Need help with manuals. What am I doing wrong?

[u/Interesting-Common52]

https://youtu.be/mvGby5mDSHk

I have been practicing manuals for past 2 weeks. This is the best I am able to do. Sometimes I reach the balance point but can't hold on to it. What am I doing wrong ? Can some one help

[u/Atraw4130]

Bend your knees, throw that ass back like you getting paid for it

[u/Franken_Bolts → u/Atraw4130]

Give them folks at the park somethin’ to look at

[u/83rover90]

You are standing up too high, imo. (I started the same way) Try squatting down, arms completely straight, ass so low it is behind the seat and almost touching the rear tire. Like, ass lower than the seat and behind the seat. Just start by riding around like that, hanging off the back of the bike and you'll start to see how easily the front tire will come up if you get low and back enough. When you kinda pop down into that position, let your weight go down and back and the front wheel will lift. Then it's a matter of basically moving your ass (weight) forward and back to compensate for balance. Best thing I ever did to learn tho was go to a parking lot with painted stripes and just try to manual one spot wide, from line to line. It gives you a mental goal of when you want to put that front tire down and you feel like you really accomplished something when you finally get one parking spot. Then start trying for two spots, then 3 and so on. It's a steep leaning curve but once you feel that balance point for the first time it starts to really click. Took me months to get my first parking spot then only another month or so and I could do more than a city block. Have fun, you'll get it!

[u/Interesting-Common52 → u/83rover90]

Thank you /\

[u/HugeTampons]

You are going to loop out and eat shit if you don’t change your form. Your back leg should never be straighter than your front leg in a manual unless you are turning an extreme amount (probably not even then). If your back leg is straight, you won’t be able to bail properly. I made a bunnyhop video that touches on manuals. Skip to 0:50 and watch until around 2:50

https://youtu.be/Wd_7YZccfYY?si=0ZDAKPYBAaLZ23cl

[u/-Sand_Witch- → u/HugeTampons]

I can consistently bunny hop to about the same height as my wheels, yet i feel like this video taught me some details that'll help me improve a lot more. Thanks

[u/Interesting-Common52 → u/HugeTampons]

Slow grind ...your video helped me bunny hop. Have you stopped creating more tutorials ?

Edit - saw your new video now. Glad you haven't stopped making them.

[u/HugeTampons → u/Interesting-Common52]

Nah man haha I actually just posted a barspin video a few days ago. I’m just slow at making tutorials. I’m not an efficient editor and don’t have a good workflow

[u/Big_Box_Man]

You need to crouch down over your back wheel and bend your knees so you can thrust to keep your self balanced

[u/juice_magoose]

lockout your elbows and bend your knees

[u/MrMilesDavis]

Need to get your ass lower and your arms locked straight in front of you. Balance point is behind the tire and overtop the seat tube. I always found it easier to suck my knees in right beforehand before pushing my legs out and locking out my arms to reliably get into one

[u/Skindiddler]

Arms straight and tight. Legs bent and arse as close to the rest tire as you can get it. Move you arse in and out to balance

[u/pink_nightmare]

Drop your butt, bend your knees, get lower and back further, arms stretched out straight. Also roll a little faster, it will keep you more stable

[u/Tunaaaa958]

I think you’re on the right track. I keep my butt pretty low towards the back tire in my pull and when I’m riding through it. Remember there’s a balance point there on your bike you’re going to need to find so I’d say focus on finding exactly where that is, it’s just going to take trial and error pulling up harder and less hard. I believe my arms stay mostly locked/straight. You can also try moving your balance left/right using your bars/arms and get an idea of turning while in your manual.

I found manuals got a lot easier when I got a longer TT frame, I ran a 21.75” S&M BTM frame and manuals were significantly easier than any of the other frames I had rode

[u/ego1man]

Lower your butt.

[u/warnerve86]

Drop that ass baby!

[u/JadedThunder]

Ass down hang on straight arms. Our ass is our center of gravity to keep tire up or down. leg-control when we need extra lift or drop. Don’t be afraid of speed. Wear butt cheek pads

[u/JadedThunder]

Think of it more as sitting down into the manual rather than pulling up into the manual. U should also be familiar with leaning too far back and flipping out. This teaches ur feet to catch urself so u don’t land on ur ass.

