# On a mission to manual! Need tips and tricks!



## MaddSquirrel (Aug 5, 2005)

I am determined to learn to manual. I have read Brian Lopes books, watched videos, etc., but still can not seem to pull it off. Any suggestions would be great. 

I think my issue is that I am not committing to pulling up/back. I am dropping my heels.


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## hazdxb (Oct 11, 2008)

1. Practice bailing off the bike, pull back hard and jump off the back holding onto the handlebars. Jump off the pedals right at the moment when you feel you are going to fall on your ass so you're ready to bail should you need to. 
2. Make sure you're wearing proper shoes, i would recommend VANS shoes. Sometimes crappy shoes let you slide off the pedals too easily.
3. Make sure you're pedals are good as well and provide enough grip to let you be comfortable on the bike. 
4. Just go out there and try it. Oh and get really good at step 1 because then you don't have to worry bout falling on your ass or getting chewed up by the tire.
5. Don't give up, it took me a VERY long time to get manuals and even now im not exactly perfect at them.


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## alexrex20 (Dec 20, 2005)

you don't need Vans shoes to do a manual.  just make sure they have good grip so that you don't have that nagging thought in the back of your head, "oh god, i'm going to backspin into my shins." also, make sure you have some decent pedals.

riding a manual is about balance. training yourself to bail is counter-productive. riding the brake (and staying on the bike) will make it much easier to find that perfect balance.


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

I don't think shoes or pedals will help in learning. For me it's about body position, I get low and squaty over the back wheel with arms fully extended. Brakes help but aren't necessary. 

Videos and forum tips aren't gonna get you to manual any faster. Time and practice is the only thing that'll get you on one wheel. I go street riding a lot, riding from spot to spot I'll practice my manuals. Gotta commit, falling is a part of learning.


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## ColorVoyeur (Jun 13, 2009)

Learning on flat ground is tough... 
Look for a bit of a downhill (grassy hill)
Speed is key... not too fast or it becomes hard to get your front end up, but too slow and it's hard to hold your balance point.

I learned on the boxes at the skatepark.


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## Prime8 (Apr 19, 2004)

same as learning guitar, play it till your fingers bleed!

I have pics (somewhere on this forum) of blood blisters on my hands from when I learned to manual!


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

what bike are you on ? and how tall are you?


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## Prime8 (Apr 19, 2004)

I can manual just about any bike I try now, my buddies Stinky, Bottle rocket, norco shore, it's all technique. my main bikes are STP and Cowan DS.I'm 155lbs and 5'11"


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## MaddSquirrel (Aug 5, 2005)

Thanks for the tips/support. I am 5'11.5". I am riding a bike with similar geometry to a Santa Cruz Chameleon. My chainstays are 16.5". I have some time blocked out tomorrow to practice.


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## Prime8 (Apr 19, 2004)

I had a ten mile commute, and would practice every day all the way! Only took a couple months 0_o


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## xtremelow (Aug 10, 2010)

I have watched a few videos while trying to learn and I think the biggest aid in my learning was to keep may arms as straight as possible and learn to lift the front soft, smooth, and slowly. These will all help to maintain control, also it keeps you from just flipping over every time or just doing a 10ft wheelie.

And as stated practice, practice, practice!

New guy but take it for what its worth.


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## hazdxb (Oct 11, 2008)

alexrex20 said:


> you don't need Vans shoes to do a manual.
> riding a manual is about balance. training yourself to bail is counter-productive. riding the brake (and staying on the bike) will make it much easier to find that perfect balance.


 Im just recommending some shoes that are known to have good grip, not saying you need them. As for the practice bailing point, i gave that as a tip, because it gives me peace of mind knowing that i know how to dismount fast should i need to but i guess everyone has their methods.


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## phat_tony (Mar 3, 2007)

*A fellow beginners inital thoughts*

I've been trying to learn how to wheelie and manual as well. Getting pretty decent at the wheelie - travelling 15 to 20 feet on a fairly regular basis but still lots of false starts. I think the wheelie is easier and a lot of the technique is transferable to manuals, so I'm trying to master it before putting a lot of effort into manuals.

Having said that, I can't help but work on the manuals and here's what has worked for me on the few successful manuals I've pulled off:

1 - Set up seat really low
2 - Start standing up with weight balanced on pedals, arms bent, elbows out
3 - Pump the front of the bike then throw your weight back, ass first (as opposed to just throwing your upper body weight back
4 - As your weight starts to move back, you need to push with your feet to move the back wheel away from you while your body is pulling the bars/front wheel up.
5 - Use your feet to help control the height of the front wheel - push away from you to raise the front wheel and suck them in a bit to lower the front wheel. Back brake can also be used to lower front wheel.
6 - Practice until you get the feel for where the balance point is supposed to be and continually adjust to get/stay there.

Like I said, I'm not very good at manuals, so if any manual masters out there think anything I've said is wrong, please let me know. This seems to work for me, I just haven't put in the hours to make all of that automatic. There are so many small little adjustments that your body has to make, that it takes a lot of time to ingrain it.


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## Jason B (Aug 15, 2008)

phat_tony said:


> I've been trying to learn how to wheelie and manual as well. Getting pretty decent at the wheelie - travelling 15 to 20 feet on a fairly regular basis but still lots of false starts. I think the wheelie is easier and a lot of the technique is transferable to manuals, so I'm trying to master it before putting a lot of effort into manuals.
> 
> Having said that, I can't help but work on the manuals and here's what has worked for me on the few successful manuals I've pulled off:
> 
> ...


Looks like good info to me (another beginner at age 47). I actually had a few of my best attempts yesterday. Will be working on it some more this afternoon.


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## xtremelow (Aug 10, 2010)

Van's may not be necassary but most DJ/bmx style pedals actually have the pedal pegs spread out based upon the waffle pattern that most skate shoes utilize which in turn would help with grip.

I usually ride with my DCs since the bottoms are flat no crazy tread, arch, or anything to limit grip if my foot slips forward.

So to say use Van's I think a good rephrase would be a skate style shoe :thumbsup:


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

*"Manuals"*
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=4437067#poststop

*Bunny hop to manuals! (video inside) *
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=321693


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## MaddSquirrel (Aug 5, 2005)

Thanks CMC.


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## MaddSquirrel (Aug 5, 2005)

Got in a little practice today. I am not getting the pushing with my feet. I started trying to jump off (the motion) the bike by pushing the pedals and was getting the fronted up. Is that the way to do it? How do I make it more controlled and fluid?


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## BikenMoto (Jul 20, 2010)

*Jump or wheelie?*

Are you trying to manual (ride a wheelie) or BMX
_manual_ (jump) to stay low/pump over a jump?


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## JFoster (Apr 6, 2005)

BikenMoto said:


> Are you trying to manual (ride a wheelie) or BMX
> _manual_ (jump) to stay low/pump over a jump?


"Riding a wheelie" involves pedaling and braking to balance the bike, a "manual" is basically the same thing only without pedaling and typically no brake input.... just balancing via body weight transfer.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2010)

Learn to ride a unicycle. Seriously, it's the same balance point as riding a manual.

As for shoes, 5.10s will make you happy. It's like being clipped in, but not.

Learn on grass, it doesn't hurt the tailbone when bails fail.


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