Definition of a bunny hop

Question

In this answer, Mσᶎ mentioned a bunny hop.

I agreed, and wrote about How to Bunny Hop.

But it soon became clear that different people have slightly different definitions of a bunny hop. For example, Blam talks about different bunny hops, this answer links to a Danny MacAskill video showing bunny hops, and this BillyNair answer describes similar bunny hops. Most of them are different to what I described - at speed, clipped in, both wheels of the ground.

Where did I get my definition from? Err, that would be 40 (or is it 50?) years ago, before BMX was heard of, when a bunch of us kids would do whatever came to mind on our road bikes. We did the normal stupid stuff kids do: jumps, jousting, riding down stairs, along the top of fences, picking up stuff, yadda yadda, etc, etc. We called getting both wheels off the ground at speed without the help of a ramp, a bunny hop. Everyone else seemed to call it the same thing.

Until now.

I look forward to hearing about the different jumps you do, on what bike, and what they're called.

I'd like to add a definition to our Terminology index.

Answer 1

I see that the definition of a bunny hop is subject to the kind of cycling we're talking about. I doubt you'll find a specific definition that everyone will agree with.

However, what's common with (almost) everyone's concept of a bunny hop is that the front wheel elevates first and and the rear follows — just like a bunny hops — front paws first. Whether you and your bike are airborne due to clip pedals, upward pull from the handlebar or black magic, doesn't matter in my opinnion.

Where my definition came from? 20 years of BMX, urban and dirt biking, occasional downhill and aggressive trails. Last 5 years mostly just commuting with a cyclocross. Still feels good to bunny hop over curbs and branches.