That was the opening line from Aaron Colton's video about transforming an Alta Redshift into a freestyle stunt bike. I'm proud to say I've known Aaron since he was an adolescent. When he talks about wheelies, I pay attention. And I also take notes.
The aptly nicknamed Bull in a China Shop is a fairly long video about the build process, but one of the takeaways is that an electric stunt bike is much harder to ride without a clutch.
How do we apply this knowledge to trials?
You may recall in the Riding Impressions section I said that, for me, the hardest thing about riding a trials bike without a mechanical clutch is how to generate lift without velocity. Yes, the 5.7 will lift the front wheel if you wack the throttle open abruptly. But that action also gets you moving forward pretty fast - which is not good for trials.
Aaron tells me that to initiate the wheelie, he fully applies the rear brake, pins the throttle, and simultaneously releases the brake while reducing the throttle. This makes an unholy sound and scares the crap out of people. Personally, I don't see that technique being particularly useful to mere mortals riding trials sections.
I think any generally-applicable solution must come via the motor controller. Firmware needs to sense the rate of throttle opening and alter the peak current delivered to the motor to initiate a wheelie. But this has the potential side-effect of spitting the rider off the bike if they are not prepared for it. Coming up with something workable is much easier said than done. I think any potential solution probably involves an electronic clutch lever.
After a lifetime of driving manual gearbox cars, for me, using a clutch is like breathing. I think one of the things that keeps riders from using the clutch more is the high lever effort that is sometimes required. Remember, to achieve all the benefits, it's one finger only always, always, always on the lever. But Clake and MME have addressed that issue. For what it's worth, here are my reasons for needing a clutch (some of which can only be met with a mechanical clutch).
It's a safety thing! Trials bikes have very high-inertia flywheels. Just shutting the throttle does not kill the power, the bike keeps moving due to the flywheel. You often want/need to curtail forward motion instantly.
To clutch-up a wheelie. Frequently, just a little blip/pop will get the front wheel to clear a log or rock without increasing ground speed much at all.
To release a burst of energy stored in the flywheel. This is an advanced technique that gets the top riders over big “splatters”. But even intermediate riders use the technique when there is very little run-up to a smaller obstacle.
To minimize or negate engine braking. I found this to be very useful when I got a 4-stroke trials bike. I made it behave similarly to my 2-stroke by slipping the clutch on deceleration.
It's easier / provides more control to hold the throttle steady and modulate power via the clutch. Having a good grip on the bars is vital. Unlike MX where you hold onto the bike with feet and legs, trials / hard enduro requires a greater range of body positions. You tend to have your feet “outboard” more than with other types of riding.
You can go slower by slipping the clutch and holding throttle constant. An example of this is a “slow race” to see who can travel a specific distance in the longest time. This skill really helps develop balance.
Similarly, the clutch improves smoothness at very low ground speeds. Slipping the clutch allows for a moderate engine speed while maintaining a very slow ground speed. Improved smoothness results in improved traction.
For hill climbs. Sometimes you need to slow momentarily during a hill climb (to negotiate a dogleg, for example). If you do this by shutting the throttle, re-opening it won't do any good because it takes a while for the motor to build power. Conversely, with a clutch, it's instant on / off / on.
The cutch allows blipping the throttle to increase gyroscopic force as a balancing aid when moving slowly. For example, when picking your way through a field of bowling-ball size rocks.
It allows the bike to coast. I think this one is especially hard for racers who want to either be on the gas or on the brakes. But -- sometimes -- coasting is just the right speed.
To clean out the motor. Really only needed with a 2-stroke. Of course, you could select neutral, but it's often done immediately before a big obstacle.
To avoid shifting. You can use a tall gear for most of the loop trail. Simply slip the clutch as required for slower areas of the trail.
I used to think all that use would quickly wear a clutch out, but that's not really the case with a trials bike. And even if it were, the benefits are too great to ignore.