RoadJerk

Hey I'm trying to learn to wheelie but its really difficult even though im following all the advice ive heard on how to do them. I can pop the front up about a foot for maybe a second and a half (for about as long as 1/2 pedal revolution), but I cant lift further or keep it up longer no matter how hard i torque or lean back.

I tried doing it on my friends bike, who runs a smaller ratio, and I can at least get the front up to the balance point there. He tried it on my bike and said mine is geared to high and its impossible.

Is it really impossible with a 55t chainring and 17t cog? Should I gear it down, or should I just try harder?

ridefixedlld

check out https://www.tricktrack.org/forum/
those guys will be way more into helping you with this, also there is a couple threads already dedicated to wheelies that helped me out a ton.

My best advice:
1. use your arms as little as possible to pop up. Use leg power.
2. sit on the very back of your saddle.
3. LEAN THE **** BACK
4. Practice just popping up and falling back off the bike and landing on your feet a bunch of times and that will help you figure out the sweet spot where you can balance the wheelie

hope this helps

ncohen

i have this problem a lot in bed

LupinIII

brakeless 55-17 on the street, i laugh at your jackassery.

why are you running such a ******** gear ratio? don't say speed, you have a riser stem, flat bars, and a steel 27" wheel.

for a 17t cog, 46-50 chainring is plenty fine. for 55t chainrings i'd say at least a 19t cog.

RoadJerk

thanks~!

RoadJerk

Well call me a jackass but I prefer high gears for - speed lol. I feel more comfortable riding fast at lower cadences. And who said this is my "street ride"? Right now its pretty much a campus bike. I can stop plenty fine with toe cages, or foot braking if I really have to bring it to a halt. I might get tired of that and get a front brake, but for now let me have my fun and feel cooler than people with brakes. I'm still popping my fixie cherry.

NoCash27

you really feel cool for not having brakes?

Sixty Fiver

You are gonna break my new bs meter...

Sixty Fiver

See... now I need a new one.

Sixty Fiver

This appears to be more solidly made...

Sixty Fiver

Try swapping that 55 to a 48 and get back to us.

RoadJerk

Ok, I'll try that. But what are you calling BS on? I don't get it...

RoadJerk

Not really, but when people see that I don't have any they say "Waow, that guy's badass!" and that makes me feel cool

Sixty Fiver

The going fast and being able to stop... both are relative and bet you can go fast on flat ground when there is no hint of a breeze and that you can stop... poorly.

RoadJerk

Well I guess everything is relative. I admit, going down a steep hill feels awkward. But I can go just about as fast as I can on my road bike in 2nd to last gear on the flats, and accelerate much quicker. Over hills I can stand and mash up them without losing too much speed. Of course I can't maintain that pace over a long period, and a road bike would eventually overtake me in a lower gear, and I cant slow down as quick as a bike with brakes, but no fixed gear can do either of those things no matter what gearing. (Of course, one can always plant a foot on the rear tire and stop as fast as a bike with a rear brake). I dont know what the standard is for "stopping poorly" or "stopping decently" but I sure as hell am able to stop faster now than I ever have on a fix, cause I finally have one that I can practice on.

I used to ride an old, heavy, steel road bike in top gear all the time, cause the derailleur didn't work, and I got used to low cadence, high resistance pedaling. Now on a lighter bike, with toeclips, I can put out enough resistance to (almost) do a seated skid running 55-17. To stop I usually do a series of small hop-skids. I don't have a speedometer or a G-meter on my bike, so I cant prove anything, but if you don't believe me I will make a video, just for you (just gimme a week or so )

TheBikeRollsOn 

Why would you need a gear as tall as that on campus? I don't know about your campus but mine doesn't have many stretches where you would ever be able to get up to the proper cadence for that gear. And foot braking your rear wheel is not going to stop you faster than anyone with a front brake set up properly. Why does this seem to come up so often?

LupinIII

see ya knees, it was nice knowing you

ianjk

Can't stop, can't accelerate, can't climb, can't wheelie, sounds like a winning combo.

Rob Glatfelter

I love threads like this.
Makes me happy.
I'm rocking 35-22.
Give that a try if you really want to wheelie.
Ho ho ho.

LupinIII

nah man, it's about the speed man. forget my steel 27", flat bars, riser stem.

seriously guy, you want a gear ratio that you can hold cadence at like 60-90 rpm.

seeing someone use a 55t maxy for speed is like someone putting kenda slicks on a roadmaster for hella speed.

RoadJerk

to each his own, i suppose.

my question was answered long ago. thanks for the tips guys.

TL179

he probably doesn't even have a 55, you pretty much need to order them, find an old tri bike, or luck out in a parts bin

RoadJerk

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47282058@N03/4335890441/

parts bin, biatch. why would I lie?