Finally got to ride my new bike this weekend. I really want to learn to manual. This is the best I’ve got. What should I be changing? I practiced Friday, Saturday and then I fell on Sunday and scrapped my knee so I’m taking the week off except just riding around casually🤣. I will not be lazy and make sure I have my knee and elbow pads on ðŸ˜. I did not think it was gonna take so much strength to lift the bike. My arms and back still ache a bit. I hope I get stronger….
by AmethystTanwen
6 Comments
Yo dude keep at it 🙂 you want your front foot forward that feels comfortable and when you balance cranks will slightly move but naturally. I wouldn’t say you need to go that fast even though is easier, learn to lean back too much and just jump off the back of the bike onto your feet so you aren’t scared to flip it and somewhere in the middle of that you will find your balancing point
Get your mostly cranks parallel with the ground. You want one foot forward. Either is fine. Just do whatever feels most natural. Most people have their right foot forward.
Bend your knees quite a bit and squat low over the seat, lock your arms out straight, and lean back. Your weight will naturally bring the front end up. Once the front end starts to come up, keep your arms locked and use your knees to balance the bike.
Straightening your legs will bring the front end up higher. Bending them will lower the front end. When bending your knees, make small adjustments at a time. Looping out is common while learning, so be prepared bail off the bike and catch yourself. Looping out on purpose a few times can help prepare you for the feeling as it happens, and how to bail from the bike and catch yourself.
Hey mate I’m no expert but some observations on what has been helping me improve:
1. Get your pedals level with your favoured foot to the front.
2. Bend them knees and get more of your mass lower and towards the back half of the bike
3. Find an empty parking lot or somewhere similar with markings to measure your progress
There’s alot more info here which I found very helpful from the joy of bike YouTube channel on how to manual they break it down into steps to get you more comfortable with progressing:
https://youtu.be/SCSlkXiFg4M?si=W_YJb2Pcgdd1Cexm
When you lean back act like you sitting in a recliner pull back on the bars and push your legs forward to push the bike forward from underneath you keep your arms locked and then its just about finding the balance point and holding it there
lean back more put us butt to the tire basically
level petals and hang over the back of your bike. Use your legs to find balance. Keep the knees bent and try to find that balance point