You’ve seen your friends or the kids around your block do the wheelie, but for some reason, you cannot seem to execute this nifty trick. This leaves you asking why can’t I wheelie?
You can’t wheelie your bike because you are pulling on the bike’s bars, standing up, bending your hips, moving your hips, or you are keeping the front wheel up using speed. Additionally, it takes time to master the technique, so you are probably not practising enough or can’t keep your balance.
Besides being a cool skill, learning how to wheelie also helps avoid obstacles by maneuvering above them. Therefore, you should strive to master it, and this article will help you do so.
Why Is Wheelie So Hard? Why Can’t I Wheelie My Bike?
Learning and mastering wheelie is quite challenging for some riders because they have a hard time balancing the bike and their riding techniques makes executing a wheelie tricky. However, it’s not always the case; some cyclists learn easier because they practice.
1. Riding Technique
Before you can be a pro in doing a wheelie, you must learn the proper riding technique to execute it flawlessly. Practice how to tilt your bicycle backward, a firm pedal stroke, and balancing your bike efficiently.
2. Balancing
A wheelie is possible only if you can constantly maintain a balance between falling forward or backward. This is known as the sweet spot, which isn’t easy to do and doesn’t feel really sweet initially.
You need to stay relaxed to maintain your balance which is quite tricky, primarily because of the ongoing impeding backward fall. It will take time before you feel comfortable doing it, trust your bike’s rear brakes, and finally do a wheelie.
You also have to pay attention to various things in the process. They include not falling forward or backward, controlling your pace, and not falling to the side, which isn’t easy, but you already know mastering the stunt is tough
3. Controlling the Pace
Controlling your pace while doing a wheelie is exceptionally vital, and most beginners struggle with acceleration. You will likely struggle with stalling as well for a while.
Work on pedaling fast, accelerating, and tilting your bike backward. Braking makes the bicycle tilt forward.
What Bikes Are Good For Wheelies?
The right bike for wheelie is lightweight but sturdy, has a durable drivetrain, rear brake, and smooth shifting gears. It should also be well-sized to fit you and facilitate easy and smooth maneuverability.
These are the best bicycles for a wheelie.
1. Mountain Bikes
They may not look that they are built for stunts from a glance but consider their durability and toughness, which allows them to handle rough terrains, obstacles, and unpredictable riding. These qualities make mountain bikes suitable for wheelie.
Mountain bikes are excellent for wheelies because they have durable pieces and parts and knobbed tires that provide extra traction. They also feature powerful drivetrain and braking systems, which are the two features you require to pop wheelies more easily and freely.
If you want an excellent mountain bike that can handle wheelies exceptionally, Schwinn Bonafide Mens Mountain Bike (View on Amazon). It is fast, easy to control and maneuver, and features a comfortable, lightweight aluminum frame and Shimano derailleurs.
2. BMX Bikes
These bikes are made specifically for stunts; that’s why they are popular for wheelies. You can trust a BMX bike to withstand the demands and pressures of doing wheelies.
Like mountain bikes, BMX bikes are engineered to navigate rough terrains. It also features the qualities of a stunt bike, such as fatter, thicker tires, sturdier parts, and a smaller frame.
You will feel more confident and stable when doing wheelies with a BMX bike. An excellent BMX bike for wheelies is Mongoose Legion Freestyle Sidewalk BMX Bike (View on Amazon) for 7 to 9-year-olds beginner to advanced riders.
How Do You Do A Wheelie For Beginners?
You’ll need to execute various movements properly, balance your bike, ride uphill a bit, and train to hop off your bicycle.
If you want to be good at wheelie, you’ll need to put into it because a single or two practices will not cut it. Riders who are proficient at the technique began by learning gradually, gathering essential tips along the way.
There’s a reason why some pro cyclists cannot do it, but you’ll find kids performing the trick exceptionally. It’s because kids take time to learn.
Therefore, put time into it, set goals, and keep pushing yourself to do better, and you’ll find yourself getting better and better at wheelie. Practicing will help you get better at balancing your bike and riding technique.
Below are the steps to follow to execute a wheelie.
1. Adjust The Bike Seat To The Center Position
Falling backward off your bicycle and overbalancing are real problems when attempting a wheelie. Avoid this by putting the seat at a middle position or mid-height to keep you more balanced.
