wheelies??

[spokewench]

I'm probably not the one to talk about wheelies - cause I'm wheelie challenged! I've been riding mountain bikes forever and if I have to do a wheelie higher than a couple of inches at slow speed, I just can't seem to manage it!

Anyway, if you have a suspension fork, here is a tip. It helps to compress the fork right before you need to lift. So, put your weight quickly on the handlbars (fork) to compress it then shift your weight back and pull the front end up. The other tip is to keep pedaling as you to to lift! That's the part that seems to elude me every time!

[TrekJeni]

Would you wheelie women suggest learning not clipped in first vs clipped in? Obviously if not clipped in, I can bail that much easier but I would think doing it clipped in, you might "lift" with your feet and then you would have different techinque. Am I making any sense?
Jeni

[spokewench]

Yep, It is easier to jump the bike clipped in for sure. You can lift the bike. I myself am lost anymore when I am not clipped in on a mountain bike

[ClockworkOrange]

I am watching this thread carefully for any good tips.

This is one thing I would love to be able to do.

I have a back problem, so I guess I am always concerned at trying to pull the front of the bike up.

Good luck anyway.

Sally

[danusia]

It is easier if you learn by watching and practicing with the trainer. I went to mtb clinics where experienced riders (pro racers) showed us how to jump on a bike, go over the obstacles, ride stairs and... do wheelies. I guess I am fortunate because I am in California where I could learn from gals like Marla Streb and MTBChick.com Tonya Bray. But you must have some kind of mtb trainers in your area too! If not here is Tonya's web site: http://www.mtbchick.com/tonya.html
It would be fun vacation, right? Oh, and you should definitively do wheelies clipped in!

Danusia

[dirtygirl1]

Ahhhh, the elusive Wheelie. I don't know anything specific for women but I can share what I've learned ...

Before I continue -- I agree with Danulsa, the best way to learn is by watching and being taught. A good teacher can save many hours of pain!!!

Also -- there are some good sites out there that actual have videos -- this may help too!


1. It's all about balance. Don't try to use your strong arms to HOLD the bike up. My girlfriends and I spent countless hours holding our bikes up with our arms. All we got were sore arms and pseudo wheelies that lasted for maybe 2 seconds.

2. Learn somewhere with a soft landing spot -- grass works. you will go past the balance point -- you actually kind of have to, in order to figure out where the balance point is for YOU. Every body is built differently with weight proportioned out in different spots ... find your own sweet spot.

3. You might want to get some bike balancing in before trying a wheelie. It helps. Try balancing in one spot, while keeping the bike as still as possible. If you have good balance before going up in the air, you have a better chance of staying up there.

4. Don't be scared of falling!!! If you are doing it somewhere with a soft landing spot, falling won't hurt that much and you can have a good laugh while you are down there. AND of course -- wear a helmet!!!

And finally, here are some thoughts on how to get the bike up:
- put the bike in a medium gear
- start rolling
- push down on the crank and pull back slightly to get the front end up ... this pull is just slight and is not what keeps the wheelie in place.
- lean back right away (this is where you might fall over backwards). Lean your whole body back. If you like physics, think aobut how you need to be positioned in order to balance. Trust your rear break (or fall backwards!). How much you lean and break depends on your weight, the weight of your bike, and how low your saddle is. It might help to lower the saddle.

hmmm ... re-reading this, there isn't much that is women specific here. The whole balancing thing vereus pulling thing is what helped me and my girlfriends .. it was our major mistake. Maybe that will help?

Dirtygirl

[spokewench]

Thanks Dirty Girl 1: As soon as the snow melts a bit; I'm taking my girlfriends to the field at NAU and practicing! Maybe I can teach my wheelie challenged genes to wheelie!