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Mainly to clear stuff on trails. So went off to learn on as grassy field.
Is it actually possible to lift the front wheel on an XL FlareMAX... or is the wheel base that long that is is impossible?
If I throw my weight far enough back to get the front up, I can no longer hold onto the bars.
Not an issue with the PP Oka
Can't help you with your specifics, but I started this and made good progress:
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/psa-ryan-leech-30-day-wheelie-challenge-is-free/
After a short forced break I'm looking forward to getting back to it.
Looking at the XL Cotic that would be a very hard bike to wheelie as it looks like a long frame. I have a giant anthem 29er that's brilliant for wheeling, I can cover around 400m if it's flat and not windy.
My tips;
- Practice on a smooth flat tarmac surface. Manuals are much easier going down a hill when starting. If your trying big endos prepare to go over the bars face first a few times.
- You need a nice still day, when it's windy it really hard to maintain a decent wheelie.
- Once you figure the "tipping point" just relax and pedal away. If the front end starts dropping give it more power. You can quite easily change gears when wheeling.
- Always always...have your hand on the back break. If the bike starts flipping then hit the break.
- When starting you often drift to one side, this is usually pulling in the bar too much and agressively. Line up nice and straight and go again. Saddle pushed right back and weight over the back wheel will help. I used to be able to wheelie road bikes too, so you will get there with the Cotic.
The local chavs are pretty dam good at them, they take one hand off when wheeling (I've yet to try that)
“If I throw my weight far enough back to get the front up, I can no longer hold onto the bars.”
Are you 5’0” but riding an XL?!
I’m not good holding manuals up for long but I have no problem getting the front end up on my Levo which is longer out back than a RocketMAX and weighs a lot more. It requires more movement and force than my hardtail but there’s little difference in technique, just more of it.
Do that Ryan Leach course ^^
Children seem good at this. I asked a child how he did it. He said it's really easy, "you just sort of lean back and just do it". I tried, but I guess I didn't lean back properly. I stopped trying because it was kinda embarrassing. Maybe I need a new bike.
It is probably fair to say that if I am going to visit Jedi, then pulling a wheelie wouldn’t be the key skill I need to improve.
I will go out in the PP Oka, which is much shorter TT and wheel base - the front comes up easily in that. If I can perfert the technique, then it should translate.
As mentioned, if the local yoot can do it with aplomb, then I am buggered if I should be able to.
Maybe I need a new bike
This is always the answer. I don't even care what the question was, that's still the answer.
Ryan Leech is working for me so far. But a new bike is the obvious answer
Wheelies are about finding the balance point at the back of the bike, not the front, so wheelbase, etc shouldn't affect it much, been practicing my ones over the lockdown and have it pretty good now, and it seems to be phases, first one is getting the right gear and power, as well as reducing the pulling with the arms as much as possible, second phase is learning that the core and keeping that angle is what really gets you in the right position, then finally slowly finding that balance point where you can actually sit, pedal and wheelie without going all over the place!
I find manuals a bit easier to be honest, it's just taking time to turn about 3 movements into 1, as others say, Ryan Leech is good, but i found youtube from guys like Seth Bike Hacks, Tom Cardy, etc helped out as well, best one i find is Skills With Phil, a US guy who breaks it down easily and shows the common mistakes, he's got a few videos on the subject, this one is the basics though
Regarding the "balance point", when you figure this it's easy to relax and just adjust the leg power to lift or drop the front of the bike. Wheelies are little to do with yanking the bars up, the lift is all leg power. You are putting power through the cranks and pulling gentley on the bars. If you're drifting off course it's most likely due to yanking too hard on the bars, less is best. Light on the bars - hard on the cranks, your body should follow the bike back. You see pics of people wheeling all hunched over, this is a bad position.
Bikes - I find fully suspension biks best, with a lower tyre pressure (25psi or so). Also saddle low is essential, the saddle needs to be near (ish) to the stem/handle bar level. I see pics of bikes on here that have the saddles 30cm+ above the bar height, that will make it dam hard to pull a decent wheelie. look at stunt BMX/jump bikes the saddle is always way lower than the stem = more control and better "balance point".
Thanks all ... off to practice tomorrow
They said stay at home
They said don't go far away.
They said learn a new skill
They said try manualling on a local path/pavement.
They didn't say don't try it on tarmac at speed with no knee pads on.
Now I can't really walk and I've lost about 6cm2 of skin and what's worse is that my wife keeps saying 44 year olds shouldn't be trying to wheelie! She doesn't even get the difference between a wheelie and a manual!
Wish I'd started when I was 44....
My wife tells me off for wheeling, I'm 43, but I can pan 99% of the local chavs 🙂 Never too late to learn.
The problem with wheelies is that people think you've showing off. I'm sure some people do wheelies to show off, but for me, they're just so fun! People who can't wheelie are missing out.
P.S. What OP describes is totally not about the bike. You're doing something weird if you're struggling to hold onto the bars when leaning back. Chest goes down towards bars, then up and backwards while you pedal to force the BB forward (for a wheelie). At no point should your hands be straining to hold the bars.
Yep, if you can't reach the bars then you must be trying to lean back to counteract the fact the front wheel isn't high enough. Get the front of the bike higher. I find moving back on the saddle a few inches before having a go helps. Slight incline helps too, I wouldn't bother with manuals and downhill until you've got the wheelie sorted.
44 pah!
I’m 60. ... I think the bats thing has more to do with me leaning back rather than pointing my arse backwards.
Off to try later