Riding backwards
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,671
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From: East coast
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac Expert, Cannondale R700, Specialized Langster, Iron Horse Hollowpoint Team, Schwinn Homegrown
#6
#9
#11
バカスゴい
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Kobe, Japan
Bikes: IRO Mark V Pro with FBM Sword fork, Ridley Oval,
Do the opposite of what you have been doing. But seriously, do the opposite of what you have been doing. Just keep practicing and practicing and practicing. Some people get it right away and others can take a long time to get it. Don't worry, just keep practicing. Not rocket science, just have "feel" it.
#13
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,938
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From: las vegas
Bikes: purty blue undefeated II 57cm
balance and practice. Its like trying to to cut a steak with a knife and fork but using the opposite hands. it feels awkward and you feel.. eh whats the word... cant think booze but but in time.
#16
1. When I first started to learn this someone told me to head straight for a wall or fence and hit it to start the backwards motion.
2. I found chain link fences to be better for this since they had a little bit of spring to them when you hit em.
3. Although it may seem counter-intuitive going at the fence with some speed helps, I'm not saying book it at the fence but If you have too little speed you wont have the same amount of control. Kinda hard to explain but it's kinda like riding with no handlebars the more committed your are to going backwards and the more comfortable you are the easier it will be to ride backwards.
4. Some claim that clips will help, I haven't noticed any benefit from doing so but some people swear on this.
Hope all this helps.
2. I found chain link fences to be better for this since they had a little bit of spring to them when you hit em.
3. Although it may seem counter-intuitive going at the fence with some speed helps, I'm not saying book it at the fence but If you have too little speed you wont have the same amount of control. Kinda hard to explain but it's kinda like riding with no handlebars the more committed your are to going backwards and the more comfortable you are the easier it will be to ride backwards.
4. Some claim that clips will help, I haven't noticed any benefit from doing so but some people swear on this.
Hope all this helps.
#17
Watch a bunch of world championship Artistic Cycling videos... then go into your driveway and break your arm trying it.
I think the no-hands wheelie forwards/backwards in a circle with someone standing on your shoulders is my favorite trick
I think the no-hands wheelie forwards/backwards in a circle with someone standing on your shoulders is my favorite trick
#18
Senior Member

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,452
Likes: 12
From: Philadelphia
Bikes: Surly CreamRoller. 98 Giant Rincon. SE UVT
Practice practice practice one day it'll just click. It took me a few weeks, at first I just learned to do circles in the direction I was comfortable track-standing. Once I got good in that direction I switches circles to the opposite side. After that I just started out doing a circle then straighten'd out the bars and started going straight back. Sometimes it helps to do it down a slanted drive way for added momentum.
#20
Just smang it.
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,295
Likes: 1
From: Bellingham
Bikes: Felt F1X, Kilo WT, Dawes Deadeye
I'm no expert but I've learned how to do the whole backwards in a circle thing. My advice would be:
1. Learn to track stand if you haven't already
2. Get really good at it - like no hands track standing for as long as you want
3. Practice trackstanding but instead of doing little back-forth motions to balance, make them bigger and bigger until you're eventually going forward and backward in an arc - eventually a circle
As for riding backwards in a straight line, it's much more difficult. practice 1-3 with your wheel tilted both right and left so you get ambidextrous at it and then you should be able to counter for leaning to either side.
1. Learn to track stand if you haven't already
2. Get really good at it - like no hands track standing for as long as you want
3. Practice trackstanding but instead of doing little back-forth motions to balance, make them bigger and bigger until you're eventually going forward and backward in an arc - eventually a circle
As for riding backwards in a straight line, it's much more difficult. practice 1-3 with your wheel tilted both right and left so you get ambidextrous at it and then you should be able to counter for leaning to either side.
#21
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 535
Likes: 5
Yeah, you have to know how to track stand in both directions really good, and know backwards circles in both directions. Then you just start to make your circles wider and wider.
Takes time and lots of practice. After practicing on and off for like 3 months, I was finally able to do backwards circles in 1 direction. And they weren't pretty either.
Takes time and lots of practice. After practicing on and off for like 3 months, I was finally able to do backwards circles in 1 direction. And they weren't pretty either.
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