I learned to manual roughly a year ago, some tips for you are: go faster! when I started going faster my manuals quickly improved, when you go faster your front wheels spins faster giving the bike more stability. you also need to learn to trust the brake, if you are about to loop out just remember to touch the back brake and you will be back down on the ground. looking up will help keep the front wheel up. don't give up.
Great tips! Yeah the speed I get.. the balance point is the hard bit, my muscle memory won't let me get far enough😐 I should put on flats and just repeat looping out until I get the mechanics sorted!
Speed isn’t the issue. His front wheel just isn’t high up enough. He’s way to far off his balance point. Also, using the front brake won’t bring you down. Its the rear one…
@@mattiasvanoverbeke1831 yes I meant the back brake and yes currently speed is not the issue but once he gets into the balance point it will be much easier to stay there if he is going faster
This was a really good video! I was going to say you and me were about the same in our manuals but then you did the stick trick and that really seemed to help, I will use this myself when I practise. I guess it is the same as for bunnyhops, using a height forces you to exaggerate and improve the technique. I'm not good at practising what I am about to say myself but I think it could be good to start the session with deliberate looping out several times to learn the body that it isn't so dangerous. Of course could be better to do this in spring on a softer surface like short grass.. You could also loop out but by keeping a finger on the handbrake stop the manual instantly, so the body learns how to control and prevent the loop out.
Thanks! Great comment! I hear the looping out tip.. that's what I was trying to do but two years of riding clipped in has etched into my muscle memory so I couldn't even get past that and actually loop out 😫😂
I think you’re right the flats will give you a better ability to bail off the back. Having that in mind can also help with your commitment getting to your balance point. Even practicing looping out the back you can feel when you’re going past the balance point to get a stronger sense of when your are at it.
Your head and body are coming forward and down toward the end of your manual tries. Try and look down the trail more. Your head is heavy and will bring you down if you look down. I agree with others that you are not quite at the balance point yet. It took me years to get manuals right. You did amazing for one day.
Thanks! I will keep at it. Will put on flats and find the loop-out point. Right now it's like my body just won't do the movement I know I need to do😑 With bunnyhops it helped alot pushing the obstacle higher, made me have to reach for it and do it proper!🙃
As a Canadian I feel your pain about the weather, skiing is fun an all but there's a more free going, clear up your mind thing about cycling, skiing gets repetitive, waiting at the lifts etc... Also it's probably way more troubles & expensive than you think. I'd rather be frozen biking than waiting in line 40 min for a lift 😂
I think manuals are harder.. on wheelies you can kinda pedal against the pull of the bike. But ofcourse I think wheelies on the point of balance is pretty difficult as well
Well the best luck I had was at a flowtrail last autumn when I managed to manual between two rollers, felt awesome but I have never been able to sustain a manual or wheelie on the balance point 😑
@@Mikesbikerides Thought your first music track was very Blade-Runner-esque! Good luck with the manuals, I have found them VERY difficult to learn. I have put in hours of practice, tried different bikes, built 2 "manual machines" (for different sized bikes) and still can't do them for toffee!! The manual machines are a waste of time by the way, on them I could "manual" for a minute, but it didn't translate to doing an actual manual! Happy riding!
Ah ok well I did not catch that reference at all, sorry 😂 oh darn! Yeah I figured that about the manual machines.. a few factors are missing, like forward momentum, undulating terrain etc 🤔
I dedicated whole season of 2023 to learning this. I practiced almost daily and first good ones came after 5 months (30m). After that my progress really took off. th-cam.com/video/G5aMwxv_A7s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5rIunHbWy7PGCeti I can't imagine practicing on icy road like you. Seems dangerous. Wind is your biggest enemy too. Speed helps in a way that you will have more time to react to what bike is doing. At slow speed, bike is always ahead of you. But be careful, at speed adjustments with your feet and body are more sensitive. Really focus first on developing instinct of pulling on rear brake before looping out. Personally, I never tried once to purposely loop out. Manuals are best at speed and I do not want to be jumping off bike at speed. No thanks. Keep your heels down almost as if your feet were about to slide off your pedals. Just keep your feet super loose before you initiate the manual. It will automatically put your body position where it needs to be. Setting distance goals is the way to go but as you found out, you will automatically look for the stick with your eyes/head which will kill the manual. Head needs to be somewhat up, but that will come with time. Don't practice longer than 30min. Fatigue is a big factor. Once you get tired, manuals will start sucking. So you need to manage it and keep your legs fresh for nex day. You can do this man! You have already good base, it just takes CONSISTENT practice. A lot of practice. It requires zero special talent. Trust me, I know. Use the 4-5 months as much as possible and you will be manualing like a King in May 😉 Good luck man!
