Locking the front wheel against an obstacle
Abel Mustieles locked into a trackstand.
You can lock your bike with three contact points, two with the tyres on the ground, and one more higher up on the front tire against the obstacle. In this position, you can maintain a trackstand even out of balance.Hannes Herrmann locked into a trackstand.
Locking the front wheel against an obstacle
1° Ride towards the obstacle at an angle of about 45 degrees or less, with your lazy foot on the side of the obstacle.
2° As you approach, turn the bars to face the obstacle with the front wheel and touch it with the front tyre.
3° Lock the brakes, you can now rest the front wheel against the obstacle and lean the bike on the same side to maintain pressure and gain full support.
4° When you want to leave the locked position, simply turn the front wheel away from its contact point on the obstacle and ride away.
Compression trackstand
A compression trackstand
wedged between two rocks.
Fight for your balance
Stretch your leg for counter-balance.
If you are too much off balance,
extend a leg to have more effect
Following narrow lines
Focus on the front wheel, lean forward
Ryan Leech, the master of balance
(photo by Derek Vanderkooy)
With the front wheel up against an obstacle.
Try to balance between two rocks.
Try to balance with the front wheel lifted onto some kerb. To maintain balance in that position, you'll have to lean much more over the stem and put more pressure vertically on the front wheel (to stop it from moving sideways). Once you found your balance, keep your cool and plan your next move (that the Zen part of trials).
Rolling backwards
This little trick always makes people assume that there is no freewheel on the
bike you ride, and that the chain can drive the rear wheel both ways like on a
fixed gear bike.
It is purely visual. But rolling backwards is very useful to
reposition yourself quickly on a slick surface, away from the obstacle onto
which you were resting the front wheel for example. This is a direct variation of
the trackstand as it could be learnt in a mild slope.
This is much less demanding than hopping around. Try this in a slope first, from a trackstand position, unlocking the brakes and progressively releasing
pressure from your front foot. The bike forces its way backwards down the slope, turning the cranks backwards too.
Riding slowly backwards, try to maintain the bike straight and balance sideways. Adjust your balance by turning the bars on the side you fall.
Ride backwards in a smooth snake pattern if that helps, every turn is an opportunity to adjust your balance.
Rolling backwards
1° With the brakes locked, lean forward over the bars to prepare for a quick and firm pushup.
Then straighten the front wheel and push back on the bar.
2° Unlock the brakes and soften your feet on the pedals, backpedal in tune to let the cranks turn.
Ride slowly backwards and try to maintain the bike straight.
3° Ride backwards in a smooth snake pattern if that helps, every turn is an opportunity to adjust your balance.
4° Use your hips and lean on one side or the other of the top tube to balance as you roll back.
Follow the cranks
Just try to follow the cranks' movement in a back-pedalling motion, let the cranks drive your feet and use the brakes if you
think this is going too fast. Once you manage to pedal backwards down a
slope, try this on a flat surface.
Going backwards with a push-up
Find a comfortable trackstand position on a flat surface and apply both brakes
to secure a good grip. Lean forward over the bars to prepare for a quick push up, then straighten the
front wheel and push back on the bars with the brakes still locked so that you can thrust yourself backwards.