Freedom rider Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Hi all, this is my very first post here. I registered because I cant bare not having got a hang of the manual yet. All replies are much appreciated. So I got my first trial bike. I have about 20 days of practise so far. Before starting trialing, I had done mountain biking quite a lot. Yesterday I started practising the manual, and now after about 4 hours of practise, I feel I havent improved at all. Other tricks I've gotten a hang of quite quickly, but I am STRUGLING with manual! So a couple of questions that will help me set some targets for learning: 1. how long did it take you to learn to do the manual? 2. how much experience did you have, when you started practising the manual? Thanks for replies. Keep riding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence--Trials Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 i've got the hang of fairly long good manuals recently over the last month or so and i've been riding 2 years now. Its all about learning the balance point of you and your bike really. However recently i've moved from a 20" wheel to a 24" wheel which i felt helped alot. Like the rest of trial don't expect to learn it over night as such, people who do tend to quit the sport fairly quickly because they get angry etc.. I (more or less) just practiced manuals when going from A to B so it might have taken a bit longer for me but thats my experience with them, hope that helped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freedom rider Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 (edited) i've got the hang of fairly long good manuals recently over the last month or so and i've been riding 2 years now. Its all about learning the balance point of you and your bike really. However recently i've moved from a 20" wheel to a 24" wheel which i felt helped alot. Like the rest of trial don't expect to learn it over night as such, people who do tend to quit the sport fairly quickly because they get angry etc.. I (more or less) just practiced manuals when going from A to B so it might have taken a bit longer for me but thats my experience with them, hope that helped Yeah I understand your point about if one is expecting to learn over night, they might get frustrated and quit. I ABSOLUTELY do understand that point...and although I know Im over anxious, its only because of high motivation. I dont think I will ever quit I have been addicted to jumping and riding bikes for a long time now, and now that i got my first trial bike, I immediatly felt i should have gotten it 10 years ago. And thanks a lot for the reply! This already helps me to set targets. Edited July 28, 2011 by Freedom rider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam T Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 I dont really remember going out thining, 'right, manuals.' I think i learnt to manual on riding to and from each spot. Find a nice down hill path and just try to find my balance point. Thats how i learnt anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeperson45 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 As said above whenever you're riding just practice and eventually you'll improve. I pretty much manual everywhere these days (or as long as you can). Just make sure your arms are straight, your knees are bent and your leaning back rather then yanking up too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freedom rider Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 (edited) As said above whenever you're riding just practice and eventually you'll improve. I pretty much manual everywhere these days (or as long as you can). Just make sure your arms are straight, your knees are bent and your leaning back rather then yanking up too much. Leaning back rather than yanking up, thats good advice. I was actually wondering about that just today. But i have to say im glad its more about leaning back than yanking up, that means i've been practising the right way..Thanks. I also have understood that its good to keep your eyes set in the horizon, rather than staring somewhere close infront of you..I wonder if thats correct. I would almost like to say that I trust what my instinct tells me, but then again, im a newbie and I cant say anything for sure. I think my biggest problem at the moment is getting the front up in the right way, in a kind of one smooth movement...I have got the front up a few times in a nice smooth way, after which I have found some sort of balance on the rear wheel, and manualed two or three meters. But the other times when I dont get the front up very smoothly, its really hard to find balance on the rear wheel. Edited July 28, 2011 by Freedom rider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.KYDD Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 I can't. I've been riding bikes for over 9 years, trials for 3 1/2 - still can't manual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz96 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Push the bike underneath you with your feet, i've found that to be a key factor to manuals, for me anyway 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freedom rider Posted July 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Push the bike underneath you with your feet, i've found that to be a key factor to manuals, for me anyway Thats good advice, so thanks. I think thats one thing ive been doing as well when Ive been practising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simpson Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Pedals on the balls of your feet not the middle, and drop your heels to help with your balance. Try to never pull your brake. You can any manual back up or back down if you focus. Be relaxed in your knees and ankles. Look forwards. Don't pull your brake. Don't yank lean. Don't pull your brake you can do it with your legs. Don't go slow. Took me about 2 years to learn on and off. Had the manual dream then it just clicked 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skoze Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Taken me a hell of a long time to get them consistently, I took a little hiatus from riding last year, spent every ride since last October pracising them and i'm only just getting to the stage where I can manual consistently. They're hard work, but worth it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake. Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 I've been riding a bike 13 years and I can't either, best advice I can give is to practise it when riding to A to B rather than doing it constantly in one spot. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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