• This topic has 16 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by cjr61.
Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
  • So….apparently learning to do a wheelie isn't child's play!
  • cjr61
    Full Member

    Perhaps a mid-life crisis but want to improve my bike skills and felt a wheelie (then bunny hop, then manual) was a good place to start.

    Half an hour in the park yesterday, two loop outs and one OTB (don’t ask!) and a sore back today.

    Haha, i’ll keep trying but hoping I remember to move my feet should a loop out be imminent….if not then perhaps Darwinism in action.

    😉

    No ‘you’ve been framed’ style videos yet but perhaps next practice session.

    ————

    Bikes are cool and make people happy. That is all.

    doris5000
    Full Member

    ha, keep on, there’s absolutely a knack to finding the balance point.

    my wife finds it sweetly amusing that I still think wheelies are cool. BUT THEY ARE COOL!

    cjr61
    Full Member

    They are indeed cool…..just not when you’re on your arse with bike on top of you!

    Must work harder!

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    wobbliscott
    Free Member

    Just a case of time on the bike. I try a few times a week but after a few clumsy failed attempts with maybe one half decent semi successful wheelie I get paranoid that the neighbours are all laughing at me from behind their curtains so pretent I’m just checking the forks over and sculk off back into the garage. I get the feeling that if I just swalowed my pride and had a good solid hour session I’d make a big improvement.

    Keep at it and one day you’ll crack it

    molgrips
    Free Member

    hoping I remember to move my feet should a loop out be imminent

    Grab the rear brake. You should be covering it.

    xc-steve
    Free Member

    After a good couple of months of trying during any climb I felt yesterday I actually did a wheely in the sense it wasn’t an uncontrolled pull of the bars constantly chasing it not falling but up a good couple of rotations then down. Couldn’t do it again mind!

    Found it helped to be smooth with the pedal and don’t yank on the bars.

    cjr61
    Full Member

    Good to hear that i’m not alone then!

    THANKS ALL

    blackmountainsrider
    Free Member

    I cant wheelie very well, maybe 7/8 metres at best, but hops and manualing are no problem!

    one piece of advice I was given, was to go to a soft area of grass or similar, and just practice looping out of the back wheel. It will get you used to jumping of and you wont be scared of it.

    I really should put on some flat pedals and practice!

    jimmy
    Full Member

    After watching this the other day, I went out to practise the other day on the cycle path near me – uphill on the way out for wheelies, coming back for manuals. Needless to say, my wheelies aren’t bad if I cherry pick the top 10% efforts, my manuals are terrible, however. Seems a lot harder on a 27.5 bike, this being the first concentrated effort since 26″ wheels.

    I’d like to say I’m determined to persist.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Straight arms also helps.

    cjr61
    Full Member

    Right,

    Straight arms
    Rear brake
    Practice

    Won’t get practice today but will report back!

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    don’t forget : saddle down a bit (but not too much)

    steel4real
    Free Member

    I signed up for the Ryan Leech 30 day wheelie challenge 3 months ago – did the first 7 days and then haven’t tried since. As Ryan states ‘ the biggest challenge is ensuring you practise every day’ I failed completely. May go back to it if I can organise myself.

    They way he has broken the steps down seems really good though. Eg in the early steps you are learning to use the back brake so that you know how to prevent a loop out.

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Interesting video from that bloke who learnt to wheelie and manual. About 12 hours of practice, with an hour each day, I think it took him to learn. So you have about 11hrs to go 🙂

    TomB
    Full Member

    Don’t look at the he bars/front wheel, but look up towards the horizon. I was amazed what a difference this one tip made for me. YMMV obviously.

    cjr61
    Full Member

    Thanks for the advice everyone. Ready to get practicing!

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)

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