11 Road Bike Tricks

Isn’t it amazing to see accomplished cyclists jumping around, riding their bikes, and making the fullest of their skills on a bike? Well, it is for me!

Road biking is one of the most fun things to do as there are so many tricks to learn. From bunny hopping to one hand wheelie to the superman-style riding, there are just so many things you can do.

I have gathered here a list of 11 road biking tricks and how you can learn them to amp up your cycling game. Let’s get started with them right away!

1. Bunny Hop

As the name sounds, this trick revolves around jumping off an obstacle with both the wheels off the ground. Hop off a log while you are biking on a trail or off a water bottle in the park, bunny hopping will be very fruitful for you to learn!

Steps to follow:

1. Start in a normal position, neither too high nor too low. This will help maintain the body weight at the center.
2. Next, fold your arms and move forward towards the handles, pushing the weight towards the back.
3. Next, squat your legs and push the hips towards the back.
4. Now paddle up, extend your legs, and lean your toes forward. This way your body weight will move towards the front, helping you lift the rear wheel while you hop!
5. Now that you know how to lift the rear wheel, practice that first.
6. Finally, cycle up for a bit, pull your front wheel up, repeat the steps from a-e, and here you go, bunny hopping around the area!

This drill is relatively easier than others, but you need to balance yourself on the bike while you make that jump. I suggest, practice lifting the rear wheel quite a few times before you lift both the wheels together to bunny hop.  

2. Wheelie

I think most of us already know what a wheelie is, right? It is when you ride a bicycle on only one wheel. If you are looking to make a solid first impression on someone, or just for the sake of learning a trick, wheelies require a lot of hard work and time to perfect but then are very attractive to watch!

The best part is that you can learn the wheelie on any bike that you have, either a fat bike or a roadie. Just requires a hell of a lot of time, up to 6 months.

Steps to follow:

1. Select a gear that is neither too high nor too low. Preferably lower than usual.
2. Adjust your seat accordingly. Most riders prefer to set the saddle lower to maintain their body weight while doing a wheelie.
3. Build up the speed gradually, from a tortoise to a walking speed.
4. Pause your paddles at a 12 o’clock angle, this helps establish a power stroke position.
5. To lift the wheels, push the lead paddle down, move your body weight towards the back, removing the pressure from the front wheel.
6. Make sure your arms are straight, and not stiff. This will help in removing the pressure from the front wheel, enabling it to lift upwards.
7. To continue the wheelie for a while, start pedaling but make sure your body weight is on the rear wheel.

Tip: all these steps must happen at the same time, which makes it trickier, I suggest you practice each step multiple times before performing it all together.

3. No Hand Ride

While growing up, I have attended many cycling marathons, and one thing that I always wanted to try was riding with none of my hands on the handles. Not going to lie, but I tried it a few times in my childhood but failed. However, now I have the right list of steps that you can follow and learn how to ride a bike hands-free.

Steps to follow:

1. Keep an eye on your path and know where you are headed.
2. Sit comfortably on the saddle, I would suggest towards the back to lower the weight on the front of the bike.
3. Maintain your speed and keep looking forward. This is important to make sure you stay balanced before and after you remove your hands.
4. Remove your one hand from the handle and try to balance yourself.
5. Once you have achieved the equilibrium, lift the other hand, and just stay confident and focused.
6. Finally, when you are ready and are comfortable riding without your hands on the handle, use your hips to change the direction of your cycle.

Warning: do not try riding with no hands while you are in traffic, or near any busy areas. You have got to keep your balance, so try it only in open spaces where you don’t have to react quickly.

4. Wheel Flick

Riding a bike trail while those small, soft rocks and debris affecting your speed? Learn this trick to flick them out of your way with style!

Steps to follow:

1. Spot an obstacle.
2. Ride very close to it, without touching it.
3. As you move towards the obstacle, move your body weight towards the back. This removes the pressure from the front side making it easy for the tire to do the flick.
4. Turn the handlebar towards the obstacle and let the tire do the flicking job.

Warning: stay close to the obstacle for the flick to happen. To ensure a smooth flick, don’t lift the bike too much or too little.  

The wheel flicking trick works best on softer rocks. Don’t try it on harder rocks, you might have to fix a punctured tire then!

Tip: for practicing purposes, bottles, and trash work best, but please dint leave them on the ground. Once you are done practicing, throw them into the trash can to keep the world cleaner and greener.

5. Jumping

Jumping and hopping is a similar trick, but as you know, jumping requires a lot less effort than hopping, the same is the case here with road bikes.

With a combination of bunny hopping and a certain input from the wheelies, jumping on a bike is a vital skill to learn if you plan on going for trail or even if you cycle daily, you need to jump off the obstacles for a smooth ride.  

Steps to follow:

1. Keep your bike at a speed that you are comfortable with, I would suggest a moderate one, neither too high nor too low.
2. Lift your legs and let the bike lean backward. This will clear the weight from the front wheel, enabling it to get in the flying position.
3. Lift the front wheel, and make sure the front wheel is straight, both while jumping and landing.
4. Bend your legs for a safe landing.

Balancing yourself on a bike is the only way you can excel in these tricks. Jumping, however, is an easy trick to learn as compared with the other tricks that I have mentioned in the blog!

6. Track Stand

The nature of this trick is kind of clear from the name but let me elaborate on it. If you plan on making a stop while riding a road bike, that too in a classy style, learned to track stand and show off your skills!

This trick can be perfected within a week of constant practice, as the main key is to balance your body weight. Let us see the step-by-step approach to track standing.

