Wheelie Drop a Mountain Bike

By S. Daniel Ackerman

The wheelie drop is one of the most essential mountain bike skills you can learn. The term refers to riding up onto an obstacle, then landing the rear wheel before the front. It's a lot of fun, looks great and is the best way to ride over large obstacles and down huge drops. Serious riders can drop ten feet or more with this technique and the right bike. Start small, though, until you learn the technique.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Get your rear tire onto the obstacle. The particular technique you use depends on the obstacle. It could be as simple as riding up to a drop or as complicated as trailing up a giant rock. Stand slightly and position your weight towards the rear of the saddle.

Step 2

Pull back on the handlebars if you're on the obstacle at a high rate of speed. If you're going fast enough to ride a wheelie, then just ride one right over the edge.

Step 3

Position your pedals and set your gears so that you can get a good power stroke if you are riding more slowly or beginning from a stop.

Step 4

Drive the mountain bike forward with a good power stroke and simultaneously pull back on the handlebars. Stay smooth, and don't just jerk the bars upwards. Your front wheel should rise into the air as the bike moves.

Step 5

Drop off the obstacle with your bike in a wheelie. Land your rear wheel first, then the front wheel. Absorb the shock of the landing in your knees and elbows.

Step 6

Ride away from the obstacle and settle the balance of the mountain bike before you grab the brakes. If you hit the rear brake at any point during a wheelie drop, there is a good chance you'll go right over the handlebars.

Tips & Warnings

Practice wheelie drops on obstacles large and small, even if you can bunny hop right over them. It does wonders for your mountain biking skills and improves your riding style drastically.

Always wear a helmet and other safety gear when mountain biking, even if you're practicing on soft grass. Practice new stunts with platform pedals installed on your mountain bike rather than your normal clipless pedals.

Resources

http://www.mountainbike.com/

About The Author

S. Daniel Ackerman lives to ride his mountain bike and has spent the last decade mostly on it, sometimes on the ground near it, surviving to write about his experiences.

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