pinkbikes]

I was taught another way - I figure you try anything and see what works for you!

The way I was taught starts pretty much the same. Bending forward in a nice "attack position" with elbows nice and bent at about right angles and shoulders low, you push DOWN on the handlebars and then pop them up with your elbows bent. You sort of use the arms like springs. And use the bounce to help you lift up. (Tip for the uncoordinated like me - try this without the log first!)

Even if you don't have front suspension, if you are running fattish tyres at a lowish pressure, you will get some bounce out of them. This will pop the front of the bike up.

When you do pop it up, don't try to pop it OVER! You want your front wheel to land on top (or just behind the top) of what you are going over. This way you can use the momentum of rolling down the other side to pull your back wheel over too. If you try to pop your front wheel all the way over it to the ground on the other side, you have very little time to unweight your back wheel before it hits the object and you are likely to stop dead with a wheel on each side! It'll take a bit of experimenting (and probably falling over like a gumby if I am anything to go by) to get the timing right!

Happy experimenting!

[foldHer]

OK, I am brand new to this forum... WHAT is a DH? It comes up everywhere....

[tctrek]

OK, I am brand new to this forum... WHAT is a DH? It comes up everywhere....

In my mind it is "Dear Husband". I guess to some it might be "Darn Husband"

[Irulan]

erm - not being the expert at all, I don't know if this works for no-suspension bikes but we just learned this yesterday:

when you come to the obstacle, bend down (at your hips, hope I'm getting across how I mean it) with your torso over the handlebar and yank up, until your arms are straight, and the bike will follow as your "arms get too short". - don't bend your elbows.

Actually it works the same for rigid bike, you just have to work a bit harder. My friend Gab can pop her old school rigid over downed telephone poles.