Endo (Stoppie)

An endo – short for end over end – happens when braking or an obstacle stops the front wheel so abruptly that the rear wheel lifts. A controlled endo, holding the bike balanced on the front wheel, is called a stoppie and is a stunt-riding trick.

An unintended endo is a common off-road crash: the front wheel hits a hole, log or rock, or drops into a ditch, and the rider goes over the handlebars.

To avoid it, keep your weight back on descents and over obstacles, lift the front wheel over sharp edges and squeeze the front brake progressively rather than grabbing it. Bikes with ABS often have rear-lift detection that reduces the risk on the road.