Mastering the Mountain Bike Manual: Tips and Techniques

The manual, where you lift the front wheel of your mountain bike, is a cool trick that adds style and can be useful in certain situations where you need to take a little bit of that weight off that front wheel. However, it requires practice and good technique.

How to Manual on a Mountain Bike:

Body Position:

• Stand tall: Maintain a slight bend in your knees for control, but keep your core engaged and upper body upright.
• Loose elbows: Don’t lock your elbows, keep them slightly bent to absorb bumps and maintain balance.
• Weight distribution: As you initiate the manual, shift your weight slightly backwards by pushing your hips back.

The Lift:

• Use your body: Don’t just pull the front wheel up with your arms. Initiate the lift by rocking back slightly and using your core and leg muscles to push down on the pedals (imagine a squat motion). This will naturally lift the front wheel.
• Keep arms straight: As you initiate the lift, ensure that your arms remain straight, acting as pivot points rather than actively lifting the front wheel. Straight arms provide greater control and stability throughout the maneuver. If you allow your arms to bend and pull excessively on the handlebars, shifting your weight forward, you risk causing the front wheel to drop abruptly, prematurely ending the manual.
• Find the balance point: There’s a sweet spot where the front wheel stays up with minimal effort. Experiment with your weight distribution and leg drive to find this point.

Balance and Control:

• Focus on the exit: Keep your eyes looking ahead at where you want to land the front wheel, not down at your handlebars. This helps maintain balance and steer the bike in the desired direction.
• Feather the brakes: Use light, controlled braking with the rear brake to adjust your speed and fine-tune your balance. Avoid slamming on the brakes, which can cause you to lose control.
• Maintain momentum: Keep pedaling smoothly, even with the front wheel up. This helps maintain balance and allows you to land the front wheel smoothly.

Practice and Progression:

• Start on flat ground: Before attempting manuals on trails, practice on flat, open terrain where you can get comfortable with the balance point and body movements.
• Short manuals: Begin with short manuals, gradually increasing the duration as you gain confidence and control.
• Practice makes perfect: The more you practice, the smoother and more controlled your manuals will become.

How to Hold a Manual Longer:

One common reason for failing to maintain a manual is having your hips too far from the rear wheel. To address this:

• Adjust Hip Positioning: Once you begin lowering your weight towards the rear wheel, actively engage your hips by moving them backward and forward to maintain balance throughout the manual.
• Respond to Front Wheel Movement: If the front wheel drops excessively, lower your weight closer to the ground to counterbalance. Conversely, if the front wheel rises too high, shift your hips slightly forward to bring it back down.
• Utilize Rear Brake: If necessary, use the rear brake to gently bring down the front wheel when it rises too high. This can help maintain control and stability during the manual.
• Maintain Speed: Maintaining a moderate amount of speed can assist in prolonging your manual by providing additional stability and momentum. However, ensure the speed is manageable and conducive to maintaining control.

By focusing on hip positioning, responding to front wheel movement, utilizing the rear brake when needed, and maintaining an appropriate speed, you can extend the duration of your manual rides on the mountain bike.

Bonus Tips:

• Learn to drop the outside foot: In some situations, dropping your outside foot slightly can provide additional stability and leverage for the manual. However, this is an advanced technique and should be practiced separately.
• Safety first: Always wear protective gear when practicing manuals.
• Know your limits: Don’t attempt manuals on challenging terrain until you’re comfortable and confident with the technique.

Common Faults to Avoid:

Pulling up and Bending Arms:

• Mistake: Relying too much on pulling up with your arms rather than using your body weight and proper technique.
• Correction: Focus on shifting your weight back and engaging your core to lift the front wheel, rather than solely relying on arm strength.

Trying to Compress Forks for Lift:

• Mistake: Attempting to use fork compression as a spring to lift the front wheel, which can lead to instability and lack of control.
• Correction: Focus on shifting your weight back and using a smooth, controlled motion to lift the front wheel, rather than relying on fork compression.

Lack of Commitment to Weight Shift:

• Mistake: Failing to fully commit to pushing your body weight far enough back during the lift phase, resulting in an incomplete manual.
• Correction: Make a conscious effort to shift your body weight back aggressively and commit fully to the lift phase of the manual to achieve the desired height and balance.

Sliding Weight Backwards with Low Head and Shoulders:

• Mistake: Sliding your weight backward without adjusting your head and shoulders, which can lead to imbalance and loss of control.
• Correction: Ensure that as you slide your weight back, you also raise your head and shoulders to maintain proper alignment and balance throughout the manual.

By avoiding these common faults and focusing on proper technique, you can improve your manual skills and achieve greater control and stability on your mountain bike.

Did you nail your first manual? Shred a technical section on one wheel? We want to hear about it!

Share your manual experiences in the comments below! ‍

• Triumphs: Did you conquer a tough climb with a manual? Let everyone know!
• Challenges: Stuck and frustrated? Share your struggles, someone might have the solution.
• Trail Tales: Found the perfect spot to unleash your manual skills? Describe the location (if comfortable) and how it helped you navigate!

Let’s build a community of stoked riders who push their limits and share the stoke!

Your story could be the inspiration someone needs to land their dream manual!