ð Wheelie Life
One wheel, endless road: how far can you wheelie?
How to play
- Pick a road and a bike, then press Ride. You start with the BMX on City Street.
- Hold the up arrow or W (or the green âķ button) to pedal. The front wheel lifts as you accelerate.
- Watch the balance gauge at the top. Keep the white needle in the green zone for a steady wheelie.
- If the front starts to drop, lean back with the left arrow or A, or give a little more gas.
- If the bike climbs too high, lean forward with the right arrow or D and ease off the gas.
- Your run ends when the front wheel touches the ground or you loop out backwards.
- Your best distance unlocks new bikes and new roads. Beat the BEST flag to set a new record.
The art of the wheelie
Wheelie Life is a free wheelie game that you play in your browser. The idea is simple: lift the front wheel of your bike and ride on the back wheel for as long as you can. Doing it well is anything but simple. Too little gas and the front wheel drops back to the road. Too much and the bike rears up and flips over backwards. Somewhere in between is the perfect balance point, and the best riders can hold it for hundreds of metres.
It is one of the most popular kinds of bike game, inspired by the wheelie challenges that are loved on Scratch and in mobile games. Wheelie Life adds proper bike physics, three different bikes, four roads and an endless track full of bumps and slopes, so no two runs are the same.
How balance works
When you hold the gas, the back wheel pushes forward and the front of the bike lifts. Once you are up, the bike wants to fall one way or the other. Lean back and the nose rises; lean forward and it comes down. Giving gas also lifts the nose, and letting go lets it fall. You use both together, making small, gentle corrections, to keep the bike hovering at the balance point.
To help you, there is a balance gauge at the top of the screen. The needle shows how high your front wheel is. The green zone is the sweet spot where a wheelie is steady. If the needle drifts towards the red on the right, you are about to loop out, so lean forward and ease off. If it falls back to the left, lean back or add a little gas.
Three bikes
The BMX is light and easy to balance, which makes it perfect for learning. The Dirt Bike unlocks at a best distance of 100 metres. It has a real engine, so it lifts the front wheel much more quickly and goes faster, which means you need quicker reactions. The Street Bike unlocks at 300 metres. It is fast and twitchy and only the best riders can tame it, but it covers ground at an amazing pace.
Four roads
City Street is where every rider starts: a city road with gentle bumps. Desert Highway unlocks at 150 metres and runs through sandy canyons under a hot orange sky. Beach Boardwalk unlocks at 300 metres, beside the sea at sunset. Neon Night unlocks at 600 metres and takes you through a glowing city after dark. Your best distance on each road is saved separately, so you can chase a record on every one.
Bumps, slopes and rumble strips
The road is endless and it gets busier the further you go. Speed bumps give the bike a kick that can tip you forward or back. Rumble strips are rows of little bumps that shake the bike. Uphill slopes make the front wheel come down sooner, so you need more gas or more lean back. Downhill slopes do the opposite and can tip you over backwards. Each run is randomly generated, so you have to read the road and react.
Tips for longer wheelies
Small corrections beat big ones. Tap the lean keys rather than holding them. Keep the needle near the middle of the green zone, not at the edge. Before a speed bump, settle the bike into the middle of the zone so the bump can't push you too far. On uphill slopes add a little gas early. On downhill slopes, lean forward a touch. And if you're on the Dirt Bike or the Street Bike, remember that the engine is strong: tiny touches of gas are enough.
Distance boards and records
Distance boards appear every 25 metres once your wheelie begins, with gold boards every 100 metres. When you beat your best distance, a BEST flag on the road shows exactly where your old record was. At the end of a run you see how far you went and whether you set a new best. The stat bar above the game shows your best distance, the roads you have unlocked and the total distance you have ever wheelied.
Fun for every age
Wheelie Life is a great game for kids who love bikes and BMX tricks, and a surprisingly addictive challenge for grown-ups. There is no violence and no timer: crashes are a cartoon tumble. Runs are quick, so it is perfect for a short break, and there is always the temptation of just one more try to beat your record.
Play anywhere
The game runs in any modern browser on computers, Chromebooks, tablets and phones, with no download and no account. Use the arrow keys or WASD on a keyboard, or the round touch buttons on a touchscreen. Your records are saved only in your own browser. See the Parents & Safety page for more.
More bike games
Like balance challenges? Try the technical courses of Bike Trials Xtreme, flip off kickers in Stickman Bike Stunts or race through loops in Moto Xtreme Stunts. Every bike game is on our Bike Games page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wheelie Life free?
Yes. It is a free wheelie game that runs in a web browser with no download, account or plugin.
How do I do a wheelie?
Hold the gas to lift the front wheel. Then keep it up by leaning back when it drops and leaning forward when it rises too high. Keep the needle on the balance gauge in the green zone.
When does a run end?
When the front wheel touches the ground, or when the bike loops out backwards. Running out of speed also ends the run.
How do I unlock new bikes and roads?
They unlock with your best distance. The Dirt Bike unlocks at 100 m and the Street Bike at 300 m. Desert Highway unlocks at 150 m, Beach Boardwalk at 300 m and Neon Night at 600 m.
Which bike is easiest?
The BMX. It is light and lifts the front gently, so it is the best bike for learning to balance.
Is it like Wheelie Life on Scratch?
It is the same kind of game, where you balance a bike on its back wheel for as long as you can. This version adds proper bike physics, three bikes, four roads, a balance gauge and an endless road with bumps and slopes.
Does it work on phones, tablets and Chromebooks?
Yes. Use the keyboard on computers and Chromebooks, or the on-screen buttons on phones and tablets.