# Wheelies pull to one side...?



## 550 (Jul 26, 2009)

Ok so I;m getting the bike up with ease finally, but 9 times out of 10 they "lean" to the right (as if the bike was falling over)


Is it something with my elbows on the pull up, or my knees, or wtf is my problem hahaha.


Thanks in advance!!

-Joe


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## mcelhinneym (Aug 8, 2009)

I would think that you're using your upper body strength unevenly. 

How drastic is the pulling? ie, just a bit or is it turning your direction, etc, etc.


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## Mudguard (Apr 14, 2009)

Steer with your hips and the single most important thing. Look as far ahead as possible, not down at your front wheel.


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## asheck (Jun 9, 2009)

You sound like my buddy, everytime I wheely by him. No help from me, I'll just point and laugh  I really think it will just be doing it enough for your body to work it out on it's own. There's alot of physics going on in a good wheely, more then my little brain can really think about while I'm doing. I'm lucky if I remember to pull the brake before I go over.


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## 550 (Jul 26, 2009)

It is pretty drastic (like the bike basically falls over. haha)

One thing I know I'm doing after hearing you say it is look far ahead. I'm 100% looking at my wheel ... I'll work on that tomorrow.

I can definitely see my progression, I figure it is a body memory type thing.

thanks guys! Tomorrow I shall look ahead... hopefully toward the future haha


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## Thehemiman (Apr 3, 2009)

Make sure your stem/bars are properly aligned with the front tire and your rear tire is inflated properly. Too much psi will make it hard to balance and to little psi will do the same. 

If you have a camera take a video and post it up. It could be something simple thats hard to explain with text...


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## 550 (Jul 26, 2009)

I have a camera, but no cable for the PC. figures... haha

I will check tire pressure and the bars too. I think there could be some underinflation on the rear tire.


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## Thehemiman (Apr 3, 2009)

Yeah, It doesn't seem like it would matter but having the rear tire pumped up enough so that the sidewalls don't flex is key. I can ride wheelies for quite some distance (record is 1.7 miles ) but if the tires are too soft i can go 5 feet max. I noticed that when i put too much air in it has the same effect. The contact patch of the tire is narrower and is harder to balance.


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## 550 (Jul 26, 2009)

This is good info... hopefully the rain stops when I get home. But I think along with messed up body motion and the rear tire there could be a little help haha. Thanks!

And 1.7 miles is SICK!


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## 550 (Jul 26, 2009)

Well in the quest to really hit these hard, I ended up on my back... and the bike ended up riding me. Kind of ironic.


Either way ... I went in took a break and went back out. I decided I would just mess around no more wheelies... well that lasted about 5 minutes. So I actually started to bust some decent "pop up's" out. Got 3 pedal revolutions on a couple. So it is time (and timing) and body movement I think.

I do believe the rear tire is an issue but I lost my damn presta->shraeder valve doohicky. I have a couple on order along with a presta/shraeder pump so... soon 

In the mean time, practice will still ensue, hopefully not on my back haha


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## rundown thomas (May 8, 2020)

Just to help those that have leaning problem..
i could wheelie a mile, then one day i got a puncture and tyre had blown out, so i needed new tube and tyre.

After fixing new stuff, i found bike kept leaning to the right, so i had to pull the entire wheelie with handle bars turned to the left, which made me eventually turn to the left.

i couldnt work it out, could wheelie a full mile one day then next day only like 100 metres and bike was leaning and turning to the left 

i fixed a buckle in the back wheel, also reset the brakes, also turned the new tyre around, and properly set it carefully in the rim ..the bead of the tyre..and now the leaning has minimized...

i found that the drive side of the rim had some oil debris on it which would affect braking...due to less friction on that side.

check the brake blocks for any metal particles, which could affect braking.

then before you take the bike in , ensure you have done at least 50 miles riding which break the new tyre in and flatten it out a little and take out any manufacturing bumps.

so for those of you who lean when you wheelie...it may not be a skill issue..it could be your bike.. had i not been able to pull a 1 mile wheelie consistently on my bike prior to this happening , i would have blamed myself rather than the bike.

you need a true back wheel, nice brake set up ...and tyre properly set in the bead of the rim.

the lean that remains may be due to either breaking the new tyre in, or to do with up and down trueness of the rim...not sure to be honest. or it could be due to the tyre being more pointed than the one i had previously which was kind of flat on top.

hope that was informative.


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## Thustlewhumber (Nov 25, 2011)

Make sure you check the dates on threads before you go all last decade on us.


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## rundown thomas (May 8, 2020)

make sure YOU read the content before you go all confused on us.
if you bothered, you would see that if someone has a leaning bike on wheelies, this thread may show up...now or maybe in 25 years time.

what is important is that every eventuality is covered so as to help whoever needs it.

doesnt matter if the information was written yesterday or 30 years ago.
all that matters is that it is informative.

hope that ends your confusion.


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## Phillbo (Apr 7, 2004)

30 years from now bikes as we know them will not exist.......


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

I dress right, so there's a huge (!) pull in that direction.
And there was 11 years ago, too.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

You need to initiate the wheelie with your butt (hips & back) i.e. lean back rather than pull up.

Your arms are there only to catch you and prevent you from falling over the back.

Sent from my HD1900 using Tapatalk


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