Thanks for this great comment! I saw your video, awesome to see your progress! :) I'm noting your pointers, I feel like all I really need to do is practice alot as you said.. they will come! I am kinda comfortable with wheelies, but for some reason it's not the same with mannys.. :)
@@Mikesbikerides thank you as well and keep working and filming! I would love to see how you progress 😉 Manuals are a journey but it's fun considering the fact that you WILL eventually get good at them. 😉
I see that as the same thing, we're talking about the same thing holding me back. I will put on flats and do intentional loop-outs until I'm not scared 😬
@@MikesbikeridesThe fear of looping out will go when you your body picks up on the necessary movements which you must do to sustain in balance point. At this point, your good manuals are lucky manuals where you nail the balance point at the beginning, your body freezes and speed carries you. With more time you will your body will learn automatically adjust to any bike position and fear of looping out will be gone.
I learned to manual roughly a year ago, some tips for you are: go faster! when I started going faster my manuals quickly improved, when you go faster your front wheels spins faster giving the bike more stability. you also need to learn to trust the brake, if you are about to loop out just remember to touch the back brake and you will be back down on the ground. looking up will help keep the front wheel up. don't give up.
Great tips! Yeah the speed I get.. the balance point is the hard bit, my muscle memory won't let me get far enough😐 I should put on flats and just repeat looping out until I get the mechanics sorted!
@@Mikesbikerides try to keep your body moving and not stiff, just try to move your body to keep balanced.
Speed isn’t the issue. His front wheel just isn’t high up enough. He’s way to far off his balance point. Also, using the front brake won’t bring you down. Its the rear one…
@@mattiasvanoverbeke1831 yes I meant the back brake and yes currently speed is not the issue but once he gets into the balance point it will be much easier to stay there if he is going faster
@@htnrumpkicker7868Yup, speed keeps the wheels rolling straight. Physics 👍🏻😎
This was a really good video! I was going to say you and me were about the same in our manuals but then you did the stick trick and that really seemed to help, I will use this myself when I practise. I guess it is the same as for bunnyhops, using a height forces you to exaggerate and improve the technique. I'm not good at practising what I am about to say myself but I think it could be good to start the session with deliberate looping out several times to learn the body that it isn't so dangerous. Of course could be better to do this in spring on a softer surface like short grass.. You could also loop out but by keeping a finger on the handbrake stop the manual instantly, so the body learns how to control and prevent the loop out.
Thanks! Great comment!
I hear the looping out tip.. that's what I was trying to do but two years of riding clipped in has etched into my muscle memory so I couldn't even get past that and actually loop out 😫😂
I think you’re right the flats will give you a better ability to bail off the back. Having that in mind can also help with your commitment getting to your balance point. Even practicing looping out the back you can feel when you’re going past the balance point to get a stronger sense of when your are at it.
Yup, that's the plan next! Three years of clipless has programmed my brain to never pull back that far 🤔
Your head and body are coming forward and down toward the end of your manual tries. Try and look down the trail more. Your head is heavy and will bring you down if you look down. I agree with others that you are not quite at the balance point yet. It took me years to get manuals right. You did amazing for one day.
Thanks!
I will keep at it. Will put on flats and find the loop-out point. Right now it's like my body just won't do the movement I know I need to do😑
With bunnyhops it helped alot pushing the obstacle higher, made me have to reach for it and do it proper!🙃
Vilken härlig video! Nu blev jag inspirerad att ta mig till regnbågsbanan igen... och inte minst cykla lite oftare.
Tack! Kul att kunna inspirera! Avvakta tills snön och isen hunnit smälta, om du inte har isdubb 😂
As a Canadian I feel your pain about the weather, skiing is fun an all but there's a more free going, clear up your mind thing about cycling, skiing gets repetitive, waiting at the lifts etc...
