Village Idiot Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I’m having a problem with keeping the front end up when wheelswapping. I’m using a ledge which is about 18” or so and approaching it at an angle rather than straight on. I can wheelswap and plant my rear wheel where my front wheel was previously, but the front wheel is not high enough to keep it to back wheel – the front is barely above the ledge once I’m up.Has anyone else had a similar problem when learning this? Are there any pointers or is it just something that will come with practice?Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nafan Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 You could try it on flat first, just to get used to it a bit more...Try putting yourself in an awquard position while doing a wheelswap on the ground, and try to get out of it...It could just be a case of having to pedal the front wheel up after swapping...Are you doing it smoothly like felix mucke, or the kind of way that tunni and craig lee scott do?Cheers, Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Drewery Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Its just practice, try learning on something a little higher. It may look scarier, but it could help your technique. On higher objects your bike is steeper when the front wheel is on top, so when you hop your already set up to land steep enough on the back wheel to keep the bike up. Try and throw your weight straight up than forward at the last minute, as you can then get the height and the motion means that the bars and front end of your bike are kept above the back. It sounds to me like your trying it on objects slightly too small to grasp the technique. It sounds weird, but I actually find it harder on smaller objects, because my bike isnt very steep and so you have to pull up the front end as well as lift the whole bike at the same time. This close up clip might help, my bike is quite steep in the clip so you might understand better what I mean;WheelswapHope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanie-b Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 I've always had trouble keeping it up, I find herbal remedies are very good.No seriously,I find starting at a really sharp angle is the best way to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash-Kennard Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 start about 22" angle yourself about 45degrees, try and find something thin so you are motivated to keep the front up, without dying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
011001000110010101110010 Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Push the backwheel forward more when you leap up. This will throw your weight over the back keeping the front higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trials Dave Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 this may sound saracastic and silly but its not,just get your arse over the rear wheel.PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT ASWELL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Just aim to go a bit higher. If you can go higher and then stick the wheel down, you'll naturally be further back and more likely to stick it on the back wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghosts_cloak Posted January 1, 2006 Report Share Posted January 1, 2006 Hi I have just learnt to wheelswap myself, and I find that the process/manouever of throwing the bike up and forwards causes me to land with my weight shifted right back, hence allowing me to (relatively) easily keep the front wheel in the air once on the object. I have only recently started trying to get up decent objects and It still makes me cringe everytime I slip to the bashguard - I know thats what the bashguard is there for, but does it damage the bike/BB for example? Good luck with your wheelswaps ~Gaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 I have only recently started trying to get up decent objects and It still makes me cringe everytime I slip to the bashguard - I know thats what the bashguard is there for, but does it damage the bike/BB for example? Nah, not really. The main problem I find is that the back wheel slips out of the dropout every time I hit the bash hard. That won't be a problem for your Leeson though - 360 Dropouts are ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Nah, not really. The main problem I find is that the back wheel slips out of the dropout every time I hit the bash hard. That won't be a problem for your Leeson though - 360 Dropouts are ace Im sure James used to run an old knackered Hope QR on the rear. I guess since buying the bike you havent changed the QR, you know what to do, go and buy a Shimano scewer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaRtZ Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 QUOTE(deanie-b @ Jan 1 2006, 09:46 PM) ←I've always had trouble keeping it up, I find herbal remedies are very good.Yeah you need a slap for that incredibly poor joke... I've found on stuff easier for me to do, the front wheel stays up, whereas as the more difficult stuff the front wheel is about 2 inches off the ground.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigman Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 I find wheelswaping small stuff hard, like it has been said above, try something slightly higher, i say start on something just under wheel height, i used to be able to do just over wheel height on my monty urban, 1040mm WB yeh, hehe.....Any how, when i wheel swap i get sideways to the object, so that my bad foot is against the wall i am swapping, this reduces the amount of forwards movement i have to apply, meaning u can consentrate on the upwards thrust more.Another thing i find that helps is to not apply the rear brake while the rear wheel is on the floor, this means that when u preload the wheel rolls slightly alowing the forks to flex and then return, which provides added boost to the upwards movement, as they sort of spring u upwards.As for the keeping on the back wheel, i find that when i do wheel swap my weight does get quite far over the back of my bike, i have never realy had much of a problem with this, but i think if u try on a higher well u will find it easier as your weight will naturaly be further back on the bike.The pic below shows the position i am on the bike when i am swapping a wall:Before swapping......On top of the object.......The wall in the pic is 34 inchs, this was quite big, until i went riding in ludlow and pulled off a completely static 36.5 inch swap, held it to back wheel too Hope that helped slightlyAdam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Thanks for the replies.I've been out and tried something higher (about 22"). I found it harder to stick to backwheel on this, but as soon as I moved back to the smaller object I was able to get it and keep the front up.Another thing...I've noticed that most people tend to have their bad foot closest to the wall so they can get closer to the wall. At the minute I'm wheelswapping with my good foot closest to the wall - I can't even make the smaller wheel swaps when I try it bad foot next to wall. Should I keep going the way that feels comfortable or force myself to change?Would it have anything to do with the way you (try to) sidehop. i.e. if you sidehop to the side of your good foot are you more likely to wheelswap with your good foot facing the wall?Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
011001000110010101110010 Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Bad foot closest to the wall is the best way. As you said it allows you to be closer to the wall and therefore not have to hop so far forwad. Deffinatly try and go this way, it will help in the long term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benno Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Force yourself to change, it's just better to have your bad foot closest to the wall, means you can go higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Force yourself to change, it's just better to have your bad foot closest to the wall, means you can go higher.Yeah, it's not a question of preference really. You have to do it at a bit of an angle (towards your bad foot) if you want to go over ~28" or something (depends on the length of your bike). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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