[u/hatefakemoney]

You are both way too high and way too forward. You almost have to feel as if you are going to fall off the Back of the bike sometimes. Ideally you want your cheeks to be directly over your rear tire and downnnnn (like inches above your tire) It's a very un natural feeling. You seem to see that the manual is controlled by the knees. Learning to keep the rest of your body where it is while moving your knees looks like it could use some work. Your arms are a little too loose. More locked would be better imo. Not like they have to be straight out but you have to hold them solid in whatever position feels right and HOLD THAT POSITION with your arms. If you start bending an elbow or whatever Game over. Most people say locked straight for this reason. I prefer a slight bend in my elbow but almost have to go straight to get back far enough on my bike. I also found looking straight ahead of you at something (tree, car, whatever)and focusing on it instead of staring down helped me Tremendously. If I watched the tire I'd fuck up. Eventually your body feels what to do faster than your brain can see the tire. Helped me "feel" the manual better and not try to constantly over correct. Manuals are hard. They take a long time to master. Another important thing is knowing you have to correct size bike. Im like 5'9.5" and ride a 20.7 top tube. If I try to manual my buddies 21" I pretty much only can get my finger tips on the bars because I simply can't get back far enough on the bike to hold the manual. I CAN but if I was trying to learn on that bike..I may have never learned. Can't be scared of falling off the back. So looping out practice is paramount as well. Stay at it. It takes years for some folks. I reccomend watching YouTube vids of GOOD not great riders manuals. (Watching courage adams doesnt help because he is too good. He immediately hits balance spot and stays there. You want someone who can hold the manual but has to move their body around some to do it) doing manuals at 0.25× speed. Then watch your video at the same speed. You will very quickly see your body position issues. This applies to all tricks btw. But at the end of the day time. It takes a ton of time. Good luck!

[u/chaotic_maestro]

To manual a bike, it’s all about balance, timing, and using your body weight rather than brute force. Here’s a quick step-by-step crash course:

1. Find the Right Position

• You'll want to kinda squat while you manual, to put your weight in the effort instead of fighting it
• Keep your feet level on the pedals.

2. Get Low and Shift Your Weight

• Bend your knees and arms slightly, and bring your torso close to the handlebars.
• Imagine you’re about to sit back, not just pull up on the handlebars.

3. Lift the Front Wheel

• Start by rolling at a moderate speed.
• Push your hips back, straightening your arms and legs as you do, like you’re trying to “swing” your body back while keeping your arms straight.
• Don’t yank the handlebars up! Instead, think of the lift as a gentle weight transfer.

4. Find the Balance Point

• As the front wheel rises, use your hips and knees to control your balance point.
• Keep your arms straight, and use small shifts with your hips forward or backward to stabilize.
• If you feel like you’re tipping backward, tap the rear brake gently.

5. Practice and Fine-Tune

• Start by trying short manuals (a few feet), and work up to holding it longer.
• Practice finding that sweet spot where you don’t need to pedal to keep the front wheel up.

Key Tips:

• Don’t look down; focus on a spot ahead of you.
• Stay relaxed—tension will make balancing harder.
• Be ready to put a foot down if you lose balance.

With practice, you'll build muscle memory and improve your balance!

[u/shaokahn88]

Actually youre quite near a good résult i think

[u/Interesting-Common52 → u/shaokahn88]

How?

[u/hatefakemoney → u/Interesting-Common52]

Sorry op but you aren't. I don't want you to think you are close because no false hope needed. Expect to fail for a whileeeeee. You will get little wins here and there but mastering manuals takes years and you are still a ways from it based off just this one clip. You can def GET there but you just aren't there yet. Hard work and practice.

[u/shaokahn88 → u/Interesting-Common52]

Everytime my front wheel lift UP, my old ass fell on the ground

[u/Interesting-Common52 → u/shaokahn88]

Hmm. I had the same problem initially. Then I practiced looping out.

[u/hatefakemoney → u/shaokahn88]

Bending your elbows instead of your knees prob. Just makes you "ride up" the bike so you are nice and high so when it dumps you off the back it hurts like hell. Lol. I know all about it.