Also it's probably way more troubles & expensive than you think.
I'd rather be frozen biking than waiting in line 40 min for a lift 😂
Hah! Yeah well at least you get alot of snow and have elevation! Our landscape is flat and very little snow so can't do anything with it 😓
🤣👍still trying to do manuels, i wont give up, have the same bike as you🤔hows the dropouts on your frame, had to re-tighten mine?
I'm trying deliberate practice sessions now to focus more. Hopefully it will help!
Hmm haven't had any issues with dropouts. They seem fine 😁🤷🏻♂️
is a manual easier than a wheelie?
No
I think manuals are harder.. on wheelies you can kinda pedal against the pull of the bike. But ofcourse I think wheelies on the point of balance is pretty difficult as well
have you tried a "manual machine"?
Don't believe in them really.. several factors are left out when using those
I thought you could do manuals. I remember seeing you do it in some older video of yours. Must remember it wrong.
Well the best luck I had was at a flowtrail last autumn when I managed to manual between two rollers, felt awesome but I have never been able to sustain a manual or wheelie on the balance point 😑
I thought Nexus 6 could manual? 😉
This comment went right over my head🤔😂
@@Mikesbikerides Thought your first music track was very Blade-Runner-esque! Good luck with the manuals, I have found them VERY difficult to learn. I have put in hours of practice, tried different bikes, built 2 "manual machines" (for different sized bikes) and still can't do them for toffee!! The manual machines are a waste of time by the way, on them I could "manual" for a minute, but it didn't translate to doing an actual manual! Happy riding!
Ah ok well I did not catch that reference at all, sorry 😂 oh darn! Yeah I figured that about the manual machines.. a few factors are missing, like forward momentum, undulating terrain etc 🤔
I dedicated whole season of 2023 to learning this. I practiced almost daily and first good ones came after 5 months (30m). After that my progress really took off.
th-cam.com/video/G5aMwxv_A7s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5rIunHbWy7PGCeti
I can't imagine practicing on icy road like you. Seems dangerous. Wind is your biggest enemy too. Speed helps in a way that you will have more time to react to what bike is doing. At slow speed, bike is always ahead of you. But be careful, at speed adjustments with your feet and body are more sensitive. Really focus first on developing instinct of pulling on rear brake before looping out. Personally, I never tried once to purposely loop out. Manuals are best at speed and I do not want to be jumping off bike at speed. No thanks. Keep your heels down almost as if your feet were about to slide off your pedals. Just keep your feet super loose before you initiate the manual. It will automatically put your body position where it needs to be. Setting distance goals is the way to go but as you found out, you will automatically look for the stick with your eyes/head which will kill the manual. Head needs to be somewhat up, but that will come with time. Don't practice longer than 30min. Fatigue is a big factor. Once you get tired, manuals will start sucking. So you need to manage it and keep your legs fresh for nex day. You can do this man! You have already good base, it just takes CONSISTENT practice. A lot of practice. It requires zero special talent. Trust me, I know. Use the 4-5 months as much as possible and you will be manualing like a King in May 😉 Good luck man!
Thanks for this great comment! I saw your video, awesome to see your progress! :)
I'm noting your pointers, I feel like all I really need to do is practice alot as you said.. they will come! I am kinda comfortable with wheelies, but for some reason it's not the same with mannys.. :)
@@Mikesbikerides thank you as well and keep working and filming! I would love to see how you progress 😉 Manuals are a journey but it's fun considering the fact that you WILL eventually get good at them. 😉
@@Iggy52I will for sure follow up on this!🙃
Your front wheel isn’t high enough. You’re to far from your balance point. Speed is definitely not the issue.
Hehe I know😅 It's all muscle memory stopping me from letting the bike come up😑
@@Mikesbikerides its not, its fear. You’re just scared of falling on your back. Feels like muscle memory, but its not.
I see that as the same thing, we're talking about the same thing holding me back. I will put on flats and do intentional loop-outs until I'm not scared 😬
@@MikesbikeridesThe fear of looping out will go when you your body picks up on the necessary movements which you must do to sustain in balance point. At this point, your good manuals are lucky manuals where you nail the balance point at the beginning, your body freezes and speed carries you. With more time you will your body will learn automatically adjust to any bike position and fear of looping out will be gone.