Wheelies ‘SHOULD’ Be Easy

by TOM TRANTOW & RON HENSLEY

Hang on a second, what I mean is that although wheelies are certainly hard and take a long time to learn, they SHOULD be easy. The foundational skills of throttle, clutch control, body position, and balance can be isolated and developed independently. We can build skills, layer on layer rather than attempting wheelies via trial and error.

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CLICK HERE: TRIALS PROGRESSION WHEELIE

Certainly, lots of folks have successfully learned the basic balance point wheelie via trial and error. It is possible to rev the engine, pop the clutch, and hope to get to the balance point and try to maintain it. That approach is certainly valid but it usually leads to lots of bad experiences that are hard on the bike and the rider, such as going too far back and looping out or falling over.

We have all done way more wheelies that DID NOT get to the balance point than wheelies that did. Our brains have a natural survival instinct that tells us we should not lean back that far. Honestly, it’s good to have a healthy fear of crashing. Maybe you have reserved yourself to not get hurt, but you still want to somehow get better on the back wheel. Is there a way to work through the fear of looping out in a safe manner so you don’t end up with a busted bike? Or worse yet, a broken body?

We need to retrain our brain to get more comfortable at the balance point and it can be done in a much safer way that is far more conducive to learning. Like Neo in the Matrix, you can either take the blue pill or the red pill. Blue, and you will wake up tomorrow and continue to do the same thing and ride the same way getting the same results. Take the Red pill and start down an adventure towards wheelie progression and many other riding skills.

The red pill has within it The Progression Method (TPM). The Progression Method is at the intersection of how we assimilate knowledge, acquire skills, develop muscle memory, stay motivated, and remain safe. TPM can be applied to almost any complex skill, and I find that it works exceptionally well for learning wheelies because the balance point can be such a scary place with little margin for error. Through drills, action steps, focus points and even tests, this approach allows you to travel down a much safer and better lit path. Through baby steps or building blocks of skill development, you can program your body to respond with desired outcomes. You will develop “muscle memory” to automate the quick reactions required to safely hang out at the balance point. Achieving milestones along the way also helps maintain motivation.

The basic high level components of TPM are listed below.

1. Isolate each Micro Skill of a desired technique and find a SAFE way to practice just that single individual Micro Skill.

2. Verbalize the desired actions aloud by using 'Cue Words' which will reinforce what you want your body to do. (i.e. Rev, Push back, Pop, Slip)

3. Practice this Micro Skill for a set limited time (10 minutes, during each practice session). Working on good form & technique to establish muscle memory.

4. When it goes right, celebrate your success and enjoy the moment. Emotions cement memories and help to form neurological connections for easier recall.

5. Integrate that 1 Micro Skill into a more real-world scenario by adding another part of the technique.

6. Use Circuit Training to help your brain lock in the learning. For example, if you are working on wheelies, do a wheelie, then do a figure of 8, then do 30 seconds of static balance. Then repeat the circuit. This will enhance automatic recall so that you can perform the wheelie skill without needing 10 warm up attempts.

As it relates to learning to wheelie, here are a few examples of progressive drills geared towards maintaining the balance point.

1. Standing Clutch Ups - With the bike in a small ditch and your feet on each side so you are standing a little higher than the wheel base, hold the front brake and rock the bike forward putting your body weight into the bars while building about 10-20% RPM. Then, as the front suspension rebounds, push back from the bars and pop the clutch so the bike is standing up in front of you, with the front end at the balance point. Then pull the clutch in, and try to hold it there.

2. Standing Clutch Slip Rollbacks at the Balance Point - Doing the above and with the front wheel at the balance point, pull in the clutch and allow the front wheel to start to come down and the rear tire to roll back slightly. Keep your feet firmly planted with a wide base. Then add a touch of RPM and slip the clutch in the friction zone to gently bring the front wheel back up to the balance point and repeat.

3. Walk the Bike - Same as #1, but allow the front wheel to come down just slightly from the balance point and then slip the clutch so the bike gently moves forward. Maybe 5-10% RPM and between zero and 15% clutch engagement. Walk your feet with a wide base along behind the bike getting used to the balance point.

4. One Foot Standing Clutch Up to Rear Brake - Same as #1, but with your right foot on the peg and your left foot on the ground. Clutch up to the balance point or even past it and then engage the rear brake while also pulling in the clutch. Repeat this 20 times a day for a month so your body knows what to do when the front comes up too high.

5. Wheelie to

- Now while riding along just above idle, use the front brake compression rebound we learned in #1 and pop the clutch with about 20-30% RPM. Do a quick clutch up wheelie so you are not going far or fast. When the bike gets just past the balance point, pull in the clutch and jump off behind while still holding onto the bars. This will give you a safe exit strategy so your brain learns it's ok to play at the balance point, you don’t have to panic and crash.

Jump Off the Back

If you would like to fully explore the red pill training experience, check out the Wheelie Progression Course at the link in this article where you can progressively learn all the trials wheelie techniques from the most basic to the most advanced.

Pro Rider Sam Fastle is also a part of this course as a special guest instructor for some of the more advanced wheelie related techniques. The Wheelie Progression Course is a full A to Z library with 20 lessons covering all things related to trials wheelies such as: clutch control, body mechanics, rear brake, exploring the balance point safely, front wheel accuracy on an obstacle, wheelies in the mud, seated wheelies, floater turns and even hopping on the back wheel.

On The Pegs readers will have free access during March 2023.

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