Bouncing in Place
Click on the pic for an animation of a bounce turn. 1.2meg file
More pics at the bottom of the page
What is bouncing in place and why do I need it
Bouncing in place is bouncing up and down in one place with minimal forward/rear/sideways motion. It is great for developing balance, is used on the trails to stop and assess the situation or to wait for the rider in front of you to get through a technical section without dismounting, and is the basis for a bunch of other "dumb bike tricks".
How do I do it
Just like the trackstand, the key to bouncing is to put your weight over the front wheel.
Find a flat grassy area to practice.
Since you can already do a trackstand, you will not be uncomfortable with stopping the bike without dismounting.
Ride forward slowly.
Stand on the pedals ( 3 and 9 o'clock) with powerfoot forward, and put body weight over the front wheel.
Grab both brakes hard and immediately press down with your feet and lift off with your feet. Do NOT lift the handlebars, all of it is done with the feet ( you need clipless pedals or toe clips to do this unless you are a trials rider). The bike only has to lift a small amount off the ground. One inch is more than enough. When you come down, absorb some of the shock by bending the knees and repeat the action. Balance comes from the motion. Stay centered over the bike. As you begin to get a few bounces strung together, you will find that your feet are no longer at 3 and 9 o'clock. Almost impossible to maintain a bounce unless the feet are in the proper position. The solution is surprisingly easy. When the rear wheel in in the air, release the rear brake, rotate the pedals to the proper position and clamp on the rear brake before landing. I had a devil of a time learning to bounce until i learned how to rotate the pedals. Also, practice pedaling away from a bounce as that is what you will want to do on the trail.
Practice, Practice, Practice until it becomes second nature.
Next you will be able to bounce and thrust forward/backward/sideways. Bounce 180's or 360's on the trail. Bounce backwards to get back on the proper line. Bounce forward when you get stuck on a technical climb.
The ultimate thrill in learning how to bounce is to bounce with the front wheel raised up on an obstacle. The fundamentals are the same as for bouncing in place EXCEPT that the body has to move farther forward. The higher the front wheel the more forward you have to be. When you get your body forward enough, you can just feel the bike stabilize.
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