Post by FreeEnterprise on Jul 14, 2006 13:21:37 GMT -5
So you want to learn flatland. Here is a thread to help you out.
These tricks are the building blocks of flatland. This is the order most people use when first learning tricks.
First trick
1 endo
ride forward at a medium speed (about two cranks) and hit the front brake (if your brakes don't work well you will have problems learning this trick). The back of the bike will lift off the ground and you should tuck your body behind the seat, keeping your arms straight and stiff. The more you practice this trick the longer you can hold the bike in the upright postition. As the back of the bike falls down let the bike drop below you and ride off.
2 laydown
Ride forward and put your body on the left side of the bike, left foot on pedal, right foot on back peg. Put your right hand on the seat and keep your left hand on the bars. hit the brakes with your left hand and push the bike onto the ground. (the faster you are going the cooler the grinding sound will be). Once the bike is stopped on the ground, position the pedals so that when you pull the bike up they will crank forward. When you are ready pull up with your left arm and grab the right grip with your right arm and ride away.
3. one footed endo
after you learn an endo, you need to learn this variation, it will help you when you are ready for squeekers.
ride with your left foot down and do an endo. Take your right foot off the pedal and put it out to the side. Before you come back down on your back wheel put your foot back on the pedal. Ride away.
4. endo hops (front wheel hops).
put your left foot on the left front peg and do a endo (not as far forward as the regular endo) As soon as the back tire lifts off the ground step onto the right peg with your right foot. Start to hop like you are on a pogo stick. When you have this trick down you should be able to hop as long as you want to. When tired of hopping let the back of the bike touch the ground and release the front brake. Step with your right foot back to the right rear peg, let the momentum roll the bike backwards. When you pedals are level step on them and ride away. You can also hop on the front wheel from the pedals, but it is harder than peg hops.
5. Back Peg hops.
you need to be able to endo first.
Start standing on the back pegs, do an endo and lock both brakes. As the bike comes down start hopping on the back wheel like a pogo stick. After you have this trick down you should be able to do it as long as you like. When tired/hungry/or bored just let the front of the bike down, release the brakes and step onto the pedal and ride away.
6. Infinity roll
This is a must learn for any beginner. It teaches backwards steering, and tire kicking. (wear shin guards or else you will get tire burns on your legs, and don't say I didn't warn you).
Start out standing on the back pegs. Do an endo, as soon as the bike comes down release the brakes and the bike will start to roll backwards, (I will explain it the way I do it, but you can do it either direction). Turn the bars so that they are facing to the left and remove your right foot from the peg and kick the tire in a slow downward movement. Your left foot on the peg and your hands on the bars will hold the bike vertical and steer the bike in backwards circle. When you get this trick you should be able to continue to kick the tire for infinity going in circles, looking cool.
When you are tired/dizzy/run out of space. tap the back brakes causing the bike to stand up. When it falls back to the ground release the brakes and it will start rolling forward, find the pedals and ride away. tip: watch the cranks as you are going around, when they are in the proper place to ride away, hit the brake then.
Fun variation on infinity rolls is to let go with your right hand and grab the seat, holding the bar end and the seat in the same place causing the bike to spin really fast, also called the spastic infinity roll.
7. Lawnmower
Do an endo while standing on the back pegs. When the bike comes back down on the back wheel take your foot off the right peg and release the left grip. Let the bike drop to the right side and hold with just the rear wheel touching the ground. When you can't balance it anymore, pull back with your right arm and whip the bike vertical again and pedal away. (tip: set the pedals for the ride away before doing your endo)
variations include, kicking your foot out Dizz Hicks style, or putting your free foot on the top tube and bending your body out. Or if you are an expert use it to go into a stick b.
The "Thinker" lawnmower variation by Glenn Mehltretter
8. Tail whip.
This is a very important trick to learn, it is the precurser to the whiplash and a must for any flatlander. It teaches balance and also how to "whip" the frame around with the bars. (rotor is needed to learn this trick)
Start out with your left foot on pedal. Bring your right foot over the bar and stick it into the front tire as you hit the front brake. With your left foot that is on the pedal kick the frame around. While the frame is going around you will need to pull back when it is in front of you to "whip" it the rest of the way around. Put your left foot on the top tube and pull the back brake causing the bike to go up on the back wheel. When it comes down release both brakes find the pedals and ride away.
9. Fire Hydrant
Start out riding on your left side of the bike, left foot on front peg and right foot on left back peg. Tap the front brake and spin around to the front of the bike, pushing off with your right foot that is on the back peg. As soon as you get in front of the bike, Pull toward you with the bars and "whip" the frame around. When the frame is back behind you step on the top tube with your free foot (right foot) and lock up both brakes. The bike should stand up on the back wheel. As it drops down release both brakes and ride away.
10. boomerang
Start out standing on the back pegs, set your pedals for the ride out. Put your right leg forward in front of the pedals and swing it around the back of the bike. Using the momentum from your swinging leg jump off the back peg and stiffen your arms as you swing around the front of the bike. Put your foot on the pedal and then whip the bars the rest of the way around. (this is a mental trick, most people could do it if they can get around to the pedal.) You just have to put your foot on the pedal instead of touching the ground. Once you do it you will see what I mean.
The main thing with flatland is practice... A ton of it.
