[Falling Down]

Now that I'm the owner of a Hardtail with a Jump'ish/dirt geometry I'm trying to master some the basics of more technical riding.  But I'm struggling to even get started with manuals as I can't seem to initiate the flick into position as I can't get it high enough most of the time or I completely overcook it and flip the bike. 

Any tips??

[SA Chris]

The extreme channel has their excellent tips and tricks online. I think the BMX section has a piece on manuals. Apparently all in the knees.

http://www.extreme.com/news/news_article.asp?SID=320

The surfing bits are quite useful too (but nothing you don't know). And some good snowboarding ones too (should you ever get it together for that).

Edit - I'm sure it had manuals on it, but can't see them now. Sorry.

[fatboySlimfast]

Ive flicked through this and it has some good stuff from the master of 4X.

[Bubba]

I think manuals (and wheelies) are just pretty damn hard to do right - I don't think there's any easy way to learn them bar a shit load of practice. I can't really manual my hardtail and my wheelies are pretty short too

This dvd is really good for all sorts of trickery

[Percy B]

Ive flicked through this and it has some good stuff from the master of 4X.

That'll be a manual manual then, will it?

[SamT]

http://www.extreme.com/video/video.asp?vID=245&sWhere=tricks&sWhich=BMX

been trying to manual for ages on my bmx on the way in and out of work, after a few off the back at speeds faster than I can, I'm now a bit to shy to commit properly.

Way hard. I think its something in your DNA make up - you've either got the wheelie gene or you aint.

[fatdoc]

Ive flicked through this and it has some good stuff from the master of 4X.

get this book, it's very good

[milksnake]

i think the problem is that you are thinking in terms of how high you're getting the front end, what you need to do is lean back and kick the bike out out in front of you. you need to get your centre of gravity over the rear axle. dont pull up on the bars, pull back on them and kick your cranks forward. to start with what you should be doing is deliberatly flipping off the back of the bike. this will allow you to develop a feel for where the balance point is and the confidence to know that you will be able to step off the bike if you do get it a bit wrong. once you've got used to this ypu should move onto trying to find the balance point with your legs half bent so you can move your weight aroung easily.
 good luck, they take whjile but feel great once you got em.

[Bubba]

[Falling Down]

Thanks everyone.. some great advice here.  Time practicing all this stuff is obviously important and I'm mindful of the hours and hours I used put in to learning how to ollie on my Mum and Dads driveway all those years ago...

[SamT]

I'm mindful of the hours and hours I used put in to learning how to ollie on my Mum and Dads driveway all those years ago...

snap - like hours and hours and hours. Those where the days.. the smell of fresh cut grass - the click of maple ply on tarmac, the cruch of indies on concrete etc

[Jaspersharpe]

....the crunch of knee against kerb. Me too.

[SA Chris]

jumpers for goalposts.....

[Norton Sharley]

and a old v small road frame, rigid forks, huge cow horn bars, big knobbly front tyre, slick back tyre and rear brake only.  hand painted matt black .....  used for skid competitions down a field, and other off road 'mountain' biking of course....  finally wrecked it trying to double the double humps on a crazy golf course.  Not only did a crank snap, but also the frame at the bottom bracket and I put rather a large hole in the second of the concrete humps   

Being a responsible citizen I left the bike where it landed and legged it 

[SamT]

 

yes - some sort or racer, drop handlebars - big skids across the greens at the Earls Cement Works course.
Not sure why those blokes where shouting at us from the distance but we pegged it - taking our bike with us though.

[philo]

manuals are awkward untill you get the balance right.
when you lean back its easier with one pedal lower and one higher, like to push against, if your right foot is stronger then right foot lower.
ofcourse when you get better at them try do it with your pedals levelled, it looks better!

[milksnake]

I find I drift to one side if I don't keep the pedals level. you can pull on one hand harder than the other and drop the same side pedal slightly to steer your manual.