BMX skill: Hook to jet hop
I’m busy working on the BMX book, and I have to share this. It’s RAD!!!
|
Rider: Danny “Easy Money” Caluag, ABA points leader in both AA Pro and Cruiser.
Location: Orange YMCA BMX, Orange, Calif.
He’s doing a lot of awesome stuff here. The highlights:
1. He approaches this double at almost 30 mph.
2. He rocks back into a manual and …
3. … hops off his back wheel.
4. He sucks up the roller and crests on the back of his bike. When I say you need access to the rear of your cockpit, this is what I mean.
5. He manuals very aggressively and …
6. … uses that downforce to hop over the second hump.
7. He pulls himself forward and lands with all his weight on the front end. When I say you need access to the front of your cockpit, this is what I mean.
8. He extends and pumps hard. Note that he carried almost all of his speed.
|
Open this image in another window so you can compare it with the text. It’s 1,500 pixels wide. |
The book will have an entire chapter showing different ways to ride common BMX obstacles. Sweet!
OK riders, let’s set ’em up …
— Lee
Yeah, Danny is pretty amazing.
He’s dynamic, fluid AND powerful. Most of us get two of those, max. 🙂
I hope you’re practicing …
You bet I am. It took a while to rewire my brain but I think I finally cornering and brake as taught. Also switched to a wider bar (28 inch) as it’s easier to keep my elbows out and get body position right.
Hi Lee.
I can’t wait to get your book. I’m 39 getting into bmx for fun.
Since I read French I bought this book from France with lots of picture sequences. Please make sure that your photo sequences read from left to right. Much easier to understand since we are used to looking from left to righ from reading.
http://www.ed-amphora.fr/?go=pages/list&path=iSportInd-iIndOutdoor-tIndOutdoorBMX
I can’t wait for your book.
Francois
Montreal, Canada.
Right on, thanks!
>> Please make sure that your photo sequences read from left to right.
I hear you on that, but sometimes I just can’t make it work like that. Sometimes the only vantage point is from the “wrong” side.
In MMBS I flipped some of the photo sequences — if you look closely you’ll see some drivetrains are on the wrong side!
Lee, I noticed that in MMBS – but there are also sequences that run right to left, and boy do they confuse my tiny little brain.
That sequence above is a fantastic learning tool however. I even managed to explain what was happening to my girlfriend without her falling asleep.
Glad to hear it.
Yeah, shooting those sequences is tricky. So often you have limited time, limited light, limited terrain, and you just have to shoot. Or you get home and realize too late — oh, I should have stood over there …
Your opinion:
Do you think it’s worth flipping the shots to preserve the left-right flow? Is reading left-right more important than seeing the chain on the right side of the bike? …
To me, yes, it is definitely worth preserving left-right flow. Whether the chain is on the wrong side is probably the last thing I’d notice, too.
I wonder what the left eye dominant people will think?
Hey, I noticed this too. I have the same problem. I see all examples left to right first(too much reading?). Then I have to transpose them(ouch!)in my little head. I vote, whenever possible, left to right, unless otherwise needed.
You can always say that Shimano is working on a top secret drivetrain for lefties.
D-
yeah for sure, flip the image if needed. Way better to have ease of visualization than to be ‘realistic’
Lee,
I can’t wait to get that BMX book. You MTB book really helped me excel in 4X and I can’t wait to see how the BMX book helps my cruiser racing!
Cheers!
Bob