Mountain Bike Skills & Tricks: 10 to Master, from Easiest to Hardest

If you’re after an adrenaline rush in the ragged outdoors, mountain biking is ideal for exploring the unbeaten paths in high gear. Whether you’re an adventure junkie, a professional mountain biker like Danny MacAskill, or simply a novice, there is a trick for everyone to master.
Riders – the world’s largest riders community – tracks the difficulty of mountain bike skills and tricks based on how many people can do them.
Using data from Riders, totalling 36 mountain bike skills and tricks, Ben Mercer: E-Commerce Manager at mountain bike specialist, Leisure Lake Bikes, brings you his top 10, ranked from the easiest to the hardest. Are there any you’d still like work on and perfect? Time to get started!
1. Front wheel lift – completed by 10,382 riders
The basic front wheel lift is one of the most essential mountain bike skills, and it’s especially useful when riding over trail obstacles such as rocks, roots, rollers, and ditches.
Initially practise on a flat surface by starting in a neutral position, then building pressure in the bike by lowering your centre of gravity. After that, shift your weight slightly back, explode upward, and lock your arms out to allow the front wheel to come off the ground. Finish off by bringing your weight back to the centre of the bike and bend your arms and legs to absorb the impact of the ground and bring the wheel back down.
As a beginner, it’s best to get an all-purpose mountain bike, such as a full suspension one, also called softail. It’s ideal for all sorts of trails and will help you absorb the shock when performing the front wheel lift trick.
2. Manual front wheel lift – completed by 7,146 riders
The manual front wheel lift is an advanced version of the basic one, which allows you to maintain your momentum and speed while lifting the front wheel. A full suspension mountain bike will help you ace that skill.
Again, start in a neutral position, load the bike, but this time, make sure your push your weight back as much as possible to get behind your balance point. After that, straighten your arms and legs and come back to neutral.
3. Manual – completed by 4,536 riders
A manual is yet another trick in which your front wheel is lifted. It’s incredibly versatile, as it can be used in various riding settings, such as keeping your pace up at a pump track.
This trick is performed by starting with a comfortable speed, then shifting your weight back while pulling on the handles, covering the rear brake, and moving your hips to the opposite direction to achieve that smooth lift to the left or the right. Both a full suspension and a hardtail mountain bike will do the trick.
Downhill racing legend Steve Peat and dirt jumper Blake Samson share their top tips to master this trick. They advise you to always cover your back brake to avoid falling backwards. This gives you the chance to gently dab the rear brake to bring the front wheel slightly down, giving you control and comfort.
4. Fakie – completed by 3,402 riders
When you’re faced with an obstacle that seems impossible to pass, a fakie comes to the rescue. This critical skill is also useful for boosting your confidence to ride backwards like a pro. It’s best performed on a street ramp or a dirt jump, so a dirt jump MTB will be ideal.
Although this trick might not make any sense at all at first, it’s actually quite easy to grasp. Start by approaching the obstacle at a moderate pace, then bump the wall gently as you lean forwards and straight back towards the back wheel to push your bike into rolling backwards. And remember – don’t stop pedalling, otherwise you’ll lose your balance!
5. Nollie – completed by 2,081 riders
Ready to fly into the air? The nollie technique ensures that you land on your two wheels safely regardless of whether you’re dropping from a sidewalk or into a ditch.
Start by gaining sufficient speed and shift your weight onto the fork. Bend your knees and lift the rear wheel followed by the front wheel to hop, and then step safely. Similar to the fakie, this trick is best performed on a dirt jump mountain bike.
6. FootJam – completed by 1,796 riders
Gear up, because things are about to get advanced! FootJam, one of the most spectacular mountain bike tricks performed on a remove full sus, this trick is only suitable for dirt jump bikes dirt jump bike, will win you the legacy of a pro rider.
Start practising on a flat surface, such as a parking lot, and don’t rush it. Ride at a low speed and shift your weight back once you position the cranks parallel to the ground. Swiftly lean to the front and jam your front foot between the fork and the tire while bending your knees. This will lift the rear end off the floor, so hold the cranks vertically with your foot to keep your balance. Once you feel like you’re starting to lose your balance, put your foot back on the pedal.
7. Tire Grab – completed by 1,165 riders
A classic slopestyle MTB trick, Tire Grab is fun to watch and perform. The skill is best suited to a dirt jump bike.
To do this trick, do a bunny hop while pulling the bars to your waist and stand upright. Lean to the front and grab the tire, then put your hand on the handles.
8. Tabletop – completed by 1,090 riders
Tabletop is an essential MTB trick geared towards the intermediate riders on dirt jump bikes, which can be combined with a lot of other tricks for a top performance. Its name comes from the way this trick looks in the air – the bike is laid flat below the rider.
It’s really important to keep your knees together at all times when performing this trick. Start by turning your front foot slightly, curl both legs and pull the bike back with your feet. Turn to the opposite side of your front foot and push downwards with your left arm. Voila!
9. Alleyoop – completed by 641 riders
An alleyoop is an important skill not just in the biking realm but also in other adventurous sports such as snowboarding and skateboarding.
This one is performed on a dirt jump MTB by going up the quarter while angling slightly to the left, with your arms and legs gradually strengthened. Your head should be facing your landing point, and your body should lean away from your front leg. Congratulations, you’ve done the loop! Now land back on your wheels.
10. Superman – completed by 158 riders
It’s time to be a superhero on a bike. The Superman trick is for super riders because it’s considered one of the most advanced MTB skills.
Inspired by Superman’s spectacular flying technique, this trick requires the rider to jump into the air while removing both feet from the pedals and stretching them behind the bike. The idea is that the body will go fully straight and parallel to the ground.
This trick is a slopestyle competition essential, and many world-famous mountain bikers have amazed the spectators by showcasing their Superman skill. Professional freerider Sam Reynolds performed it at one of the most “insane” locations, the Canyon Gap, during the Red Bull Rampage 2015 on a dirt jump bike.
During the Crankworx World Tour, Szymon Godziek, also known as ‘Extension Man’, nailed the world’s first backflip Superman one hand seatgrab – a twist to the classic Superman trick.

With the range of skills and tricks that can be done on a mountain bike, there’s always another challenge waiting to be mastered and so, you’ll never be bored. Whether you’re doing it just for fun or, aiming to become the next MTB champion, you are sure to look and feel spectacular!