wheelie

Here's how its done:

Get your bike into a low gear, 3rd, 4th or 5th gear depending on your speed. Ride along at a very slow speed. Give your pedals one hard stroke while yanking your front end up. You may have to play with the amount of pressure you apply to the pedals to get yourself up into your "balance point."

Once your front end is up, straighten your arms and pedal at a slow and steady rate. To keep your front wheel from falling down you have to keep up the pedaling at a steady rate. If you feel you are going to fall back, simply apply a bit of pressure to your rear brakes. Don't grab and lock your brakes, squeeze them, so the pad just rubs the rim a bit. This should drop your front and save you from going back.

In order to keep yourself balanced you can turn your handlebars the opposite way that you feel you are falling, although in some cases this may not work. As an added measure, you may need to stick one knee out a bit to one side to recover yourself, and regain balance.

The drop off is used to get yourself (and the bike) off obstacles and back to the ground.

From a stationary position:

Slowly pedal towards the edge of the obstacle. As you get to the edge, pull a small wheelie or pedal kick (sitting down) and pedal off the obstacle.

As your bike falls you have to stand up to bring the front end down just a bit.

Your landing should be on the rear wheel quickly followed by the front. Absorb the shock with your knee's.

Whenever doing a drop off, be sure not to pull your wheelie to high because you will probably end up landing on your back when you hit the ground.

Dropping off on a downhill run:

Trail drop off's can be really fun and safe when done properly. You should hit the drop off at a fairly good speed allowing your momentum to carry your bike off the drop.

Lean back a bit and try to touch down on both wheels or ideally with your rear wheel landing slightly before your front. (to prevent flying over the handlebars)