Steps to follow:

1. Adjust your saddle and your gear to a position that your body weight is balanced towards the back. This is essential to maintain the center of gravity.
2. Make sure you are looking forward and not towards the handlebar, this helps keep the equilibrium in place while you track stand.
3. Maintain the paddles at their level and make a sharp turn into the slope.
4. Do not grab the brakes just yet.
5. Now that your cycle is standing still, you don’t need to be still too. Keep pedaling gently to maintain the balance.

Tip: learning how to track stand is easier on empty, slanted surfaces, like a slightly elevated road or parking lot.

7. Peg Wheelie

This is an easy one. Now that you have learned how to do the wheelie, peg wheelie or the peg manual is comparatively easier than that. Why? Well, because you are free to use one of your legs to swing and balance yourself.

Steps to follow:

1. Maintain a normal speed that you are comfortable with.
2. Move one of your feet from the pedal to the peg.
3. Next, lift the front wheel and try to achieve a balanced position.
4. Remove the other leg from the pedal into the air to balance yourself.
5. Make sure the other leg, the one on the peg is slightly bent.

Tip: achieving and maintaining a good balance is the key to rock any of the wheelie tricks!

8. Nose Wheelie

Road biking is incomplete without wheelies, from the one-handed, no-handed, peg, or nose wheelie, you are going to find so many tricks associated with one-wheeling, it is crazy!

This specific nose wheelie, also known as the Endo, will surely help you dazzle your family and friends. Let’s have a look at how it is done.

Steps to follow:

1. Start by building your speed and maintaining it.
2. Next, push the body mass towards the back, and managing the front brakes. This is the most important part of this trick. Don’t press the brakes too hard or too low, either way, it is going to off-balance you.
3. Now lift the rear wheel and move your weight towards the front.
4. Maintain the brakes carefully, without locking the front wheel.
5. Let it roll gently until you achieve the balancing point.

Stay in the position as long as you can and enjoy all the praises that you deserve!

Warning: this is a dangerous trick, do not try it without your protective gear and until you are sure that you can.

9. Fakie

You must have heard that the cycles can only go forward, well, that is not completely true. With this trick, you can ride backward without any additional equipment. Sounds surprising? It surely is a skill to learn and show off your friends!

Waste no time, as we are jumping right into how you can learn the Fakie now.

Steps to follow:

1. Start by riding at a moderate speed.
2. Find a wall, and bump right in it from the front wheel. Sounds silly? I know, but it is the way to go.
3. Move your body forward, arms straight and knees bent.
4. Make sure your back is on top of the rear wheel.
5. Now, start backpedaling slowly.
6. Oh, and use your knees to maintain your balance while you go backward on your road bike!

Warning: please don’t try this without wearing protective gear; kneecaps, elbow caps, and especially the helmet. Your protection is much more important than learning a trick.

10. Superman

We have all watched superman fly over the buildings with the cape on. But have you ever wondered how he balanced himself? Well, exactly how you can balance yourself on a road bike in a superman position.

Confused? I was too but read along as I explain how you can do that easily.

Steps to follow:

1. Ride your bike at a steady speed.
2. Keep your balance before you lift your legs.
3. Remove both feet from the pedals and lift them to the saddle.
4. Make sure your body is parallel to the ground.
5. Hold the handlebar tightly to avoid any injuries.

Tip: wear gloves to increase the grip of the handlebar. As your body is completely in the air, it is the only thing that can protect you from falling on the ground.

11. G-turn

Following my guide, you are almost aware of all the one-wheel tricks that you can perform on your road bike, but here is one more that is equally impressive.

A G-turn is also known as the 360-degree wheelie spin, will improve your biking game. A trick that you should show off as soon as you perfect it!

Steps to follow:

1. Remember how you did the nose wheelie? If not, hop over to the section above and practice that first.
2. Lean forward and set your center of gravity above the front wheel. This will give the rear side the freedom to move.
3. Lift the rear wheel, and in a standing position, try to move your feet onto the pegs of the front wheel.
4. Use your hips to change the direction and move the cycle to make a spin.

As interesting as this trick sounds, it is a difficult and dangerous one. Make sure you are completely ready and prepared to try it.

Essential Tips to Perfect Your Tricks

As fun and interesting as these tricks sound to you, it is equally important to be prepared beforehand to avoid any unforeseen injury because the rider was unable to stabilize the bicycle or stay on the bike because of an uneven road surface (source).

To have a smooth learning curve, following these simple but highly essential tips is the key.

Protect Your Head

Your head is the most exposed part while practicing these tricks. Don’t ever try a trick without wearing a helmet.

Your health and organ protection comes on top of the list, even if you are learning the tricks indoors at a lower speed.

Get The Right Protective Equipment

Safety comes first. Road biking tricks can be difficult to perfect for some riders and so need a lot of practice. Wearing the right protective gear is not an option but a necessity.

From kneecaps, elbow caps to wearing the right shoes, all come under the protective equipment that is essential for the rider.

Know The Rules

Before trying any stunt, make sure you are aware of the rules and regulations. Read our blog carefully and watch related videos to know better how to perform the road biking tricks with perfection.

Practice, Practice, and Practice

You must have heard multiple times that ‘practice makes the man perfect, the same is the case with these road biking tricks.

The more you are going to repeat the tricks and learn from your mistakes, the more you are going to improve your performance. Be attentive and carefully grasp the concept behind each trick.

Do Not Ride with Headphones/Earphones On

While learning or performing these stunts or tricks, it is essential to be concentrated on your bike and the steps you take without any distractions.

Even professional cyclists are not allowed to use their phones or listen to music during their performance. So, make sure you are not carrying any gadget that may divert your attention.