Its me again. Im 47, obese, diabetic, with high blood sugar and high cholesterol. I was introduced to biking and Im enjoying it. Biking everyday and I’m on my second month now. Found videos on manuals, bunnyhops and wheelies. Watched a ton on how to do it but for some reason I cant seem to put my wheels up long enough even though im not pulling the handlebars. What Im doing is preloading then I push the handlebars and putting my weight to the rear axle of the bike. Can you give me more tips. I wanna learn it and the bunnyhop as well. (Even tried sticking my butt out after pushing the hb to put more weight on the rear of the bike but still not improving. help
by SnooGrapes8334
7 Comments
Use your weight to pull the front of the bike up, not your arms. Stand up, drop your weight down, and push your weight over the rear axle.
There’s a ton of timing and feel involved that’ll just take practice. From what I see you’re still using your arms too much to try and pull the bike up, for me my arms are almost fully extended.
How I’d describe my movement to pop into a manual is more like throwing the bike in front of you while leaning back, you then catch it at full extension and your bodyweight and momentum pull the front wheel up more than your arm muscles do.
Lean back more (your butt should be behind the rear axle) and calibrate that “whip” motion.
Then the long phase 2 begins… How to keep it up there. And that’s its own can of worms that I can only describe as building a set of responses to different inputs (I see it almost like an engine map if you’re a car dork).
Examples:
Bike is leaning left, respond by pointing right knee out and correcting balance.
I’m about to fall backwards, respond by very slightly dragging the rear brake, or lightly pulling myself forward.
Front end is coming down, respond by lowering my body and moving backwards, extending legs.
There’s a bend in the trail, respond by angling the bike towards the curve while counter steering the bars.
All of this needs to happen too fast to talk yourself through it, it’s just something you need to develop in your unconscious brain through tons and tons of practice.
It’s worth it though! Manualing is so fun.
You gotta be in the right gear and you need to begin pedaling right as you lift the front of the bike. I’d recommend more flat ground too
> then I push the handlebars and putting my weight to the rear axle of the bike
The problem is you’re not putting the weight over or behind your rear axle. As soon as your front tire comes off the ground your elbows fold, your head drops down, and all your weight goes forward and down.
Before trying to do manuals, focus on just riding wheelies. Once you get comfortable balancing on the back tire and can consistently hold a wheelie for a city block, then work on manuals.
You might want to practice on grass. Makes falling over hurt less.
I’d recommend the Ryan Leech classes! He’s excellent at breaking down manuals and other moves into component parts.
Hey I have the same bike!!