Do a Stoppie on a Mountain Bike
One of the essential "building block" mountain biking skills is the ability to lift your rear wheel off the ground. Knowing how to do this well will make a lot of other hopping tricks far easier.
Steps
- Get ready. There's a good chance you'll get launched over your bars a couple times, so strap on your helmet, gloves, and pads. If you are rocking clipless pedals, switch to flats to make ejects easier. Find a big grassy area with no obstacles to practice in.
- Roll forward at moderate speed ({{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}) with your weight over your rear wheel.
- Rock your weight forward while progressively squeezing on the front brake. Keep increasing the braking power until your rear wheel begins to lift. If you find that the rear wheel is pitching upward too quickly, release the brake immediately and move your weight rearward.
- Sustain! Gently shift your weight back over the rear wheel to balance and keep yourself from going over the bars.
- Release the front brake and extend your legs to drop your rear wheel back onto the ground.
- Rinse and repeat. Increase your speed and amplitude to up the altitude. The faster you go, and the quicker you shift your weight forward, the higher the rear wheel will lift.
Tips
- Increment slowly. Start at slow speeds and just lift your wheel a few inches. As you get more comfortable, you will be able to lift the rear wheel a foot or two.
- If you know your going over the bars try to jump over them and push them under your feet. If you are wearing clip less pedals then I would recommend putting on some flats. (You can sometimes let go of the brake to let the rear end down but there is a point of no return with stoppies and endos).
Warnings
- You will go over your bars a few times while learning. Start small, wear protective gear, and ride with flat pedals.
Things You'll Need
- A mountain bike with good front brakes.
- A bicycle helmet.
- Knee/elbow pads.
- Flat pedals.
- A large grassy area.
- First aid kit and a friend.
