BMX - not your usual manual question

So I have a 26" dirt jumper bike. A black market riot. and I just picked up a 20" for commuting and whatnot, figured I'd try some tricks on it.

With the 26" I can pretty much manual as long as I want, control turning etc. but on the 20" I can't do anything. I literally loop out as soon as I pull the front up. THis back and forth motion, I feel like with some compensation, I can correct, but what really gets me is I veer off to one side as well. I can't keep a straight manual at all. On the odd chance I dont immediately loop out, I tip over to one side and there goes the manual. Why is that? wrong frame size or something? Im six feet tall on a 20.75 frame.

Also, when manualing on 20", where is your weight? on the 26" I throw all my weight as far back as possible. I know you'll loop out if you do that on the 20", but do you keep your weight high or stay really low?

You just gotta adapt man. A 20" is way smaller than any 26" I can manual decent on both my 20(Sunday Funday) & my 24(Sunday Model-C). But when I come back to my 20 after riding the 24 a bit, of course it feels a bit more squirrelly and takes a bit to get it back in line.
A 26 DJ is going to take a lot more tossing your weight around to get into a manual than a 20. So work on just easing into it.
And remember - it's all in the hips. Back and forth to keep it from looping out, side to side to control direction.
-Bill

yea, I wasnt too mad at looping out since I figured its just due to the size differences. it was the side to side motion and falling over on one side that baffled me. Come to think of it, I never bothered with the side to side adjustments on the other bike. Is it better to use your hips or knees?
Its pretty frustrating, since I took so long to learn manuals on that other bike. Hopefully the adjustment doesn't take too long...

It was funny, I tried a bunnyhop and pulled up as if I were on my DJ, and essentially jumped backwards off the bike :D With essentially no effort(compared to the 26"), I can get the bike almost straight up, to the point where the handlebars are up against my legs. pretty sweet.

Im well over six foot tall, i can manual just fine on my 20" its just practice, practice practice practice.

Try to keep your weight over your back wheel and use your legs to compensate for side-to-side movement. And just keep practicing.