Skewer/Stunt Peg Wheelie on a BMX
This trick is sure to impress your friends. Not only will you look cool, but it's also a bunch of fun. If you can do the less difficult tricks, it's time to upgrade to the stunt peg wheelie. Grab your bike and let's go! Jaws will be dropping like flies.
Steps
- Check all your hardware. Make sure that your tires are rock solid. If they're not, pump them up. Tighten your stunt pegs to ensure that they stay on the bike. Tighten your seat to ensure you stay on the bike and tighten your handlebars so you can get a good grip on the bike. Replace your helmet if it's cracked or if it has suffered a hard knock. Even if you can't see the damage, it's there.
- Determine your strong foot. Which foot do you prefer to have forward when you bunny hop or drop in? What's the first foot you walk up some stairs with? If you're right handed, it's usually your right. If you're left handed, it's usually your left. However, this is not always true so don't just assume, test out both feet.
- Learn how to wheelie. The wheelie is a pretty simple trick, just ride on your back tyre. Pull the front tyre up into the air and feather your back brake. Keep practicing until you can wheelie for a fair amount of time. A good way to do this is to ride in an empty car park and count how many parking spaces you can wheelie over. Increase this number every day.
- Get some speed. This trick only works if you are going at a comfortable speed. Go too fast and you will probably fall off. Go too slow, however, and your bike will just tip over. Having said that, never go more than a speed you are comfortable with. Try to find the sweet spot where the bike can balance itself out.
- Move your dominant foot onto your back stunt peg. When you are comfortable, slowly move your dominant foot back. Practice riding for a while like this. If you feel unbalanced, move your foot back to the pedal and try again. When you’re comfortable, move your weaker foot back on the other back stunt peg. Don't lean too far back otherwise the bike will just fall over. Spread out your weight. Now you should be comfortable on the two back pegs.
- Pop a wheelie. Slowly pull up the handlebars so that the front tyre is in the air. Find a comfortable spot where the bike doesn't tip over. This may take some practice. You should be stopping the bike from falling down, not stopping it from going further into the air. If you find yourself doing this, you've pulled too far up.
- Relax. Relax your arms and slowly lower the front tyre back down onto the ground. Don't slam it down otherwise you'll end up flying over the handlebars and kissing the floor. Move your legs back onto the pedals and ride away.
Tips
- Practice in a smooth, open place away from cars, people, obstacles and small rocks and stones. A good example is an indoor skatepark (away from the ramps) when it's nearly empty.
- Having a lighter bike may help. Lighten your BMX by riding in the daytime so you won’t need reflectors and lights, only having stunt pegs on the back wheel and pumping up the tyres a lot.
Warnings
- Have great balance before attempting this or any other trick.
- Always wear a helmet.
Things You'll Need
- A BMX/light bike
- A helmet
- Stunt pegs/a long skewer
