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Turn 180° in one kick

On rare occasions, with no room or support for intermediate steps, you may have to turn 180° in one go.

Body language completes the pedal kick to swing the bike.

If you are bridging a gap between two railings for example, and you need to turn around, your only option is a clean and sharp turn on the spot assisted by a brief pedal kick.

In effect, this technique combines a subtle pedal kick with a rotation driven by your shoulders. Practise on virtual edges, like two lines marked on the ground to get the amount of rotation and kick power exactly right, over and over again. Then try across a small kerb.

Understanding the move
Bridging a gap with your bike, make sure to position your rear hub above or beyond the rear edge of the gap, so that your wheel doesn't get stuck. With a quick push-up from the arms, thrust your hips away from the front edge and spin the bars on your lazy foot side.

Carry on the movement by lifting the front wheel during an upward extension. Follow the rotation with your shoulders as if you wanted to look back. Finish the extension with a small pedal kick that propels the rear wheel off the edge, and keep your rotational inertia going.

Once in mid-air, swing the bike further to face the opposite direction, past the alignment with your shoulders, twist your hips to add more rotational effect.

By flexing your arms and knees, adjust the exact position of the bike so it lands with each wheel positioned exactely in place of the other.

Click on any photo and use the scroll-wheel to animate the move.

Turn 180° in one kick

1° Bridge a gap with your bike, position your rear hub above or beyond the rear edge of the gap, so that your wheel doesn't get stuck.

2° With a quick push-up from the arms, thrust your hips away from the front edge and spin the bars on your lazy foot side.

3° Carry on the movement by lifting the front wheel during an upward extension. Follow the rotation with your shoulders to look back.

4° Finish the extension with a small pedal kick that propels the rear wheel off the edge, and keep your rotational inertia going.

5° In mid-air, swing the bike further to face the opposite direction, past the alignment with your shoulders, twist your hips to add more effect.

6° By flexing your arms and knees, adjust the exact position of the bike so it lands with each wheel positioned exactely in place of the other.

Biketrial video Watch this move in slow-motion

Fine tuning
In this specific scenario, the pedal kick should just compensate for the backwards motion you would get when pivoting on the rear wheel, but it should not send you completely across the gap either.

Depending on the final position you aim for, you can increase or decrease the amount of kicking power. Over-do it and you will end up jumping over the bridging-gap with a 180° turn to back-wheel.

If you don't kick enough, you'll end up a little bit offset backwards from your initial position like when pivoting on the rear wheel, hence missing the edge where your front wheel was resting.

What would be the right amount of kicking power is difficult to assess as this will vary depending on the surface and adherence of the edges you are bridging. The pedal kick must take place at the last moment. On slippery obstacles, use more body language and less pressure in the pedal kick.