LOCKDOWN SKILLS THE BUNNY-HOP

With many of us living in lockdown, or with limited access to our usual riding spots, we thought it was time to look in depth at two of the most fundamental and crucial skills a mountain biker can master: the bunny-hop and the manual. If you’re missing your bike and you would like to return to the trails as a better rider at some point this year, then read on. The following tips and skills are designed to be done in your back garden or local park, so that you can continue to make progress on your bike between all that Netflix and DIY. And if you’re lucky enough to be lockdown-free by the time you come to read this, all the better: these skills will always be relevant.

First up, the bunny-hop. Once mastered, this skill will allow you to determine where you apply weight to the trail. It will mean that you can decide where to go heavy and light, and ultimately it will allow you to control your traction when it all gets a