rolling hops

the EASIEST way to do it, though some consider it cheating, is this:
ride slowly towards the obstacle, start static hopping. do a
stillstand from right where you want to take off. then, ride backwards
about ten revolutions, and when you ride forwards, they'll be set up.
if you're not good enough at riding backwards, then you can just roll
the unicycle by hand back from the obstacle, then mount and ride it
forwards.

--
James_Potter

to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.

michael atkinson
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That doesn't always work, I've found (refering to just rolling it back
by hand). When you roll it back by hand the tire isn't compressed like
it is when you ride it, so you end up starting a foot or so behind
where you should. I just ride from my point of take off to where I
want to start and put a mark there, as I never make it on the first try
anyway and this gives me a chance to go again without riding back.

As for the actual hopping, I suck pretty bad, but what I've found is
that you don't necesarily have to jump high if you can fold your body
well (which I can't do, but I found that out anyway by some coincidence
somewhere...)

But yes, you do jump with your feet in the position that you would on a
static hop.

--
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Spudman said:

I just ride from my point of take off to where I want to start and put a
mark there, as I never make it on the first try anyway and this gives
me a chance to go again without riding back.

thats something else I do that works rather well too...remember where
you start when you first try, and if you're too far away from the
obstacle when you approach, then just move your starting place forward
a little.

--
James_Potter

to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.

michael atkinson
mdotedotatkinsonatgmaildotcom
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if you can ride backwards just ride back to where you wanna start and do
a static 180..

--
maxisback

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quit are just dumb
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Honestly, I've found that jumping earlier works much easier than jumping
later, even if it is earlier than you would think necessary.

--
MilkParrot
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Spudman said:

But yes, you do jump with your feet in the position that you would on a
static hop.

Close.

If you watch anyone, especially Dan Heaton do them--frame-by-frame in a
movie clip--right before the moment he springs for the hop, his back
foot/pedal is close to the ground. Once he actually startes leaving
the ground, then the pedals/cranks/feet go to the position of a static
hop.

I could go into explaining why it is this way--But if you can already
do them, then you know what I'm talking about.

--
TrialsUni
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TrialsUni said:

Close.

If you watch anyone, especially Dan Heaton do them--frame-by-frame in a
movie clip--right before the moment he springs for the hop, his back
foot/pedal is close to the ground. Once he actually startes leaving
the ground, then the pedals/cranks/feet go to the position of a static
hop.

I could go into explaining why it is this way--But if you can already
do them, then you know what I'm talking about.

Yea its what i do everytime. nice i forgot bout that.

Mike

--
swarbrim
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So far no one has addressed the location of the "take off" point... the
rule of thumb that I use is that you should measure the approximate
height (you can just eyeball it) of the obstacle you want to jump onto
and take off that same distance from the obstacle...

So if you want to jump onto a 30" high ledge, take off 30" from the
base of the ledge. Take off a little earlier if you're looking to jump
over an obstacle instead of jumping onto it.

I agree that riding backwards from the take off point is the best way
to measure. Not only does it account for the compression of the tire,
it also accounts for any wobbliness in your approach to the takeoff
('cause not everyone rides in a straight line).... not to mention it's
good practice for riding backwards!

You only need to go back from the take off point enough to come up to
speed for your hop. 10 revolutions, as James suggested, is twice as
long as what I need. Remember that speed is just as important as body
tuck in a rolling hop.

--
maestro8

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In other words, what everyone is saying, yes, you have a preferred
hopping position that you mostly hop from. 🙂

--
forrestunifreak

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actually just a hair before. i really hammer that last 1/10th pedal
stroke. but yes. for begining/learning purposes your pedals should be
level with the ground, just like in a static hop, and unlike how i
thought at first, the pedals don't rotate whlist in the air, that's a
harder trick.

--
markf

stuck in iowa and unemployed.
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James_Potter said:

the EASIEST way to do it, though some consider it cheating, is this:
ride slowly towards the obstacle, start static hopping. do a
stillstand from right where you want to take off. then, ride backwards
about ten revolutions, and when you ride forwards, they'll be set up.
if you're not good enough at riding backwards, then you can just roll
the unicycle by hand back from the obstacle, then mount and ride it
forwards.

spudman said:

That doesn't always work, I've found (refering to just rolling it back
by hand). When you roll it back by hand the tire isn't compressed like
it is when you ride it,

That can be fixed by just adding a wobble to the roll backwards. I roll
it and it looks like a ghost drunkman riding it backwards away from the
object. Then just attack. It might take you a few trys to get the
wobble right but when you do its perfect and your ready to go. Riding
backwards is alright but if you're not good at it, it sucks. Also you
might need time to syke yourself up to do it before you start rolling
if its something nuts. Then its all the time you need and you know your
all set.

--
Tim

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Smoking Jagurs old pipe.

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