Can anyone manual?

[pharmaboy]

I'm 30 and learning. I set up my bike (bmx or mtb) on a turbo trainer and practice there (nice and safe). Been at it for 4 months. before I started a manual on a ride was maybe 2-3m (and 4 -5 seconds on the turbo) now I now can go for maybe 10-15 meters on the trails (and hold for 20 seconds or more on the turbo).
The turbo is great for learning the muscles memory without having to think about anything else

Ha, big effort there joe. Your patience is amazing.

Is the 2 to 3 m manual a recent skill as well?

 

[0psi]

Only skimmed through the thread so sorry if it's been covered.

I've found the key to manuals is how you get the front wheel up in the first place. When I first tried to do them I was reefing up on the bars really hard to get the front wheel up and I'd end up off balance right from the beginning so it was just a fight to regain balance the whole time.

The key to getting the front up is to snap the bike forward not up. Have the bars near your chest and legs bent then snap your arms and legs straight while keeping your hips low. Think of it as pushing the bike away from you, again NOT up. Once you get that sorted the front wheel will come up nice and easy and you won't be fighting the bike to get/keep the front up.

Then it's a matter of practice, use your knees and bars to control side to side. Feather your rear brake if you are going to fall backwards. If the front wheel starts dropping pump with your legs and snap your hips back, don't try to pull up with your arms.

 

[driftking]

Yeah your essentially rotating the bike under you.
As you pull the front up the legs need to shift the bike under and forward/down.

Pulling the front up is done as the weight shifts backwards and down as the whole bike and rider rotates around not by just pulling up with your arms.

 

[0psi]

As you pull the front up -snip-
Pulling the front up

If you were a dog you'd get sprayed with a water bottle or hit over the nose with a newspaper.

Forget about up, just push the bike away from you.

 

[driftking]

If you were a dog you'd get sprayed with a water bottle or hit over the nose with a newspaper.

Forget about up, just push the bike away from you.

Hahah.

You are still pulling on the bars. Weather that be from the arms (wrong) or the body shifting backwards (right) the bars are subjected to a pulling force backwards. If you push the bars away you will go nowhere or at least making the job very hard by putting weight on the front.

That pulling force though is what naturally happens as you push your hips down and your feet forward. Your arms are pulling on the bars.

 

[poita]

Maybe a dumb question, but is this super hard on an xc bike with a relatively high seat? I can pull shit, short manuals on my bmx, but cannot at all on my xc bike (only MTB)

 

[driftking]

Maybe a dumb question, but is this super hard on an xc bike with a relatively high seat? I can pull shit, short manuals on my bmx, but cannot at all on my xc bike (only MTB)

Xc bike geo makes it easier to do but a higher seat make it hard, high seats puts your center of gravity higher and you generally need to lean back more than most people are comfortable with if sitting/mono or standing the seat can get in the way. If your deadset on learning lower the seat until you nail it then try with a higher seat.

 

[T-Rex]

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.

Agreed, because kids can put the time into it.... T-Rex Junior spent three years teaching himself to manual to a very proficient level. Started out on a 20" BMX, then moved up to the XC, then lastly on the DH bike.

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

Every day.... see above.

Oh, and why is it called a manual?

Derived from a similar skateboarding trick of the same name, I believe.

 

[SuchisLife]

Just watched this on you tube, interesting technique used to help learn how to manual. Haven't tested it out yet though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RGHQMCWCsc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[mitch41]

I ride a DJ bike so its sort of cheating with ridiculously short chainstays. Funny thing is though I can manual easily on just about anything, nose manual aswell but not as good, however on my AM bike i can only just manage to manual about 15m, which i hate because I can do so much better on the DJ, but i guess having a higher seat, longer chainstays and rear suspension really makes it alot more difficult. I cant wheelie for shit though and it really frustrates me haha

- Push down through your heels, not through your toes (if you push with your toes you will drop the front down easier)
- Lean back with your arms outstretched as far as possible, change your weight positioning with your hips and legs
- Feather the break if need be, dont grab a handful (if you do its not really a problem you will just drop the front instantly)
- Surface is important too, a nice smooth road will be easier to manual than a fire trail
- Pick a road that has a slight downhill as it will slowly give you speed

 

[Joly Joe Rider]

Ha, big effort there joe. Your patience is amazing.

Is the 2 to 3 m manual a recent skill as well?

Yep. I have been rider forever but never really bothered on the best technique. I bought a copy of How to ride mountain bikes by Lee McCormack and I'm definitely do the best riding I've ever done. I did Mega Avalanche in 2012 and it took me 2hrs, I'm doing it again this year and my goals are 1. Don't die 2. Finish in under 1.5 hrs.

 

[thecat]

You manual through braking zones ?

people have odd braking zones and you find braking stutters develop in weird places. A quick wheelie, to float over them combined with early or late braking can often be quicker

Edit: didn't see the date of the original comment. ignore me I'm an idiot

 

[smoothwakey]

For what its worth I know a guy who is probably 40-45 years old and he started riding bmx when his son got into it maybe 4-5 years ago. He knew how to ride a bike already but had never done any sort of freestyle, the first time I saw him ride he had very limited bike control but he would always ask me how to do all sorts of tricks, I gave him some really basic pointers but he kept with it and within a year he was way better. Now he can manual probably 10-20 m consistently and maybe 50m on a good day. So dont give up old dogs can learn new tricks it just takes a bit longer. It's kind of funny because his son stopped riding years ago but he still loves it he even goes for a quick street ride on his work lunch break most days.

 

[harmonix1234]

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

Not on a bike but I used to be able to manual on a skateboard as long as I wanted.
Did Queen Street in Hobart once which is about 400 metres, a little bit pissed. Boom.
Also one footed manuals. Love em.

Put me on a bike though and I couldn't do it if my life depended on it.

 

[Joly Joe Rider]

So to keep this going a bit. My current struggle is falling to one side. Usually to my left. I know I need to shift my mass to the right to correct it but I can't seem to get myself to react. Anyone got any hints?

 

[driftking]

So to keep this going a bit. My current struggle is falling to one side. Usually to my left. I know I need to shift my mass to the right to correct it but I can't seem to get myself to react. Anyone got any hints?

falling to one side as you manual.
You can try turning the bar different sides, you'll find the way you turn the bars can help a fair bit with the way you balance.
otherwise try and really focus on the weak foot, chances are the stronger foot is taking more force which is pushing you to that side?

Overall the best solution is to be hyper aware of what you're doing and focus on each aspect and bring them all together.

 

[smoothwakey]

So to keep this going a bit. My current struggle is falling to one side. Usually to my left. I know I need to shift my mass to the right to correct it but I can't seem to get myself to react. Anyone got any hints?

I've noticed that when this happens to me I am looking at my front wheel a lot, I find if I look a lot further ahead I can keep straight easier, so try lifting your vision a bit. Focus on something stationary in the distance it might help. This is hard to do on the trail but a good way to learn in a car park or on a mellow straight trail.

 

[antigee]

Well as long as your not 50 your fine haha.

55 here and learning to manual on my target list for this year - last year learnt to unicycle just forced myself to practise everyday and not act scared of falling - some good tips above - going to the BMX track with my daughter helped but she swopped to street style and ice hockey - as to the old OP given my time around again sure would work on those technical skills - best person to person and if funds don't allow tuition find someone willing and good at coaching and swop some time at worst YouTube

As to being old it just takes more of hard to find time to learn new stuff and it hurts more