Glenn Mehltretter
PS. If you want help with a trick just post and I will provide what I can.
These tricks are the building blocks of flatland. This is the order most people use when first learning tricks.
First trick
1 endo
ride forward at a medium speed (about two cranks) and hit the front brake (if your brakes don't work well you will have problems learning this trick). The back of the bike will lift off the ground and you should tuck your body behind the seat, keeping your arms straight and stiff. The more you practice this trick the longer you can hold the bike in the upright postition. As the back of the bike falls down let the bike drop below you and ride off.
2 laydown
Ride forward and put your body on the left side of the bike, left foot on pedal, right foot on back peg. Put your right hand on the seat and keep your left hand on the bars. hit the brakes with your left hand and push the bike onto the ground. (the faster you are going the cooler the grinding sound will be). Once the bike is stopped on the ground, position the pedals so that when you pull the bike up they will crank forward. When you are ready pull up with your left arm and grab the right grip with your right arm and ride away.
3. one footed endo
after you learn an endo, you need to learn this variation, it will help you when you are ready for squeekers.
ride with your left foot down and do an endo. Take your right foot off the pedal and put it out to the side. Before you come back down on your back wheel put your foot back on the pedal. Ride away.
4. endo hops (front wheel hops).
put your left foot on the left front peg and do a endo (not as far forward as the regular endo) As soon as the back tire lifts off the ground step onto the right peg with your right foot. Start to hop like you are on a pogo stick. When you have this trick down you should be able to hop as long as you want to. When tired of hopping let the back of the bike touch the ground and release the front brake. Step with your right foot back to the right rear peg, let the momentum roll the bike backwards. When you pedals are level step on them and ride away. You can also hop on the front wheel from the pedals, but it is harder than peg hops.
5. Back Peg hops.
you need to be able to endo first.
Start standing on the back pegs, do an endo and lock both brakes. As the bike comes down start hopping on the back wheel like a pogo stick. After you have this trick down you should be able to do it as long as you like. When tired/hungry/or bored just let the front of the bike down, release the brakes and step onto the pedal and ride away.
6. Infinity roll
This is a must learn for any beginner. It teaches backwards steering, and tire kicking. (wear shin guards or else you will get tire burns on your legs, and don't say I didn't warn you).
Start out standing on the back pegs. Do an endo, as soon as the bike comes down release the brakes and the bike will start to roll backwards, (I will explain it the way I do it, but you can do it either direction). Turn the bars so that they are facing to the left and remove your right foot from the peg and kick the tire in a slow downward movement. Your left foot on the peg and your hands on the bars will hold the bike vertical and steer the bike in backwards circle. When you get this trick you should be able to continue to kick the tire for infinity going in circles, looking cool.
When you are tired/dizzy/run out of space. tap the back brakes causing the bike to stand up. When it falls back to the ground release the brakes and it will start rolling forward, find the pedals and ride away. tip: watch the cranks as you are going around, when they are in the proper place to ride away, hit the brake then.
Fun variation on infinity rolls is to let go with your right hand and grab the seat, holding the bar end and the seat in the same place causing the bike to spin really fast, also called the spastic infinity roll.
7. Lawnmower
Do an endo while standing on the back pegs. When the bike comes back down on the back wheel take your foot off the right peg and release the left grip. Let the bike drop to the right side and hold with just the rear wheel touching the ground. When you can't balance it anymore, pull back with your right arm and whip the bike vertical again and pedal away. (tip: set the pedals for the ride away before doing your endo)
variations include, kicking your foot out Dizz Hicks style, or putting your free foot on the top tube and bending your body out. Or if you are an expert use it to go into a stick b.
The "Thinker" lawnmower variation by Glenn Mehltretter
8. Tail whip.
This is a very important trick to learn, it is the precurser to the whiplash and a must for any flatlander. It teaches balance and also how to "whip" the frame around with the bars. (rotor is needed to learn this trick)
Start out with your left foot on pedal. Bring your right foot over the bar and stick it into the front tire as you hit the front brake. With your left foot that is on the pedal kick the frame around. While the frame is going around you will need to pull back when it is in front of you to "whip" it the rest of the way around. Put your left foot on the top tube and pull the back brake causing the bike to go up on the back wheel. When it comes down release both brakes find the pedals and ride away.
9. Fire Hydrant
Start out riding on your left side of the bike, left foot on front peg and right foot on left back peg. Tap the front brake and spin around to the front of the bike, pushing off with your right foot that is on the back peg. As soon as you get in front of the bike, Pull toward you with the bars and "whip" the frame around. When the frame is back behind you step on the top tube with your free foot (right foot) and lock up both brakes. The bike should stand up on the back wheel. As it drops down release both brakes and ride away.
10. boomerang
Start out standing on the back pegs, set your pedals for the ride out. Put your right leg forward in front of the pedals and swing it around the back of the bike. Using the momentum from your swinging leg jump off the back peg and stiffen your arms as you swing around the front of the bike. Put your foot on the pedal and then whip the bars the rest of the way around. (this is a mental trick, most people could do it if they can get around to the pedal.) You just have to put your foot on the pedal instead of touching the ground. Once you do it you will see what I mean.
The main thing with flatland is practice... A ton of it.
Glenn Mehltretter
PS. If you want help with a trick just post and I will provide what I can.