# Manualing a XC bike



## huntforlife (Jun 11, 2004)

Well I'm working more on my tech. riding skills due to an upcoming trip out to Moab, so I'm trying to get the manual down well. I can usually get the wheel up for a bit, but have a hard time keeping it there, or I go too far and have to bail. Any tips? I ride a trek fuel 80, that I just put Marz MX comp eta on the fron with some real light tires. My sem is a 0deg rise 100mm....not sure how much that matters. 
What are some other thigns I should work on? I'm getting the trail stand down for the most part. 
Thanks


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## jonlong (Sep 29, 2004)

Track-stand is definitely an important one. When I was younger, I used to stack cereal boxes to see how many I could bunny-hop. That was fun. 

I'm still struggling to manual on my bike. I can do short wheelies, where I'm keeping myself up by putting power to the rear wheel, but I can't seem to maintain that balance point. The exception to this is if I'm just hopping on the rear tire, because I can stop and balance on the rear tire for a little while.


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

If you have track/trail stands down already I would skip the manual and work on your bunnyhops if you can't already do them perfectly.

Manuals might look cool when you're in Moab but I really don't think they help you on the trail.


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## roaddog (Aug 30, 2004)

It's about pushing out with your feet and hips when the ftront of the bike starts to drop. when you go to far try slight brake drag on the rear. I have Dirt Magazines The Mountain Bike technique video about manuals, bunnyhops, skids, drop offs, prejumping etc.


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## homepiece (Feb 6, 2004)

manuals will help on the trail, but when riding a bike with xc geometry, high seat, and longer stems, it is a tough thing to do. If you really want to learn the skill, I recomment putting flats on the bike and lowering the seat. The main thing is finding your balance point. The main motion is to lean back over the rear tire, slightly pull up to get the front wheel off the ground, and extend your legs. Practice on a slight downhill grass slope. So if you do go past balance point you wont get burned by the concrete. Have your brakes set so you can tap them with one finger to bring the front end down if you go back too far. The main thing to remember is that to manual well takes a whole lot of time. But being able to manual comfortably even 5 feet can help maintain speed through rockgardens and rollers on the trail. Basically any skill that you put time into on a bike will help out in handling on the trail.


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## huntforlife (Jun 11, 2004)

Thanks for the help so far.
Yeah the manualing is just more something i want to do for the fun of it....not so much practicle riding. The one thing I have found it usefull for, is getting up and over logs, or up a ledge. More just the ability to get that front wheel up.
Track stands: is it just a balancing act? I can usually do them for about 5 seconds or so. 
Bunnyhops: By them do you mean hopping sideways...like up a curb?


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

huntforlife said:


> Bunnyhops: By them do you mean hopping sideways...like up a curb?


Yeah, or hopping straight ahead, like over a log. Or in the case of Moab, up onto a rock ledge or step.


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## jonlong (Sep 29, 2004)

I like hitting the front brake and rotating on the front tire. Not very helpful, but improves balance.


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

I do the same as jonlong. I ride a P1 now but I could manual, jump, trackstand, and bunnyhop up ledges around 2ft or more on my old Hardrock Pro Disc. 


I can do all this on my p1 easier than I could on my HR but that's expected with the short stem and stuff,


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## jonlong (Sep 29, 2004)

Ok, just got back from messing around on my bike. (I needed a break from studying) I was trying to manual and found a little technique that seems to be helping. First of all, as was mentioned before, flat pedals and a low seat help out a lot. Then try just balancing on the bike (like a track stand) and see if you can pull your body back hard enough and push the bike forward enough to get the bike up on it's rear wheel. Don't cheat by using the rear brake. It's a lot harder than just doing a pop-a-wheelie. Once you get the technique down, you might find yourself overdoing it and having to jump backwards off the bike. Then it's just a matter of fine tuning and learning to shift your body to keep the bike balanced. For me, the hardest part is getting the bike on the rear wheel enough. The balancing part comes pretty naturally.


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## dtrek4500 (May 7, 2004)

The thing that I find useful for the east coast trails I ride is to beable to lock up your front brake, so you could hop the rear around in a circle on a tight swithchback, that may have a tree in the way. I have used this skill many times on this one trail I ride very often. I also find knowing how to trackstand for a good amount of time useful on tight sections.
Dave


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## adamantane (Jan 27, 2005)

i use a 10 degree rise, 60 mm stem...good for all around FR and downhill

you would be surprised how much handlebar and stem make to overall bike handling


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## great_big_abyss (Apr 4, 2006)

huntforlife said:


> Track stands: is it just a balancing act? I can usually do them for about 5 seconds or so.
> Bunnyhops: By them do you mean hopping sideways...like up a curb?


