Mountain Biking - Manuals?

Hey Everyone!

Recently, I have been trying to hone my biking skills. I just want to learn how to manual. It looks easy enugh, but hwne I bring up my front wheel and pedal, it just falls straight down. Is there any advice anyone can offer me?

It has nothign to do with pedalling. Its body position. Combination of lifting the front and throwing weight back.

I just want to learn how to manual. It looks easy enugh, but hwne I bring up my front wheel and pedal, it just falls straight down. Is there any advice anyone can offer me?

-It's not easy at all to learn to manual. . .it will require a lot of practice.

-Bring your front wheel up higher until you reach the point of perfect balance. It won't fall from there unless you make it (by forward weight transfer or rear brake application).

-Stop pedaling, otherwise it's not a manual.

yeah, it's not easy to learn at all. finding that balance point is the key... i haven't been able to get it just yet, but i'm close. i can hold a manual for about 2 to 3 seconds before something feels strange and i end up losing balance.

it just takes a lot of practice.

Well Im sorry. I think I meant wheelies. The one which you pedal. How do you do those?

Put in a good gear to get your front up and pedal...

Lots of practice finding the balance point, proper gear etc...

Yeah, don't try and learn with clipless pedals. :D

for a wheelie, you need to be in a gearing that is more suited towards speed than spinning, try to be in as aggressive a gear as you can be in and still be able to mash the pedal down quickly. as you mash the pedal, shift your weight behind the seat and lift up on the handlebars. The hard part is sustaining it and not falling over hwile trying to sustain it...I still havent been able to sustain one.

The hard part is sustaining it and not falling over hwile trying to sustain it...I still havent been able to sustain one.

So why exactly then would you expect hooligan to listen to your advice? :rolleyes:

I was finally able to do a wheelie/manual today. I never really tried but I started today. Its tough to do. I spun the front wheel out forward to much on a few occasions in which case you need to jump back off the pedals or fall on your back!

I put the bike in a low gear to get the front up. On my 7-speed 1st gear works fine. On my 27-speed 2nd or 3rd gear works great. Go slow, pedal hard, stay seated. It's easier on a BMX bike to stand up but on a mountain bike it's easier for me to sit and I can hold it for about 20 seconds.

Keep one finger on the rear brake. As you lift the front wheel, extend your arms to shift your weight back. You want to find the "sweet spot" where you are about to fall over backwards. As you start going back, lightly squeeze the brake (just drag it) this will cause the tire to drop. Once you get back to the "sweet spot" let go of the brake.

Keep pedaling the whole time!

L8R

If only I could....http://www.cripplefight.com/smileys/mf_pcwhack.gif

I'm not very good at manuals. I can only do one 1 out of every 10 trys. Even when i do get it, i can only hold it for 2 seconds. However, when i do get it for 2 seconds, i know its because it threw my weight back really hard. Basically, do that, pedal hard and lean back further than you think you should be.

By the way, there are a lot of people from Toronto in this thread. Where do you guys ride?

All I can say is practice, practice, and practice some more. The one thing that I am really good at when it comes to riding bike, it is doing wheelies :D I learned to do wheelies in around 6th grade and it took me quite a while to get them down. Now, I can wheely pretty long on just about any bike. Especially my Redline Sig. Pro bmx bike :D

I just got a Ram 2.0 today and put it in 3rd gear (its a 27 speed) on the middle sprocket up front and all you do is just put your wait forward (preload the front fork a bit) then lean back and pedal hard at the same time. Then you just experiment until you can find the "Sweet spot" where you are not pedaling hard to keep the front end from falling and you are not on the verge of having to bail if you go to far back.

Like I said just go out and practice, you are not going to learn to wheely in a day.
-Desert Rider

it is a lot easier on a BMX bike.

all of the pool rats who hang around my pool ride the these walmart BMX bikes, and they were hanging around the pool on this rainy day. I ended up riding one of the bmx bikes, and man, they are easy to wheely. I think its becuase the seat is right over the rear axle, so it tips back really easy. but I was able to keep it up for like ten seconds or so...I could never do it for more then two-three pedal strokes on my old huffy mtb...

Bmx are easy for lots of things. Small wheels, small whippaple frame, short chainstays, generally short tt, low seat and high bars. Makes for a manualling machine ;) But definately a good way to learn the balance point.

if you can manual, you can manual on pretty much any bike.

I want to see someone manual a tandem bike. :)

I just figured out that balancing point today, but i fell off the back after a few seconds. I'm suprised because this is the first time i've ever done that. I tried it again and i had a lot of trouble getting to the balancing point and keeping there. I really have to concentrate hard on what i'm doing. Each time i manual i have to think: Preload, throw body back, bend arms, get butt down low. Need to practice until it becomes second nature.

if you can manual, you can manual on pretty much any bike.

I want to see someone manual a tandem bike. :)

Have you seen the nose manual on the tandem bike in Kranked 2 or 3?

Okay...

I gave up on the wheelie and the manual today and tried bunnyhopping. Wow that was fast learned it pretty quick with some advince off bmxtrix.com. Point my pedals down, bring up front then a split second later bring up back as pointing toes down. I've seen bunnyhops, but would it count as one if my front and back go off at almost the same time? ( I know this is off topic okay? I just don't want to flood topics ). 2 inches in half an hour. Amazingly kool man. Amazingly koo.

Its a start. You will leanr how to do the proper bunny hop. Comes with...guess what...practice :D...

I was able to bunnyhop 2.5 + feet on my old bike, but my new One Hun takes awhile to get used to. Also with 24's, I have to have my body WAY back over the rear wheel for manuals.

2.5 + Feet? What do you mean by that?

Get the bike 2 feet 6 inches off the ground.

Have you seen the nose manual on the tandem bike in Kranked 2 or 3?

no. I'd laugh my ass off though, sounds great. :D

I haven't seen any mtn. bike videos. other then the trailers and stuff on the net. If I buy a video, it's bmx. but I haven't even bought a bmx video in years.

Have you seen the nose manual on the tandem bike in Kranked 2 or 3?


Actually I think it's on the NEW WORLD DISORDER Series either 2 or 3!

You're talking the one with the inflatable doll right?

I get a kick everytime I watch that!!!!!


L8R

Ooops...I think you are right. I will try to rip that part out of the movie for all to see :D

If anyone has webspace I ripped the bigbender drop for a couple of people and the tandem nose wheelie. 20megs each? PM if you have room, I got nothing :D