Originally Posted by
Russ Roth
The exact same way you would with a suspension fork. For me, set right foot to 3 o'clock, shift weight forward and as the front is about to hit the curb pull up and back using your body weight. Once the front clears the curb shift your weight forward, tilt your pedals forward and pull up until the pedals and pop the back wheel up. If you don't tilt the pedals you'll just hop off them and crash. This is a TRY AT YOUR OWN RISK
A couple of things to add: First, this will all happen quickly. It takes much, much longer to explain (even when speaking) than it does to happen. Second, the weight shift forward should be quick and downward, followed quickly by the weight shift backward. The point of the weight shift is to compress the tire and make it rebound like a ball. The point of the pull back is to “bounce” the tire upward.
Third, when the rear tire is close to the curb...again, it happens very quickly...twist your hands
forward on the bars. This helps lift the rear wheel. You should also move your body forward towards the bar (and over the curb) so that the rear wheel is unloaded.
Originally Posted by
madpogue
A curB is something you should not try to jump or climb using a bicycle. Find a nearby curb drop or driveway, or dismount.
Why not? Mountain bikes have been going up, over and down much worse for roughly 40 years now. For a good 15 of that 40 years, we did so without benefit of suspension and for a good 25 years of that 40, we did so without benefit of rear suspension. Broken wheels don’t instantly result from dropping and climbing curbs. Broken wheels result from poor technique. I’ve been “climbing” (hopping, really) curbs for most of that 40 years without issue. I’ve hopped up curbs on mountain bikes, commuter bikes, road bikes (with 23mm tires), and touring bikes with loads all without issue. I build wheels but I don’t have to build them because of damage.