What counts as an essential trick
The skills below are less about showing off and more about control. They are the building blocks that make a bike feel predictable: how you start, stop, steer, balance and look around. Several of them (the track stand and the bunny hop, for example) look like tricks, but at a basic level they are simply ways of practising balance and weight shift.
Every skill on a bike carries some risk, and falls happen even at low speed. Wear a helmet that fits, consider gloves and knee and elbow protection for anything new, and practise in a flat, quiet, traffic-free space such as an empty car park or a smooth bit of park path. Progress in small steps, stop when you are tired, and never treat an article as a guarantee that a skill is safe for you. A qualified instructor can check your technique in person.
The ten skills
1. Smooth starting and stopping
Getting going without a wobble and coming to a calm stop are the most used skills you have. Start with one pedal at a good height, push off gently, and look ahead rather than down. When stopping, slow in good time and put a foot down only once the bike has almost stopped. Most beginners benefit from repeating this dozens of times before moving on.
2. Slow-speed riding
Riding slowly is harder than riding fast, because a bike is more stable with some speed. Practising a slow, steady line teaches you to make small steering corrections and to keep your pedals turning gently. Try riding the length of a straight painted line or crack at walking pace. Slow-speed riding is a useful foundation for almost every other skill.
3. Looking ahead and over your shoulder
Where you look tends to decide where you go. Practise lifting your eyes to the far end of your path, and learn to glance behind without swerving. A good shoulder check is a quick turn of the head with your hands steady and your elbows relaxed. Do it first while rolling slowly in an empty space.
4. Controlled braking
Both brakes matter, and the way front and rear brake use differs is better learned early. Squeeze progressively rather than grabbing, keep your weight slightly back as you slow, and keep your eyes up. Test your braking on dry, flat ground before trying it anywhere else. If your brakes feel weak or noisy, have a bike shop look at them and follow the manufacturer’s guidance.
5. Cornering
Good cornering technique is mostly planned before you reach the corner: slow down first, look through the bend, keep your pedals level, and let the bike lean a little under you. Practise wide, gentle turns in an open space before tightening them. Gravel, leaves and wet paint can reduce grip, so stay cautious on those.
6. Smooth gear changes
Smooth shifting means changing gear a little early, before a hill or a stop, keeps you pedalling at a comfortable rhythm. Ease the pressure on the pedals during the change, and avoid extreme gear combinations that strain the chain. If shifting is noisy or hesitant, a basic service often helps.
7. Standing on the pedals
Standing up with level pedals and slightly bent knees and elbows is the basic “ready” stance, close to the neutral riding position used on most bikes. It lets the bike move under you over bumps and is the starting position for many other skills. Practise rolling in a standing position on smooth ground, and get back on the saddle gently.
8. One-handed riding for signalling
Taking one hand off the bars briefly lets you signal or reach for a bottle. Try it first at a slow, steady speed on a smooth surface, with the other hand on a brake lever, and put the hand back before any bump or turn. This is a limited, practical version of one-handed riding, not a trick to push further.
9. The track stand
A track stand means staying balanced almost still on the bike, usually with the cranks level and the front wheel turned slightly. It can help at a junction, though it takes plenty of patient practice. Start next to a wall or railing you can touch, and expect to put a foot down often. It trains fine balance, which carries over to other skills.
10. Bunny-hop basics
A bunny hop lifts both wheels off the ground briefly. At a basic level, start by practising the first part only: a quick shift of weight back and forward while rolling slowly on flat ground, with no obstacle. These bunny hop basics are only the first stage, so do not rush to lift the rear wheel or to clear objects. Because falls are possible, wear protection (choosing protective gear for bike skills is worth a little time) and stay on soft or smooth ground. Trained riders at skills parks can help with the next steps.
Putting them in an order
A sensible order is roughly the order above: control first, balance next, hopping last. Spend short sessions, perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes, on one or two skills rather than trying all ten at once. If a skill makes you tense or you keep falling at the same point, step back to an easier version.
Skills such as flips, tailwhips and riding with no hands or feet are not part of a basic list. They are for trained riders at skills parks with qualified instruction, not something to learn from reading.
Staying safe while you practise
Check your bike before you begin: tyres, brakes, quick releases and loose parts. Choose a spot with no traffic and no people close by. Keep sessions short and stop when you are tired or frustrated, since tired riders fall more often. Learning the basics of falling off safely is worthwhile too. If you do fall, check yourself before getting up, and see a doctor if you are unsure whether you are hurt.