You can alter the seat height how you want as you get better at the stunt. However, remember that doing so might disrupt your center of gravity; hence you’ll need to relearn to stay balanced.
2. Put Your Bike At Low Or Mid Gear
Speed shouldn’t be a priority when you are a beginner in doing a wheelie. It is best to go slowly, so practice at lower gears of about 1-1 to 1-3.
3. Find A Location To Practice
Once you set your bike appropriately, it’s time to find a fantastic location to practice. Make sure it’s an ample, safe space like a vast field or local park, so you don’t have to keep turning around when practicing.
Local parks are an excellent choice because large, grassy, which lowers the chances of getting hurt and has sufficient practice space. If there’s no park nearby, other great options are a quiet road or an empty sidewalk.
If possible, attempt a wheelie on a gentle uphill incline for a natural balancing and leaning backward.
4. Cycle At A Low To Medium Pace
Pedal your bicycle to achieve slight acceleration to do a wheelie without moving too fast. Begin slowly and increase speed gradually as you practice more and gain more confidence doing wheelies.
5. Hold The Bike Pedals At 2 o’clock Position Using Your Dominant Foot
As you pedal, cycle your stronger/dominant foot to 2 o’clock on the pedal’s rotation to allow you to push down the pedals to accelerate the bicycle. Your dominant foot is the one you put forward when you are about to fall over to protect yourself.
6. Pedal Down Sharply And Lean Backward
Pedal down, accelerate the bike quickly, and lift the front wheel a bit. At the same time, hold the handlebars and pull the bike’s front off the ground by leaning backward, and you’ll have done your first wheelie.
Begin with smaller wheelies initially, then slowly attempt to get the front wheel off the ground higher and higher while you get the hang of balancing your bicycle effortlessly.
7. Find Your Point Of View By Shifting Your Weight
Once the bicycle is off the ground, shift your body weight a bit to determine your best position to ensure the wheelie keeps going. It will likely take time to figure it out, but you will get it eventually if you keep trying.
8. Land The Wheelie By Straightening The Front Wheel And Tapping The Rear Breaks
End the wheelie by holding down the bike’s rear brakes. Meanwhile, align the front wheel to match the rest of the bicycle to prevent the bike from swerving off.
Land smoothly to protect your wheels.
FAQs
1. Can You Wheelie Any Bike?
You can wheel on almost all bikes, like road, cyclocross, and endurance bikes, if lightweight enough. However, go with either a mountain bike or a BMX bike for the best experience.
2. Do You Need To Be Strong To Wheelie?
You don’t need to be strong to execute a wheelie, as the stunt is about distributing your weight properly on your bicycle. Core strength usually helps in a balancing activity, but it isn’t a determining factor when you wheelie for a prolonged time.
3. Are wheelies dangerous?
Wheelies are pretty dangerous because it increases the chances of you losing control of your bicycle and lowers yours and the other riders’ visibility. Therefore be careful when doing it and ensure you wear protective gear like a bike helmet.
4. Do Wheelies Damage Your Bike?
Generally, wheelies won’t damage your bike if you do it correctly like the wheels. However, there’s a chance of damages if something goes wrong, but it’s a rare occurrence if you are using a bike built to endure the brutal nature of off-roading.
5. Can You Do Wheelies On A Mountain Bike?
A mountain bike is an excellent bike to do wheelies as it’s solid, lightweight, and built for rugged terrains. They also have robust drivetrain and braking systems, which come in handy when you wheelie.
6.Can You Wheelie A Road Bike?
You can wheelie a road bike, but it will be harder than on a mountain or BMX bike because of its geometry. Your body position is less conducive to performing wheelies on a road bike than a mountain bike.
7. Can You Wheelie A Hybrid Bike?
Like a road bike, you can wheelie on a hybrid bike, but it’s not the natural choice for the activity. However, it helps that it’s a comfortable, lightweight bike.
8. Is Popping Wheelies Illegal?
It’s legal to pop wheelies, but some complaints have been raised by people who fear for their safety. Police officers monitor cyclists doing wheelies instead of arresting them.
Conclusion, Why Can’t I Wheelie My Bike?
You need proper and consistent practice because mastering wheelie is challenging. Therefore, put in the work if you want to enjoy and showcase this wonderful stunt to your friends.
While some bikes are better equipped for wheelie, remember that you’ll use your bicycle for other purposes. Thus, make sure it has the core features you need in a bike.
Also Read:
