The Development of Trials Skills:
Hopping Around Like a Moron
By: Alan Inglis

The more I read mountain bike mags the more I see trials getting shot down. In a recent issue with the infamous reader’s poll, they compared the popularity of trials to the popularity of cyclocross. Guess which won? I nearly choked! How can such an amazing and difficult aspect of riding be so uninteresting? I believe that trials skills only enhance riding style, no matter how you ride. The balance skills alone are worth learning for the skinniest 24 hour adrenaline geek.

My pursuit to trials started one day with a crazy video while I was changing the channel. It was a cool new show I discovered called “Ride Guide”. This unknown rider (to me, later revealed as Ryan Leech) was hopping around on the rear wheel of his bike on rocks and stumps like it was a pogo stick I couldn’t even fathom how someone could do that. After purchasing my new bike, I decided to put clipless pedals on it. I was into XC riding and relied heavily on these ski bindings to bunny hop. I was able to hop around on my rear wheel like a BMXer, but never felt safe doing so. I was constantly falling and struggling to get unclipped. The kid who was teaching me the trials moves suggested I go back to flats. My crutch was gone. I had to re-learn everything about riding: bunny hopping, pedaling, and jumping. Not to mention getting used to having my shins shredded on numerous occasions before getting my Fox shin pads.

So here I am, now with flats and a whole new look on biking. I got into freeriding with some guys I met through the shop and started to develop my dropping skills. Now with the introduction to urban I could see the use for trials techniques. While on a ride in Erindale park I decided that I knew how to do a pedal kick (also known as Japslap), I just needed the nerve to try it and not fall flat on my back. Thought came to fruition as I flew through the air in front of my friends. I now had one of the hardest techniques under my belt. Now I can pedal kick to the rear wheel and do a small drop. It may not seem like much right now, but these skills have improved my riding immensely. I can challenge myself on the simplest things now. My balance is very good, and my ride-ups and bunny hops are bigger and smoother.

Urban riding has introduced a whole new aspect of riding to me where trials skills, even the most basic, are almost required. I discovered a passion for urban right away because of its ever changing nature. XC dirt trails offered a good introduction to mountain biking for me, but soon grew stale as my skills improved. Now, with these new skills, we can ride these trails with a whole new look. I find myself taking the hard way, or going over the logs that I would never have dreamed of clearing. I can at least enjoy these old trails once in a while. Now I find myself in a love affair with the streets of T.O.

It seemed that in order to have a good ride on an XC trail, one had to go at least 20 or 30 km to get a good three or four hour ride with some entertaining stunts. When riding in Toronto I find we can’t go more than a block without finding something new to session. It is hard not to want to ride everything. Urban is constantly changing in its challenges, and the ability to choose different lines makes it a satisfying ride that you don’t mind doing many times again. I find myself lost in time and it almost seems that we spend a day only travelling a short block or two. The trials skills that I have cultivated also make urban riding interesting for those moments when we are taking a break and keeping ourselves amused. Putting together a few stunts is easier and is a neat way to show off your skills. A simple little trail trick like turning around is made interesting by doing the 180 spin around and hopping up on the rear wheel and pedal kicking forward. Another interesting and useful technique that I have found useful is the ride back to spin around. These may seem like little parlour tricks, but can be used when the situation arises where a little roll back is needed.

I have found that trials skills have also helped where I might have otherwise fallen or had to put a foot down. I was riding with my clipless pedals when my front wheel got stuck between two branches. Instead of unclipping and setting my foot down, I regained my balance and surged forward to place my front wheel in front of the branches so I could keep on pedaling. A small feat, but just one of the stepping stones in my building of trials skills. I have also found a good skill for bailing out of high ledge riding. If I’m riding on a thin, high ledge when I realize I am about to loose my balance and have to set a foot down, I maintain my balance and stop, and perform a side drop. It is a good way to bail out of a trick if you feel it is unsafe to jump off the bike. Ryan Leech teaches the leg swing, but I’m not a quitter.

In short, trials are not some freakish clique of the mountain biking world like cyclocross and singlespeeding. It is a window of opportunity for the simplest of riders, or the most skilled of huckers. The balance skills alone are worth learning for everyone. I guess the next thing for me to do is get a bike that would suit the trials styles better. But if I can do these maneuvers on a full suspension bike, then it really can be learned by anyone.