Getting front of bike off the ground -- tips?

[indigoiis]

from a virtual standstill (but clipped in with both feet), give a hard push with your dominant leg (for me, I always use my right leg, starting at 12:00 and pushing hard). You can try this both sitting, and standing, but I recommend fully seated first.

Next, try to do this and complete a pedal rotation (keep those fingers over the brake lever! If you feel yourself going over backwards, a tap of the REAR brake will put the wheel back down). I can go for about three full pedal rotations doing this.

Should I be braking when I make that hard push?
Because if it is just making the push, I just go forward.

(I am feeling wickit duh right now...)

[Irulan]

Should I be braking when I make that hard push?
Because if it is just making the push, I just go forward.

(I am feeling wickit duh right now...)

quote:
If you feel yourself going over backwards, a tap of the REAR brake will put the wheel back down

[indigoiis]

But I don't feel myself going over backwards, I just go forwards, which is why I was asking... am I supposed to brake during the push? Or just push? Because if I just pedal from a dead stop, I just go forward. I don't go up in the air. ?

[Irulan]

You only do the brake check if you feel like you are going to go over backwards.

Try shifting into a bigger gear. You should feel the front of the bike wanting to come up when you do a pedal stroke.

[rocknrollgirl]

I am able to get up and over logs by unweighting my front instead of popping my front. I shift my weight back like I am going downhill, give a very slight pull onthe handlebars. Once the front tire is up on the log, power stroke and give a little umph with the body weight forward like a rocking horse.

[indigoiis]

Thanks, I will try it again tonight!

[Irulan]

I am able to get up and over logs by unweighting my front instead of popping my front. I shift my weight back like I am going downhill, give a very slight pull onthe handlebars. Once the front tire is up on the log, power stroke and give a little umph with the body weight forward like a rocking horse.

great description of the technique.

[redrhodie]

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

cycling-Sarah just sent me the link. This guy is Baryshikov on wheels.

[sundial]

Joe Lawwill shows how to do a manual (as opposed to a wheelie) here at about :43 into the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdNKq...layer_embedded

To practice this, stand next to your bike with your hips touching the handlebar. Now thrust the bike forward in one quick movement. Don't move your feet. Push out, don't pull up.

He suggests you thrust your bike forward, like you're throwing a punch. Do it with commitment. At the end of the bike thrust, the front tire will lift off the ground without you pulling it up with your arms. Ears should hit your shoulder when you are crouched behind the saddle. So think of it as you are throwing a punch while moving your butt over the wheel.

This technique doesn't require pedal input.

For an illustration of this, refer to pages 62-66 of Mountain Bike Action, May issue.

More instruction videos here:
http://www.bikeskills.com/blog/?page_id=422

[indigoiis]

This is great. THANK YOU GALS!!!

[crazycanuck]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

I would like to ask one thing. How can i keep my heart from jumping out of my body when doing an uphill logover? We have tons of these here in WA & drives me nuts. I have started to slow down going uphill in order to maintain my hr because i know the log over is coming up but i'm not there quite yet...

[pinkbikes]

Ahh bugger! We have lots of log stepups too and they really freak me out. I find that as long as I keep practicing at one particular place where they have lots and lots, of all different heights, I can sort of work my way up to bigger ones.

But if I have a few weeks without doing many, I have to start again to get my confidence back and also I am doubly squeamish at any I have ever fallen over.

But I'm kind of the opposite about the HR. If I know one is coming up, I'm pedalling like hell to make sure I have enough momentum to overcome my crappy technique! So my HR will be through the roof!

The other thing that really helped was to do a session with a coach who is big enough to catch you when he spots you over them!