View Poll Results: Can You Bunnyhop
No
15
18.07%
Sort of... enough to unweight the bike
12
14.46%
Yes... under 3"
33
39.76%
YES! I'm up there with Sagan
23
27.71%
Voters: 83. You may not vote on this poll
Can You Bunnyhop?
02-21-18, 11:58 AM
#1
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Can You Bunnyhop?
This isn't a "should you" post. I absolutely agree that bunnyhopping a pothole - with riders behind - is just terrible form. But there are those times - a dropped bottle, a darting squirrel, a pot hole and you're pinned in, steel plate, etc. - when bunnyhopping is much safer than grabbing fists full of brakes. Coming from a mtn biking background, I can't imaging not being able to bunnyhop on the road AND, I'm surprised how many cyclists are unable to bunnyhop... even a little.
So... can you bunnyhop?
So... can you bunnyhop?
02-21-18, 12:03 PM
#3
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Yeah, not very high, but enough, when I need to. Why is bunny hopping with riders behind a bad thing? If you mean not calling out a hazard and then simply bunny hopping leaving your mates to take the hit, yeah that's wrong, but if you come up on something unforeseen, I'd hop it, regardless of who's behind me. If it was an uninvited stranger, I might even choose a line that went over the most amount of hazards and hop over stuff at the very last second without signaling!
02-21-18, 12:27 PM
#6
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02-21-18, 12:40 PM
#8
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My most fun bunnyhopping story is a descent down the Mt. Baker road, a long fast paved descent. One year the highway department installed a bunch of culverts under the road, some only 100 yards apart, but didn't repave where they dug the hole, leaving maybe 20' of loose gravel over the new culvert. On the way down, I was braking down to 10 mph for each of these until some fast boys went by me, bunnyhopping them. I thought, well heck, I can do that. So I did. Just had to be going really fast and getting some good height. It helped a lot to see it could be done.
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02-21-18, 01:38 PM
#11
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Yes. I frequently bunnyhop speed bumps, at high speed.
I'll also like bunnyhopping up curbs, just for the fun of it.
I'll also like bunnyhopping up curbs, just for the fun of it.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
02-21-18, 01:39 PM
#12
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Never really tried but had to do one during Dirty Kanza or risk serious injury. I now know I can. Something I’d like to practice more.
02-21-18, 01:44 PM
#13
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I have no problem hopping debris or potholes out of necessity, but I just can't bring myself to hop curbs for ****s and giggles. It's just this mental thing, like an opposing coach trying to ice the kicker... except I'm the coach and the kicker, and I'm giving myself too much time to think about how I'll mess it up and eat curb.
02-21-18, 01:45 PM
#14
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It's an useful skill. I can do it but not always high enough, must practice more.
02-21-18, 02:49 PM
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Only while cross chaining.
02-21-18, 02:55 PM
#17
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We have a few places where the road department chose to scab fresh pavement on top of the old, leaving some good bumps. I tried bunny hopping them a year ago, and it worked fine if I had a light bike and was up to speed. But it is less effective if I'm carrying cargo or riding my cargo bike.
So, yes, I can do it, but I just don't think about it. Nor would I choose it as a maneuver if say I saw a 2x4 in my path.
So, yes, I can do it, but I just don't think about it. Nor would I choose it as a maneuver if say I saw a 2x4 in my path.
02-21-18, 02:56 PM
#18
Senior Member
Like tap dancing, I imagine I'm great at it. I've just never bothered to try.
02-21-18, 06:38 PM
#19
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Yes, absolutely. It's a valuable skill that every rider ought to master.
Of course some are better than others. I have teammates who grew up racing BMX. They can really bounce. One guy side hopped a square curb on to a sidewalk during a race to avoid a tight spot and a potential crash. On the other hand, I came to road from tri. When I started, I could barely clear an expansion joint.
Of course some are better than others. I have teammates who grew up racing BMX. They can really bounce. One guy side hopped a square curb on to a sidewalk during a race to avoid a tight spot and a potential crash. On the other hand, I came to road from tri. When I started, I could barely clear an expansion joint.
02-21-18, 07:45 PM
#20
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Yes, absolutely. It's a valuable skill that every rider ought to master.
Of course some are better than others. I have teammates who grew up racing BMX. They can really bounce. One guy side hopped a square curb on to a sidewalk during a race to avoid a tight spot and a potential crash. On the other hand, I came to road from tri. When I started, I could barely clear an expansion joint.
Of course some are better than others. I have teammates who grew up racing BMX. They can really bounce. One guy side hopped a square curb on to a sidewalk during a race to avoid a tight spot and a potential crash. On the other hand, I came to road from tri. When I started, I could barely clear an expansion joint.
02-21-18, 07:57 PM
#21
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Obligatory video
02-21-18, 09:05 PM
#22
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On clipless pedals, easily. On platforms, not so much, just barely enough to clear speed bumps and small potholes.
02-21-18, 09:59 PM
#24
Senior Member
That's what I thought too.
I do get some air sometimes, like jumping bumps or cracks, but I try to avoid it. I also am weary of trying to do bunny hops because I don't want my rims out of true or find myself with a flat tire to fix.
I do get some air sometimes, like jumping bumps or cracks, but I try to avoid it. I also am weary of trying to do bunny hops because I don't want my rims out of true or find myself with a flat tire to fix.
02-21-18, 10:09 PM
#25
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You are more likely to avoid a pinch flat or out of true rim by bunny hopping a hazard than plowing into it.