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Level Up with the Nose Pivot

By Christopher Ashley

I can neither wheelie nor bunny hop but, for some inexplicable reason, I can do a nose pivot. Nose pivots can help you change direction when travelling at zero kph – useful when stuck in cleats on my long wheel-base road bike. So, why should you bother learning this skill?

Thomas explains that nose pivots are useful when navigating “hacking paths” – ancient pedestrianised trails that weren’t designed with a bicycle in mind. Hacking paths are narrow and hairpin turns are a regular obstacle. So, how do you learn the nose pivot? Check out Roxy’s excellent Ride & Inspire channel.

In this next video, Lahsaan Kobza shows how to integrate the nose pivot into a longer combo of “tricks” and manoeuvres. There’s no inherent practical value to this in Lahsaan’s world – it just looks cool. Check it out.

My own experience is that there is a practical value in learning to nose pivot. Although my town is blessed with independent cycling infrastructure, there are points where pedestrian and cycling needs meet. Wherever this happens, there are inevitably bicycle-traffic calming measures.

The chicane featured above successfully slows cyclists joining an estate where pedestrian traffic is highly likely. This chicane is a perfect example of a problem that can be fixed with the application of a judiciously planned nose pivot. Why slow when you can stop, pivot, and accelerate off quickly?

As Thomas said earlier, any problems posed by a pedestrianised route can be fixed by a nose pivot – even stairs. It’s time you levelled up and learned the art.

Next up in Level Up series