Wheelie

[Tumbleweed]

Practise wheelies like this: Flat pedals Lower saddle Drag rear brake. If you going over backwards, a handful of brake will have you slamming your front down quicksticks. Actively practise going too far over and then getting off the back so that you learn where the point of no return is. Then try and control it with the rear brake.

 

All good and well, but make sure the test bike you are riding at the time has the brakes set up the way you normally run them…

[Trivium]

 

Practise wheelies like this:

Flat pedals

Lower saddle

Drag rear brake.

 

If you going over backwards, a handful of brake will have you slamming your front down quicksticks. Actively practise going too far over and then getting off the back so that you learn where the point of no return is. Then try and control it with the rear brake.

 

I'll try, just not for the next while! Need to recover first =P

[Hairy]

My most painful wheelie failure was on a commute to work.

 

I had a ridiculously overloaded back pack and way under inflated rear shock. The result being that when kicking off the kerb, the front wheel flips up at a hell of a speed, the back wheel keeps going forwards and you end up doing half a back flip onto your back. It was really really painful, if it were not for the back pack I would most likely not have been in the situation, but the pack also saved me from what could have been serious injury.

[DR ◣◢]

Ive had a few near falls at speed when over powering a wheelie. District roads are so boring you have to make them fun.

 

As Slick said, your back brake is your best friend. Always have a finger on the lever to help modulate the power.

 

The wheelie is one of the best tricks to have in your skill set on the trails. Ive seen too many people bog down trying to get up and over the simplest obstacles on the trail.

 

The wheelie is also the foundation for the manual and bunny hop.

[Hairy]

I recon that before you start playing with wheelies or other tricks, you need to master the track stand and "Slow Bike Race" combined with seeing how tight you can ride in circles around a pole or cone/marker.

 

These teach you how body movement effects the handling of the bike and will come in real handy on the trail.

 

H

[DR ◣◢]

Balance Daniel son, balance!

[mazambaan]

Good one! The wheelie will continue to claim victims as long as there are bicycles and motorcycles. Been there, grazed and hurt that, on both. As regards the back brake, note that he said that the back wheel was in the air! You've got to be quick with that thing.

 

Dylan Victor is bleddy good (imho); who remembers Ian Soames in Durbs (now in NZ).

[RocknRolla]

it's not called a wheelie if you fall on your back - it's called a crash....

[RockCoach]

Good one! The wheelie will continue to claim victims as long as there are bicycles and motorcycles. Been there, grazed and hurt that, on both. As regards the back brake, note that he said that the back wheel was in the air! You've got to be quick with that thing.

 

Dylan Victor is bleddy good (imho); who remembers Ian Soames in Durbs (now in NZ).

 

Sounds like trials riding where you can get a power bunny hop from low speed by stomping on the pedals as you pull up.