As there seems to be hundreds of you, as has been mentioned in the skills thread, it’s all about the balance point, and you will never ever find it until you go past it lots & lots of times.
Clipless is not the best way to learn & uphill will hurt less.

That is all 8) 😉

Is learning to wheelie as hard as learning to ride a bike like when you are five years old?

as in, you have to fall over backwards a lot?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=800qDjldgeY[/video]

Cover the rear brake!

Jeff, yes!

Rorschach, nice vid, but I never saw him wheelie once, a master class in manuals & pumping a track though 😉

If I pedal into a wheelie then sit and coast ,then stand up and pedal is it a wheelie or a manual? 😉

You can do that? respect what ever it is 😯

the difference between learning to wheelie and learning to ride a bike is you can forget how to wheelie. I had them dialled when I was 11 🙁

the difference between learning to wheelie and learning to ride a bike is you can forget how to wheelie.

Missed the skills thread, but I disagree on that – very much a wheels on the ground rider (though I would like to get some air, and do work at it), but no problem doing a wheelie – something I learnt as a kid and can still do. I have even learnt how to do manuals more recently (and right now learning to unicycle, which must have a lot in common with wheelies – now that is a huge amount harder than learning to ride a bike when a little kid).

If I pedal into a wheelie then sit and coast ,then stand up and pedal is it a wheelie or a manual?

it’s a coaster wheelie followed by a power wheelie.
Manuals are done while standing.

and No, you don’t ever forget how to wheelie

and No, you don’t ever forget how to wheelie

I forgot! Was one of those “wheelie all the way down the road, round the corner, quick gear change and back up the hill all on the back wheel” kids back in the day. After a 8 year ish hiatus I’m back riding better than I could but just cant wheelie anymore.

ok, then.. goldfish might 😆

Don’t know if this has been mentioned, but to give people an idea of what the balance point feels like, sit them on the bike and get them to lock the rear brake. Standing beside/behind them, pull them up on to the back wheel whilst they are seated. Bring them up to the balance point and hold them there so they know what they should be aiming for.
Most people don’t realise how far back it is and panic before you get the front wheel near high enough.

nice, good idea!

Could be the balance point on kids bikes isn’t quite as far back. Or we’ve just learned the fear.

The fear! After a long lay off from cycling I had a massive case of the fear when it came to jumping. After a few years of fannying around the subject, the cure was to launch myself off a tabletop and hope I remebered what to do in the air. Fear can be suprisingly good at jogging your memory!

ideally with flat pedals installed, ride slowly up a very steep hill. middle ring, largest cassette cog is ideal. pull up hard with both a strong pedal stroke & your arms. pick a point in the distance & focus on it, this will help your balance. at all times cover the back brake. for people who’ve mastered wheelies you’ll notice them feathering the back brake to ensure you dont over rotate & fall off the back.
in 1992 I didnt think I’d ever be able to wheelie, its just a matter of putting the time in to practise.
with further practise one handers, rolling non footers & even non hander wheelies are all possible.

Where is that video of the guy wheelie-ing up all of the french / swiss mountain passes?

This vid seems to put all the advice into one easy steps

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSqkKtnMM_U[/video]

fourbanger – Member
Don’t know if this has been mentioned, but to give people an idea of what the balance point feels like, sit them on the bike and get them to lock the rear brake. Standing beside/behind them, pull them up on to the back wheel whilst they are seated. Bring them up to the balance point and hold them there so they know what they should be aiming for.
Most people don’t realise how far back it is and panic before you get the front wheel near high enough.

Tried this, doesnt work for me. Something to do with lack of co-ordination and poor leg extension :roll: If I need to get upn over a boulder or log I can manage that nae bother, just don`t ask me to demo in a car park etc.
Could be the fact I have a dodgy back and a bit of an issue with my neck the last thing I need is to fall on my back. Self preservation sets in early 💡