Wheelies

[Yellow Fang]

What's a good sort of bike for learning wheelies, considering I'm 42 years old and can't be seen riding a BMX or trials bike? I've never properly got the hang of them. Part of the problem being having to find somewhere to practice where no one can see you.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I'm a bit older than you YF and I can't do wheelies.

I think the requirements for learning include not only privacy but also a soft patch to fall onto.

It's not long ago I learned to bunny hop. But then, having ridden with loose toe straps most of my time, cleats made a big difference in that department.

Good luck - I'll keep an eye on the answers too

 

[snapper_37]

What's a good sort of bike for learning wheelies, considering I'm 42 years old and can't be seen riding a BMX or trials bike? I've never properly got the hang of them. Part of the problem being having to find somewhere to practice where no one can see you.

Why not? Life's too short. Just try a few and look like a fool, you will be next week's old news or this week's in-patient. Just be careful at your age.

 

[longers]

I pulled a wheelie on a friends BMX a while ago when kids put race numbers on the front of them even though they weren't racing them. It was such a good wheelie I stuck the top edge of the number plate under my nose and bled heavily for a while afterwards.

Strikers and Boxers were good for wheelies but might be a bit small for you if you could find one.

 

[vernon]

I learned on a Bultaco Sherpa 325

 

[bauldbairn]

Well I perfected the art of wheelying almost 30 years ago on a drop bar Raleigh Europa Ti 5 Speed Racer with inch tyres.

The secret was to turn the handle bars upside down. All the kids in our estate(Tamfourhill) turned into wheely experts for one summer(1980) - don't know what inspired it. There was one kid(the ring leader) who could ride the length of the estate(3/4 mile) on one wheel, easily! On a Puch Racer.

Don't know if I can still do it - I'll find out tomorrow when all the people in my cul de sac go to work(I'm on holiday).

 

[Globalti]

A short wheelie is a useful skill for MTBers to get a front wheel over that log left across the trail by jealous walkers, as they do around here.

 

[Fnaar]

What's a good sort of bike for learning wheelies, considering I'm 42 years old and can't be seen riding a BMX or trials bike? I've never properly got the hang of them. Part of the problem being having to find somewhere to practice where no one can see you.

Chortle!

 

[Ben M]

I can manual, but never could do wheeles. I havn;t tried to wheelie in years though now.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Well I perfected the art of wheelying almost 30 years ago on a drop bar Raleigh Europa Ti 5 Speed Racer with inch tyres.

The secret was to turn the handle bars upside down. All the kids in our estate(Tamfourhill) turned into wheely experts for one summer(1980) - don't know what inspired it. There was one kid(the ring leader) who could ride the length of the estate(3/4 mile) on one wheel, easily! On a Puch Racer.

Don't know if I can still do it - I'll find out tomorrow when all the people in my cul de sac go to work(I'm on holiday).

Err - why do upside down bars help?

 

[brockers]

Err - why do upside down bars help?

Did you not watch 'The Flying Scotsman' last night? Turning your bars upside-down has magical effects on anything to do with cycling performance, and makes the impossible, possible.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

a track bike

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Did you not watch 'The Flying Scotsman' last night? Turning your bars upside-down has magical effects on anything to do with cycling performance, and makes the impossible, possible.

Missed it I'm afraid

On that basis tho' I'm gonna turn my bars upside down now I really do need some magical performances

 

[bauldbairn]

Err - why do upside down bars help?

It gave more purchase on the bars - and made it easier to pull the front of the bike up and keep it up. It was a lot harder stooped over the drops. It also took the suicide levers out of the equation.

It only lasted for one summer - everybody wanting to be Evel Knievel/Eddy Kidd. Then it was back to wanting to be Eddy Merckx with the drops in their intended position and Tour de France racing.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I was sort of hoping someone would say, get a Cannondale Hooligan, a fixed wheel mountain bike, or maybe something like a Fireman's Texas Cruiser. I would have thought a Raleigh Chopper would be quite good too, although I'm too big for one of those.