Tricked out: How to jump a bike, ride down steps and more
Posted on: Friday, December 21st, 2007 at 3:09 pm by: Larue Salter-Fryson
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Trick bike riding, or “freestyle” biking, has become increasingly popular in the last few years, as is evidenced by the television coverage of professional freestyle bikers. Maybe you’re the daredevil type of bike rider who’s ready to take your biking to the next level by attempting some of these tricks. If you are, be prepared to invest a lot of time into learning how to perform them with minimal risk.
Before performing any tricks on your bike, make sure you have the necessary safety equipment. You should always be wearing a helmet with the chinstrap fastened, gloves to protect your hands and knee protector pads, which should be worn over your pants. Once you’re appropriately geared-up, you’ll be ready to begin trying out some tricks on your bike. Here are a few basic bike tricks to get you started.
How to jump a bike
When attempting to perform this bike trick, try power off riding by moving your bike into the jump, feel the movement of the bike, lean forward into the jump and move your bike up into a thrust. Level your bike off and then move forward into landing your bike. The more you jump, the more you get the feel of how to lean forward and then back into the jump.
How to drop in on a ramp
First make sure you are comfortable in your seat position. Next decide which position you are going to roll in. Roll in sideways at an angle into the ramp. Feel the movement of the bike – from there you can determine if you want to lift up on your back tire a little. Do not go straight into the ramp. Riding in straight will cause more of a potential for flipping. Place your feet positioned forward and then roll into the ramp. As with anything, the more you practice, the better you become.
Carving on a bike ramp
If your right foot is forward, carve to the left. If your left foot is forward, carve to the right. Use your legs and arms to pump up and down the ramp. Keep your seat forward as you pump up and down the ramp while moving back and forth.
How to bunny hop
Bunny hopping is one of the fundamental bike tricks. Lift the front tire up first, level the bike out then pick up the back tire. This allows you to get higher and use more muscles. Once you get it down, try jumping over things. However, stick to the basics first.
How to manual
A manual is one of the easiest tricks, but it’s hard to learn. From the ground, get behind the seat then lean back and keep your front tire off the ground without peddling. Stay in the manual position. Use your legs, arms and a little of the brake. Keep one foot on the brake at all times. Attempt manuals in parking lots with parking spaces until you can gauge how far you go while doing manuals on your bike.
These are just a few of the many bike tricks you can attempt and master. Watch the movements and tricks being performed by other bikers when you meet them or when you’re community biking. Get tips from other bikers. Rent a few instructional videos or check out some of the tapes from your public library. Remember that safety comes first. Make sure you have the appropriate equipment to prevent an accident from occurring that could cause serious injuries. Biking can be an enormous amount of fun and safe if you take it seriously and prepare.
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