Can anyone manual?

[mattwilkinson]

Hey guys,

I've been riding MTB's for a bit over a year now, And am starting to be able to do a proper wheelie. I want to learn how to manual though.
Can anyone actually manual on here or is it really really hard? My bikes a dually which just makes it even harder.

Matt

 

[cooki_monsta]

Its not as hard as you think. Its all about getting your body weight in the right spot as you pull the bike up. Practice makes perfect and if done properly it will increase the speed you can carry over rough terrain ie braking bumps... oh and it feels cool and looks even better..... just watch your seat if your rebounds too fast it will get up close and personal with your nut sack

 

[mattwilkinson]

Yeah man, I've just gotta get used to feathering the braking while doing the mono. Don't wanna fall backwards doing a manual!

 

[Ezkaton]

I've been riding for 26 years and I still can't manual... Hahaha.

Not that I've really put any major effort into trying or practicing...

A good mono here and there is always fun. Can't even count how many times I've gone that bit too far and come off the back of the bike though.

 

[cooki_monsta]

But its all good because you land on your feet.

 

[creaky]

Its not as hard as you think. Its all about getting your body weight in the right spot as you pull the bike up. Practice makes perfect and if done properly it will increase the speed you can carry over rough terrain ie braking bumps... oh and it feels cool and looks even better..... just watch your seat if your rebounds too fast it will get up close and personal with your nut sack

You manual through braking zones ?

 

[oriion]

Go to your local BMX track and try it on a 20" BMX first, then move to your dually 26" or whatever.

Learning the body placement on a BMX will help you understand positioning.

 

[moorey]

I also can't manual to save myself. I gave up trying. out:
i remember watching Nathan Rennie on the Mt Beauty BMX track at DH nationals back in around 2002. Riding pretty much the whole track on rear wheel, including landing jumps. Thing of beauty, but something that has always eluded me.

 

[pharmaboy]

Just talking about this the other day, the guy who could manual and was showing off ( moments before someone better than him manualed straight into a rocky Shute ) reckons you can only learn when young and hasn't seen a mature rider learn it.

So live vicariously through your kids......

 

[Hugor]

As above I tried mastering it for a while and gave up.
There has been a few occasions when I've lifted my front over something and accidentally manualled for a second or 2 before shitting myself and slamming on the brakes.
It felt amazing for those split seconds!!

 

[creaky]

As above I tried mastering it for a while and gave up.
There has been a few occasions when I've lifted my front over something and accidentally manualled for a second or 2 before shitting myself and slamming on the brakes.
It felt amazing for those split seconds!!

Ha ! So true.

I was never a master but could do 5-10 metres consistently. Either my skills/nerve has dropped off or maybe the 29ers have dumbed me down (Moorey bait) ....

 

[foxpuppet]

I keep trying and practicing and seem to be getting better, but get disheartened when I ride with someone who can do them with ease. I rode with a group this time last year and one of the crew manualed like nothing I had ever seen. Down rough muddy fire trail for hundreds of meters then when we got off the trail he continuously wheelied down a twisty bitumen road at over 60km/h for over 2km, it was mental to watch!

 

[moorey]

Ha ! So true.

I was never a master but could do 5-10 metres consistently. Either my skills/nerve has dropped off or maybe the 29ers have dumbed me down (Moorey bait) ....

I'll bite. Have heard it said that 29" are very hard to manual due to length, but I guess it's one if things you get used to and manage with practice (unlike me on 26") :noidea:

 

[RIDEGIANT]

26" is definitely the best MTB wheelsize to learn tricks on, but especially with manuals, you may want to use flats until you find you and your bike's sweet spot (aka balance point), and so if you go too far backwards you can jump off

 

[oriion]

you can only learn when young and hasn't seen a mature rider learn it.

There is a fair amount of truth to this i reckon - I ride mainly with guys my own age ( mid 40's ) and we all grew up racing BMX so we all seem to be able to manual without really giving it much thought.

