Mountain Biking - Tips on doing manuals?

As I was leaving work today, some kid who looked about 13 years old was riding across campus, he was just riding along and started manualing down the walkway... the whole thing looked totally effortless. After I saw that, I thought - "Damn, if some little kid can do it, so can I!"

So, I'm going to learn how to do it. Any tips? :)

Be ready to fall alot.

don't lean back too far or your gonna eat it.when you feel your legs lock and the bike seems to be flowing you have yourself a manual learn to counter balance for speed and if need be feather and thats lightly feather your rear brake. lightly.


becareful and remember when you are manualing you need a good amount of speed to set the manual

AN6's .02

-Don't expect to learn in an afternoon. Or a week. Or a month.

-Keep trying.

So, I'm going to learn how to do it. Any tips? :)

Some bikes are designed to keep the front down on steep climbs. Some bikes maybe terrible at doing manuals. I have a few friends that can do it for about a mile, no pun intended, and they ride freeride bikes.

Good luck

Ming

- Keep your ass centered over the hub.
- Keep knees bent.
- Arms extended.
- Keep a couple fingers on the rear brake...so instead of looping out, just pull and your front end will come down.

Those are all tips I have recieved over the years.

It's all about practice.

I've spent lots of time working on them over the years (mostly on my BMX) and I still can't manual very far.

What exactly is a manual?

What exactly is a manual?
it's a wheelie without pedalling.

don't lean back too far or your gonna eat it.
If you are scared of falling you will never do it. And, if you lean too far back, you just jump off the pedals and land on your feet. I guess if you are going fast, it can be a different story...but i learned by going slow so... :rolleyes:

Best manual I have ever seen was by some guy in Berlin on a black and gold Scott Hardtail with red rock shox pike fork. The person's name was Timo if I remember.;)

Yes Timo Pretzel. Such a cool guy.

i just lean back, and pull hard, then try to keep balance at a perfect height

I'm still working on wheelies. Must...pedal harder and lean back more...on my 20 inch bike!