A trackstand is a combination of balance, brake, and pressure on your pedal. Do this:

Find a very slight slope, such as a driveway. Determine your strong leg. This is the leg that you usually start pedalling with, and for me it's my right leg. SLOWLY start pedalling diagonally up the slope. Get off your saddle and stand on your pedals. Using your back brake, stop the bike gently, with your strong foot forward. Turn your handlbars until they're pointing up the hill. Now, using the back brake and your pedal, do a slight rocking motion. If you find yourself falling uphill, pedal forward half an inch. If you find yourself falling downhill, let yourself roll back half an inch. Eventually, you'll get the 'rocking' motion that allows you to stay up indefinately. After much practice, the rocking motion will be so small that it will be indetectable. You will finally be doing a trackstand.

A bunnyhop is not hopping sideways onto a curb. There are many different ideas as to what a bunnyhop is, but it usually involves combining forward momentum with upward movement to clear obstacles such as logs, curbs, bodies etc. I say that there are different ideas, because bunnyhops are often confused with J-hops. Generally, a bunny hop means that your two tires leave the ground at about the same time, and land at the same time. A J-hop means that your front tire leaves the ground first, then the rear tire leaves, and they should land at about the same time. Bunnyhops are useful for jumping over logs on trails; J-hops are usually used in Trials for jumping onto tables, ledges, etc.

To bunnyhop: Many people will tell you to compress your suspension and tires, then to use the rebound to launch yourself into the air. I think that this is the natural progression of the bunnyhop, and is usually only possible with lots of practice. When I was much younger, I tried to learn bunnyhops this way, and could not, for the life of me do it. Somebody then gave me this tip, and it came easily to me. Lift up your handlebars, and twist the grips. Technically, you will be doing a J-hop, but eventually you'll learn the feel of compressing your tires or suspension and bunnyhops will naturally follow. So just remember. Lift up your handlebars, and twist your grips. Hopefully your rear wheel will follow the front. You'll only get about an inch off the ground using this technique, but once you get the feel of things, you'll progress pretty quickly. Expert riders can confidently bunny hop over logs a foot high.


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## Tarekith (Mar 9, 2005)

I found the bike geometry makes a huge difference to be able to manual. It was VERY hard for me to wheelie and manual my Stumpy HT, but the new bike (enduro) has different geometry and it's incredibly easier now.


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## Joe Dirt (Nov 20, 2005)

*Manuals*

Manuals are cool to watch for about 30 seconds, then who cares? As for being useful, they are during BMX and that is about it. Wait, I take that back. I do manaul while riding XC or DH, but only high enough to clear small obstacles to keep my speed up.


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## great_big_abyss (Apr 4, 2006)

Joe Dirt said:


> Manuals are cool to watch for about 30 seconds, then who cares? As for being useful, they are during BMX and that is about it. Wait, I take that back. I do manaul while riding XC or DH, but only high enough to clear small obstacles to keep my speed up.


The manual itself is not very useful on a trail, but the balance that you acquire while practicing and perfecting the manual IS.


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## jonlong (Sep 29, 2004)

Being able to hold an extended wheelie helps a lot, especially with low speed drop offs.


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## Brown_Teeth (Jan 15, 2004)

great_big_abyss said:


> The manual itself is not very useful on a trail, but the balance that you acquire while practicing and perfecting the manual IS.


Hate to see the first time you're heading down a trail that crosses on a creek bottom, maunal or say good by to your collarbone and the next 6 months of your life. Learning to manual is an imperative skill to learn if you ride trails, especially new ones that pull you in and are too fun to pass up!


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## huntforlife (Jun 11, 2004)

*bunny hop*

With just a little practice at the bunnyhop, I mannaged to clear 2 70lb sandbags stacked up (a good foot). I had acctually tried that some before, but using the suspension really helps. 
As far as manuals...I'm still working at that. Being brilliant as I am, I tried it with my cliples pedals ON CEMENT  Just a little tear on the new flite saddle Life goes on, lesson learned


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## elivingston (Oct 20, 2004)

Regarding trackstands, they really helped to me be able to handle slow switchbacks or any other place on the trail that requires very slow speeds and good balance... still haven't gotten the manual down yet... but you guys inspired me to try it out!


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## Toddski8 (Mar 5, 2006)

I too have a xc- hardtail. It has a beefed up front fork shorter stem and riser bars. All that does give the top tube a slightly steeper angle. 

Manualling for a short distance is no problem, however show boating is another story. I think that getting into the show boating aspect is just all about balance, you either have it or you don't. If you don't then practice practice practice.


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