Good afternoon.
Can you please help me.
My lad aged 13 is totally obsessed at the moment about learning to do wheelies and he needs a new bike anyway but I’m to sure what type of bike would be best. Should I go for a jump bike type or a mountain bike as it would be used for cycling to school and bike rides of about 5-10 miles which are always off road
should I go for something like this

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Saracen-Amplitude-CR2-26-2018-Jump-Bike_113539.htm?sku=424834&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQiA38jRBRCQARIsACEqIev_LLOCD_TwFlFARS9LFTgQR0J8sx0fARjzNwpwG9vt9rMnTovgmtwaAujNEALw_wcB

or this
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-scout-275-sport-bike-2018/rp-prod159425

Thank you so much

Empirical evidence would suggest any BSO (the cheaper the better)

Short chainstays and high BB make bikes easier to wheelie and manual, which is why skatepark ‘mountain’ bikes typically have BB’s inline with the rear axle at 13″.

Although TBH it’s 99% the rider, if you can’t manual on a normal bike then a jump/park bike isn’t going to suddenly turn you into a wheelie god.

TINAS – aged 31&1/3 and thought he’d cracked it before going singlespeed and losing all ability.

p.s. I’d get the Nukeproof and think of upgrading the fork if he get’s into proper mountainbiking.

Go for the Nukeproof for wheelies, it’ll be loads easier with its lower gears than the singlespeed Saracen. Buy the Saracen for manuals though. Manuals are cooler.

edit- and the Nukeproof will be ‘better’ at more stuff, so he’d maybe be more likely to go out on it. Bung the seat down and it’s almost as low as a jump bike.

Fat Ripper BMX?

Raleigh 20.

Seriously

Raleigh Chopper.

Skills course

Skills course

Would teach some useful stuff, wheelies on the other hand really are just a case of riding up and down your street until either you’re tired or you perfect them (and aren’t useful except for looking cool).

Perhaps it wasn’t as obvious as I thought that I was taking the mick…

Empirical evidence would suggest any BSO (the cheaper the better)

Or stolen* ones, preferably ridden the wrong way down the road.

*One assumes 😆

When I was a yoof, a BMX with a layback seatpost (very laid back) was amazing for wheelies. It was difficult to keep the front wheel on the ground when sat down, with your weight right over the back wheel. Modern BMXes are much harder, generally having straight post, usually with the seat dropped right down. Therefore a terrible choice for an off-road ride of any distance.

My 14 year old gets on fine wheelieing a 26er xc hardtail mtb (2nd hand sunn travis frame bought for £50 and built up with spare parts), but he’s reasonably tall. Would be perfect for school run and extended off-road rides, right through to adulthood.

You are all showing your age here.

Fat Ripper BMX?

Except NOTG. you win the thread.

Checkout #bikestormz #bikesupknivesdown @jake100 you’ll see that fat rippers are cool, as are entry level hardtails. it ain’t about the bike.

Checkout #bikestormz #bikesupknivesdown @jake100 you’ll see that fat rippers are cool, as are entry level hardtails. it ain’t about the bike.

Those guys are virtually upside down! – clearly the short straight seatpost is no barrier to skillz 🙂

Best bike EVER for wheelies I’ve found was a 20″ wheeled Giant folding bike.I could wheelie it round the shop at will ,throwing in the occasional barspin at crawling pace.

Short stays and a high bottom bracket DO NOT make it easier to wheelie or manual.
those traits make it easier to raise the front wheel BUT MORE DIFFICULT to hold the balance point.

Once you can wheelie. You can wheelie anything. I learned 40 years ago at around 7yrs old on a racer that was far too big for me and can still wheelie pretty much any bike except TJs tandem.
Manualling a bike that’s far too long or high(saddle clearance) isn’t so easy.

Gwurk +1 best bike to learn on is someone elses..

IME the worst bike to learn on is one where the front wheel skewer isn’t done up properly

It hurt! Me and the bike

Best bike to learn on is one with flats and a QR seatpost (or dropper).

I’d imagine a jump bike would be crap to ride any distance on, however an MTB can still be wheelied fine.

One thing I will add is that a functioning back brake helps with correcting a wheelie. I overlooked this once and rode home from the park with heavily bleeding knees. It was fine though, as I was only 42 years old at the time, and this is completely normal behaviour.

Raleigh Chopper[b]Budgie[/b]

FTFW

IHN +100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Oh god yes the Budgie 🙂 The most fun bike I can remember abusing as a kid. Helped that it wasn’t mine