Trial Biking

Trial biking falls into two categories. Bike trials are competitions of bicycle agility and are usually performed on a mountain bike. The skills used for mountain bike trials make cross country mountain biking much easier, but are usually not essential. Moves performed during mountain bike trials require an extremely high amount of control over the bike.

A basic move that is very useful even when not competing in trial biking is the bunny hop. Even road bikers can benefit from this "trick" but it's significantly easier to learn on a mountain bike. Start by coasting forward slowly -- just fast enough so that you don't have to think about balancing. It easier to learn the bunny hop if the seat is fairly low. Lean forward and crouch low over the handlebars. Lean back and stand up quickly, and pull the handle bars into the air, raising the front wheel off the ground.

Raising the back wheel is a little harder to learn, since fear of falling forward on your face may create a mental block. Practice by riding forward very slowly while standing up and leaning over the handlebars. Apply the front brake and push forward on the handle bars, and the back wheel will come off the ground. When you get a feel for how to manipulate the back wheel using the handle bars, it's time to get both wheels off the ground.

Start by crouching above the seat, low and back like you would when riding down a steep hill. Throw your weight forward and upward, and pull up on the handle bars. Don't pull the handle bars straight up, but push forward at the same time. Your feet should help pull the back wheel up. To keep your feet from simply leaving the pedals, point your toes down and kick up your heels.

The bunny hop, if performed when riding at high speed can clear large obstacles such eroded portions of the trail, or potholes. Riders in mountain bike trials use this move as a basis for other complicated maneuvers. As they get more advanced, they jump without allowing the front wheel to touch the ground.

The other type of trial biking is time trials riding. This has almost nothing in common with mountain bike trials. Time trials are all about speed. The riders compete around a track against the clock only, and do anything they can think of to shave fractions of a second off their final times. Drafting is not allowed and aerodynamics is the first priority. At high speeds, overcoming air resistance comprises about 80% of the effort expended by the biker. Often riders will wear a helmet with a large teardrop shape to smooth the flow of air over the back. Bikes often have only one gear and no freewheel or brakes. To slow down, riders either rider higher on the track (toward the outside), or let a slower pedaling cadence provide resistance.

Both of these forms of biking require a great deal of fitness. While most casual bikers will never compete in events as intense as trial biking, the benefits of biking are many, and a great reason to get into the sport.