When i first started trials on my mtb which was a long way from a trial bike i was just rolling things etc but then when i got a proper trial bike (t-bird ) i started trying backhops etc the minute i got it, and in all ohnesty i prefer the whole hop-over-it-even-though-you-don't-need-to aproach since in my oppinion it's more pleaseing visualy and i thing theres a greater sence of acheivement that rolling something.