There are different kinds of trails when biking. Some trails are smooth and flat, and some trails exist obstacles, like rocks, ledges, and logs. When cyclists encounter such occasions, it is time to wheelie and hop over the obstruction. Wheelie and hop over obstacles can be useful when cyclists need to traverse the obstacles with speed. Below, we have divided into a step by step process to learn to wheelie and hop over things.
Learn to lift the front wheel
Supposed that there is a 2-inch root crosses the trail when you are biking, what will you do? Bashing into it? The act will slow you down or knock you off the line. If you can get your tyre over that obstacle and keep pedalling, your back wheel will crawl right over it. The capacity to lift your front wheel at low speed is actually necessary for getting up and over trail obstacles in such occasion.
Get Your Front Wheel off the Ground
The following is all about shifting your weight back. You can accomplish this action by pushing back with your arms, and pedalling hard, or both. During the process to get your wheel off the ground, you should maintain your body in balance on the bike. You should:
Begin in a neutral position: your hip should be on the seat, and arms slightly bent. Then you should try to make your shoulders down and forward. Your power pedal should be at the position of around 2 o'clock at the same time. Next you need to push your body upward and backward with your arms. At the same time, uncork a powerful pedal stroke. The follow action is to keep your arms straight and your weight back. In this way, your front tyre will upward. At the end, remember that don't bend your arms and keep pedalling.
Keep It There
Do you want to look cool? Keep it there is a good way. Pedalling around with your wheel in the air looks cool. But before that, you need to learn to balance sitting wheelies, thus you can move up to coaster wheelies. You should keep lifting your front wheel until you find the balance point. Here are some tips to stay on top:
First of all, you should find the balance of yourself. Under such condition, you can choose the right gear for yourself. Different gear will give you different sense.
Then the next action is to pedal all the way. It means you need to keep turning the pedals and never stop pedalling. Meanwhile, you should stay loose. It means that you need to sit lightly on the seat so you can slide freely.
Get the wheel off the ground
During this process, you should start in the neutral position and try to be lower. Remember to shift your weight forward, onto your bars. Crouch forward and your body back, feet forward. An important thing is to keep leaning and pulling.
If you can't let your front wheel onto a sidewalk, you can let your back wheel bashes right over the obstacle. You should go slow and stay loose, thus you can experience freedom.
Learn to Lift your Rear Wheel
After giving your rear wheel end with a lift, you can get over the obstacles on trails. This part will show you how to lift your back wheel, an essential skill mountain biking skill.
The best way to practice the skill is to find an open field or parking lot, where are marked with a line. Regard these lines as the obstacles in the trails. Once you have mastered the lift, you can move to somewhere has real obstacles like a curb.
Basic Operation of Rear Wheel Lift
In the process of basic rear wheel lift, riding in at a slow jogging speed on a flat ground away from any other obstacles. Crouch and lean back. The start position should be the lower, the better. Lunge upward and forward. Moving your body down and slightly back and ensure that your toes are pointing towards the ground. Since your weight is moving forward, try to let the rear wheel of the bicycle up with your feet and pedals. Bring the back wheel back down. One important thing you should do is to move your weight backward slightly.
Remember to do these step by step. It is worthy to practice the skill without fear. Try to practice it until you master the skills and you will get lots of fun when cycling.
Kick It Out
When encountering small obstacles, you can also choose to kick it out. In a kick out, you need to keep your front tyre on the ground and hop your back wheel sideway. You can use the skill when you enter a flat and fast turn. Steps are as follow:
Please remember always begin in your low position. Steer and lean to the left side of the obstacles. And then lunge forward to the left side. Keep your body comparative at a standstill, at the same time, swing the bike. Left the back tyre swing wide.
How to get across small obstacles
What should you do when encountering small obstacles? You can slowly cross it by lifting your front wheel firstly and then back wheel over it. Use this technique while riding slowly over any small obstacles, like branches, rocks. Steps as follow:
At the beginning, be close to the obstacles with a proper speed, not so fast or slow. Try to approach the object at an upright angle if you can. Begin your move at a distance the same as the obstacles' height. Pedal half a stroke as you pull up on the handle of the mountain bike.
Set your front wheel on the obstacles. Let your weight over the handle of the bike, at the same time, push your feet down. Roll your wheel off the other side. Landing the rear wheel where the front wheel used to be. Roll the rear wheel off the obstacles.
When encountering a log, you can also use the skill, but be careful while jumping a log and you should keep your weight behind the seat. All the skills need to be practice, including wheelie. Practice more and you will master the technique more quickly.
How to Wheelie and Hop over Obstacles (A)
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