how to manual

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Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
i searched for a thread here, with my conversion to flats i need to learn how to manual...at the minute i’m terrible

if i can work out how to upload a vid i will, at present i’m not getting back far enough, any tips?
 
S

sbm

Likes Bikes
My qualifications: I suck on MTB, but on BMX I can manual 4-5 parking spaces, manual a roller, and hop-to-manual on small manual pads. This stuff has helped me:
  • There is zero pulling in a (flatground) manual. It's 100% pushing the bike away from you. Your arms are like ropes, they get pulled straight as you push with your legs, then restrain the bike just a little bit
  • Keep your knees together for the initial pre-load and pump. If you let them go bow-legged, you absorb some of the pushing energy and won't push the bike away hard enough
  • Try tucking your thumbs on top of your grips, so there's absolutely no way you can death grip and yank on the bars, you have to push with your legs.
  • Every single attempt should end with you looping out and jumping off the back. Otherwise you're not trying hard enough.
 
born-again-biker

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
I practise it out on the trail sometimes.

I still can't figure out whether you should have really bent legs at the balance point?....
Or is that when you should straighten your legs to hold the position?

And you gotta remember to cover the rear brake or risk going out the back door.

... and then there's bike set-up. Crank length, stem length, bar height... all making it easier or harder?
 
D

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
sbm said:
There is zero pulling in a (flatground) manual. It's 100% pushing the bike away from you. Your arms are like ropes, they get pulled straight as you push with your legs, then restrain the bike just a little bit
Click to expand...
you mean pushing bike away with legs, i don’t see how you can push with arms?
 
S

sbm

Likes Bikes
Daniel Hale said:
you mean pushing bike away with legs, i don’t see how you can push with arms?
Click to expand...
Sure you can push with the bike away with your arms. Imagine standing behind your bike with a leg either side of the rear tire. Hold on to the handlebars. Then throw the bike away from you, to GHOSTRIDE DAT WHIP. You have pushed the bike away with your arms.
 
Ultra Lord

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Daniel Hale said:
you mean pushing bike away with legs, i don’t see how you can push with arms?
Click to expand...
Yeap pushing with legs. Imagine your arms as hinges to bring the front up when they hit full extension, with your legs pushing forward.

Full disclosure, Can’t manuel for shit since surgery. Can manwell sections of trail and rollers, but no longer bomb hills etc.
 
Chriso_29er

Chriso_29er

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Looks like you're just pulling up with your arms.
Need to drop legs down the explode back pushing the bike forwards with your legs, as others have said.
Your ass should make a down then back motion. Like an L on its side.
 
Flow-Rider

Flow-Rider

Burner
I used to be able to get about 7m but never mastered controlling the bike from falling sideways and gave up.

You don't pull up to manual, you drop down and then move your butt to the back of the bike, you use your body weight as a lever. If anything you do a quick push down on the forks to pop the front wheel up, The faster you go the easier it is too.

(drop your seat post down too)
 
Last edited:
Jpez

Jpez

Down on the left!
People can describe it all day long and you might get snippets but I found visual demonstration the best. Seeing the body movements described above is best way to understand what you need to do.
There are a couple of good GMBN vids and a million others on YouTube.
find a good one and watch it over and over.
and then go practice practice practice.

I spent a month every day practicing and got ok enough to use it on the trail a bit. Then got lazy..
 
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