jumping?

[Biking Kitsune]

Would anyone recommend jumping or doing drops etc on a bike equipped with Crank Bros Candy pedals? I'm tempted to try my hand at jumping and doing somewhat technical rides clipped-in and I was wondering if pulling up on the pedals to lift the bike in a jump would be a bad thing to do with these.... Supposedly Frogs are ok but I don't want to get Frogs anymore as I've heard really awful things about the Frog II clips...

[bounceswoosh]

My understanding is that you shouldn't rely on the pedal's attachment to jump ... you should be able to bunny hop using flats and flip flops, if that's what you have.

No, I can't do it, either. But that's what I've been told.

[snowtulip]

I started doing jumping and drops on platform pedals. It allowed me more confidence to try things because I knew I wouldn't be attached to my bike if something goes wrong. Once I got used to the movements, I went back to clipless so that I can apply my skills to something fun on the trail. The platforms really help with good form because you aren't relying on being clipped in. At least that's what worked best for me.
Good luck, it's so much fun once you get going (you might want to invest in some leg pads).
Enjoy!

[Irulan]

er, you do not use your feet (pulling on the clips) to jump. It's all in how you unweight the front, and shift your weight. You might use pulling up on your feet for hops tho.

irulan

[yogabear]

This might sound like an odd tidbit, but I have been a mountain biker for 9 years and a road cyclist for 7 of those years. I always had the hardest time bunny-hopping or jumping on my mountain bike. When I was at a road biking camp a few years ago, they showed us how to bunny-hop on our road bikes. I think it only took 3 tries.

I am not sure why it was so much easier, but it translated pretty well to mountain biking (at times I don't feel comfortable doing it at a higher speed...well, actually, I don't like this at all). The funny thing is that I was clipped in on my road bike and I was totally o.k. with that (at the time, that was out of character for me to be o.k. with it).

Just a little story to make ya laugh or say, "Gee, she's weird..."

[Irulan]

There's so many kinds of jumps .... wheelies drops, manuals off ledges, bunny hops, two wheel hop...they all have slightly different technique too.

Irulan

[kimba]

At my mtn biking clinic they showed us how to do donkey kicks- but only those riding clipless could do it, because you kick your heels up,while clipped in, and that helps to kick the rear tire over an obstacle...
so you'd do a manual on the front, and donkey kick over the back...
they told those of us using platforms we couldn't do it.

Interesting enough- one woman who tried it donkey kicked so hard she went right over the bars...luckily she wasn't going too fast and landed on grass!!

and-
I'm thinking of going clipless now myself- I have WAY too many gouges on the back of my legs from those stupid pins on the platforms!
I ordered a pair of Ritchey V3 mountain bike pedals...they're supposed to be a bit wider, and clear mud well, so hopefully they'll be okay.

Kimba

[gabrielle]

Originally posted by kimba
At my mtn biking clinic they showed us how to do donkey kicks- but only those riding clipless could do it, because you kick your heels up,while clipped in, and that helps to kick the rear tire over an obstacle...
so you'd do a manual on the front, and donkey kick over the back...
they told those of us using platforms we couldn't do it.

Kimba, they done told you wrong.

We learned to do them at the camp in BC a couple of years ago, and I actually did a couple (I have cages).

My bike courier friends could & I suspect still can do them on plain platforms, no cages.

I wonder why they told you you couldn't do it? That's lame.

gabrielle

[Irulan]

when you do "kicks" with platforms. it involves a "clawing"motion. I sa Gabrielle and a few other gals do it with my own eyes !! Gabrielle is right in that they told you wrong... BMXers' were doing this move with platform pedals long before clips were invented. Free riders are still doing it on platforms. You can probably find the technique on any BMX/trials how-to web site.

~I

[bounceswoosh]

Kimba,

I started with clipless, switched to platforms with traction pins for a while, then went back to clipless. So if you want sympathy -- I have tons! It's so hard for me to consciously choose to stay in my pedals when I think there's a chance I might biff.

[kimba]

I'm hoping I can transition to slipless fairly easily- I was used to toeclips in my roadbike riding youth- so hopefully the old routine of kicking out will be easily remembered.

Kimba