Biketrial Tricks

For the 180-degree spin, you should have a solid bunny hop down first.

The rotation is initiated by steering in the direction of the spin, the head turns first, and the hips help with the rotation. It’s important to pull the handlebars as close to your hips as possible. This gives you more momentum for the rotation. You don’t need to jump high, and you should only focus on the front wheel. At the right rotation speed, the rear wheel does exactly the right thing on its own without you having to pay attention to it.

I don’t pedal during the takeoff, which means I can perform the trick at (hopefully) any speed. I also don’t use the brakes.

Ride toward an obstacle at medium speed (for example, a stack of pallets or a concrete block). Lean back early enough before the obstacle so that the front wheel rises up. Timing is the most important thing during the takeoff. At first, it feels like you’re falling backward just before the jump. The moment that feeling kicks in is exactly the right time to take off. Jump by pushing off with your legs and extending your body, then pull the rear wheel up by pushing the handlebars forward. Make sure you never lose contact with the pedals during the takeoff. Try to land right on the edge of the obstacle and pull the rear brake. The momentum from your approach automatically pushes you forward, and you land safely on the obstacle.

The 360 Rock Walk Drop requires that you can spin over the front wheel. Just before the rotation, turn the handlebars almost 90 degrees, don’t ride in too fast, and rotate your hips in the direction of your spin axis. Rotate at least 180 degrees before you jump off the front wheel. The jump off the front wheel isn’t really a jump — it’s more of a “lifting” of the front wheel. You don’t have to complete the full 360 degrees before you land, 300 degrees or so is fine too — you finish the rest of the rotation on the rear wheel.

Ride slowly and turn the handlebars 90 degrees in the direction you want to initiate the movement. Pull the front brake, shift your weight forward and in the direction of rotation, and let the front wheel stay in place (it doesn’t need to rotate along — you rotate yourself over the handlebars).

In the video you can see Georg, who turns it straight into a Rock Walk Drop.

A difficult trick that’s all about finding the right balance. Ride very slowly and turn the handlebars similar to the Front Wheel Pivot, but not 90 degrees — more like 45 degrees. Pull the front brake, shift your weight forward and slightly to the side (not the side of the rotation, but the opposite side), pull the rear brake, and step onto the front tire with the foot that was on the rear pedal. Important: you need to lean forward more than you’d think as a beginner, but not too much, or the rear wheel will hit the ground after 180 degrees of rotation. Finding the right left-right balance is the really hard part. Now give a very light kick with the foot still on the pedal to better initiate the rotation and gain a bit more control over your position on the front wheel. Keep both front and rear brakes pulled, and the rear wheel rotates 360 degrees around the front wheel. Just before the frame comes around to hit you, jump off the front tire and land back on the pedals — landing on the cranks is fine too, nobody will notice.

For this trick, it’s important to have long brake cables, otherwise you won’t be able to complete the 360-degree rotation.

A trick where you should definitely wear a helmet. You can start by riding slowly as shown in the video, or if you already have more feel for your bike, try it from a standstill. I’ll describe the process from a rolling start. Ride at walking speed, pull the front brake, and push your hips forward. When practicing, it’s sometimes helpful to have someone film you. From your own perspective, you might think you’re already way too far forward, but that’s usually deceiving. The position of your hips determines how far forward you lean. You push the handlebars ahead of you as you do this.

Once you’re in position (finding this position takes quite a few attempts), hop from your feet. That means you put pressure on the pedals and only pull the bike up with your hands — you don’t push the front tire down with your hands. Only hop when you feel it’s necessary for a balance correction.

It’s also important to know that if you fall forward, you can always bail. Try tipping forward on grass or a soft surface and jump off. You’ll find it’s easier than you think. While practicing, I haven’t fallen forward a single time so far and have always been able to step off.