Henrik Y Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hello!When you jump onto a small obstacle and first land with the frontwheel and then swing the bike over to the backwheel on the same spot as the frontwheel was. How do you do it?I've been trying this for a while now and it seems impossible for me. I've been training on flat ground and curb edges. But I only get the backwheel half way. If I let the bike go a little side ways it gets a little easier but still almost impossible.Is there anything important that I should think of when doing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Winton. Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 They take a while to learn, just keep trying to turn the back end when you do it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t33zr Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) i find it easier to do on a higher place than a curb.... if its low its harder....i belive the key is to have a litle speed and body weight over the bars Edited February 25, 2008 by t33zr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spode@thinkbikes Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Round here we called that a smoke, as it's a damn sight quicker than saying "front to back".At first, you'll end up almost swinging the back round, so the back wheel lands about 4ft from where your front wheel originally touched. At this stage in learning, it's pretty much a sidehop, as you'll find you take off quite sideways. Eventually, you'll be able to take off more straight on and be more accurate with it. The longer you wait on the front wheel, the more momentum you lose - so try and get the switch as fast as possible, and then it makes the straight on smoke a little easier.There is a big risk of hitting the down tube, so practice on pallets to minimise bike damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 You can practise just on the flat ground until you get the hang of it. Do an endo and then concentrate on smoothly letting the front brake off and pushing the bike so it sort of rolls smoothly through your legs. Don't have the back brake on at this point, only use it to catch yourself right at the last minute.When you've got it nailed on the flat, move to walls which are, say, 3ft wide. Then 1ft, then rails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor the basher. Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I think maby the best way to learn it to try getting the back wheel round so gap to front then swing the back wheel round to the side, just so you pick up the tech of gapping to front.It will come eventually you just have to keepin gapping to front and it will come ~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Y Posted February 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Ok, thanks. I think this will help me a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt24. Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 The easiest way to explain I'd say is getting your hips right near the front of the bike as you land, as your back rises to above height of the wall lift the front and throw the bike forward as if your stretching when your doing pedal up/ bunny hop etc, this will push the bike from where it was straight forward under neath you. If your ass is near the wall when you land on the front as in very forward you will easily stick your back wheel to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycholist Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) How good is your front brake? The brakes on my last bike were very poor to bite when I pulled the lever, so I wasn't able to dump the bike nose first into anything without the brake slipping on me. On a freshly ground rim with trials brake pads there's more than enough hold to give confidence though. I've only been doing front wheel to back wheel stuff for a month or so and it was changing the brakes that made all the difference. Edited February 25, 2008 by psycholist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Y Posted February 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 How good is your front brake? The brakes on my last bike were very poor to bite when I pulled the lever, so I wasn't able to dump the bike nose first into anything without the brake slipping on me. On a freshly ground rim with trials brake pads there's more than enough hold to give confidence though. I've only been doing front wheel to back wheel stuff for a month or so and it was changing the brakes that made all the difference.I have a disc brake front. Not super but I think it's good enough. But I will try a few new things that I didn't know before next time I ride and see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudirudirudirudirudi Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 no one has mentioned it yet, but make sure you release your front brake to get your back end down. so you go up to front let the rear end rise, then let go of front brake and tuck the bike under you and forwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladd Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 If your going flat to flat try and drop your front end as much as possible to try aand get it closer to the other object, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Round here we called that a smoke, as it's a damn sight quicker than saying "front to back".At first, you'll end up almost swinging the back round, so the back wheel lands about 4ft from where your front wheel originally touched. At this stage in learning, it's pretty much a sidehop, as you'll find you take off quite sideways. Eventually, you'll be able to take off more straight on and be more accurate with it. The longer you wait on the front wheel, the more momentum you lose - so try and get the switch as fast as possible, and then it makes the straight on smoke a little easier.There is a big risk of hitting the down tube, so practice on pallets to minimise bike damage.Switch mayte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Just make sure you keep your body weight moving throughout the move. The bike goes from mobile to static to mobile again, but you need to keep mobile constantly. It's your body weight passing forward, nearer the front of your bike that keeps the momentum going in the move, and allows you to fling the bike forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spode@thinkbikes Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Switch mayte. Nah. Switch means with your wrong foot forward! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Y Posted February 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Isn't it called "Wheel swap"?I did practice on it a little bit today when it stopped raining. And I think I start to understand it but it's still far away from success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 (edited) There was a vid of me on Trashzen years ago doing a similar thing, will try and find the link Few hints and tips here Edited February 26, 2008 by N.Wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Scarlet Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Like over people have said, learn it on flat ground or a kerb, to get the motions down, then move onto something bigger.People say rails is the hardest, it is in the sense of accuracy but once your wheel has switched (so your rear wheel is now on the rail), you don't have to hold on the rear wheel, you can just release the brake and kick the pedals.Rather than switching on a large ledge, you have to hold it on the rear wheel to avoid the front end dropping (which on some ledges can be a big drop on the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spode@thinkbikes Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Isn't it called "Wheel swap"?Personally, I consider a wheel swap to be a static move, where your front wheel is on the object and you are lunging to back wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krisboats Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Personally, I consider a wheel swap to be a static move, where your front wheel is on the object and you are lunging to back wheel.I've always called them switches or a wheel-switch. I'd call the other move wheelswap as its swapping from one wheel to another fluidly, rather than switching from one to the other. Though i guess the name wheelswap or wheelswitch could be applied to either manouvers. Static wheelswap and rolling wheelswap would be more accurate for the two different moves.I've always found leaning over the bars and physically trying to flick the bars/front end forwards whilst performing the swap always helps fluidity and ease. Also keeping the back brake off helps the back wheel to roll into place rather than stopping it as soon as it hits the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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