It definatly helps your rhythm in between flowy sections, but generally on duallys you can make your suspension do all that for you anyways.

 

[cooki_monsta]

Gotta add I learnt on a bmx

 

[driftking]

You manual through braking zones ?

I think he means he pumps and manuals over the bumps to carry speed, lots of Braking bumps are caused by slow riders so faster riders don't ussually use them until the very end so the aim is to carry speed through them and be smooth to save energy.

Just talking about this the other day, the guy who could manual and was showing off ( moments before someone better than him manualed straight into a rocky Shute ) reckons you can only learn when young and hasn't seen a mature rider learn it.

So live vicariously through your kids......

BS if we still lived in the world where the brain was developed and stopped sure. But we know that's not true and you can learn well into your later life. Practice makes perfect I'd thi I mostly older people have more fear and less body awareness where they are in space so it makes it harder but not been able to learn based on age is a cop out. How many people only take up sports as they age (bowls, chess, archery) etc many people take sports up as older individuals and Learn.

Yes the processing of older people is a little slower so it might take some more time but with practice anyone can do it unless you just don't have the knack for it, in Which case chances are as a kid you probably never had the knack for it either.

We are talking manualing its a simple fundamental its not like his trying to become a wc rider.

 

[pharmaboy]

I think he means he pumps and manuals over the bumps to carry speed, lots of Braking bumps are caused by slow riders so faster riders don't ussually use them until the very end so the aim is to carry speed through them and be smooth to save energy.



BS if we still lived in the world where the brain was developed and stopped sure. But we know that's not true and you can learn well into your later life. Practice makes perfect I'd thi I mostly older people have more fear and less body awareness where they are in space so it makes it harder but not been able to learn based on age is a cop out. How many people only take up sports as they age (bowls, chess, archery) etc many people take sports up as older individuals and Learn.

Yes the processing of older people is a little slower so it might take some more time but with practice anyone can do it unless you just don't have the knack for it, in Which case chances are as a kid you probably never had the knack for it either.

We are talking manualing its a simple fundamental its not like his trying to become a wc rider.

Ah well, your bullshit is no more valuable or convincing than another's.

On the general topic though , as someone with a golfing background, I can tell you it's very accepted that a young start to the game in golf is near critical. Scientifically, the brain is indeed more malleable early in life and while you can still learn new movements it doesn't follow that you can learn as wellas you could .

I don't know whether you can or not, I do know however that the idea that you can't is plausible

 

[rednightmare]

I can manual a bit, maybe 20 -30m (more if it's a slight downhill slope). Still don't have the effortless control that some people have.

It's going to be hard to learn on an FS bike, much easier on a hard tail or BMX. You have to pull up really evenly and get your weight over the back wheel, keeping your arms straight and rocking your knees back and forth to adjust the tilt. Feathering the brake helps initially but ultimately it's a crutch that will sap your speed and your manual. It is just something you have to practice consistently over and over again. If you have a decent bike to commute on, you can pick a line on the road/footpath ahead of you and try to manual that, make it like a game and you'll get better. Just my 2c.

 

[Steve-0]

Bike setup is important too. Stem height, stem length, fork length, wheel base etc. all play a huge role in how keen a bike is to manual. It's no excuse though as it just means you need to change they way you initiate the manual.

It's alot easier to learn a wheelie first and then move over. Practice doing wheelies and keeping off the brake, you want to improve your balance. Next you want to learn how to pull the bike up into position without needing to pedal, this can be hard depending on your bike setup, some bikes will do it easy, some bikes you really need to put your whole body weight into it. You need to force your bum back and down while pulling back on the bars all in one smooth motion.

It's fun to do and you can do it anywhere. When it finally becomes easy and second nature then your whole riding experience will change. You can now pump the terrain to gain extra speed, coast through rough sections and pull off unique riding techniques anywhere on the track.