Manual

A manual is riding on your back wheel without pedalling, holding the balance with your body weight. It teaches you the control you need for bunny hops, and later for manuals on ledges and boxes.

What you need first

• A bike that fits you, with flat pedals and pumped-up tyres.
• Riding comfortably standing up, with your pedals level.
• A long, smooth and flat place to practise, like an empty car park or a smooth path.

Step by step

1. Roll with some speed. A little faster than walking pace, standing up, pedals level. Speed makes balancing easier.
2. Load the front. Bend your arms and knees to push down into the bike.
3. Pull back with your body. Push your hips back behind the seat and straighten your arms. The front wheel rises because your weight moves back, not because you yank the bars.
4. Find the balance point. Keep your arms straight and control the height with your legs: bend your knees to bring the front down, push your hips back to bring it up.
5. Look ahead and steer. Keep your eyes forward, not on the front wheel. Small movements of your hips and knees keep you straight.
6. Set it down. Bring your hips forward to lower the front wheel gently, then roll away.

Common mistakes

• Bent arms. Pulling with your arms makes the bike twitchy. Keep them straight and use your body weight.
• Correcting with your arms. Balance comes from your hips and knees, not the bars.
• Going too slow. A bit more speed gives you more time to find the balance point.
• Looking down. Watching the front wheel throws your balance off. Look where you want to go.

Practise

• Mark spots along the ground, for example every two metres, and try to beat your distance.
• Practise short manuals over and over rather than one long attempt.
• Once it feels steady, try a manual over a small bump or across a line.

Stay safe

• Wear a helmet. Falling off the back is the most common slam while learning.
• If you go past the balance point, step off the back and let the bike roll away.
• If your bike has a rear brake, keep a finger on it: a tap brings the front straight down.
• Practise away from traffic and other riders.

More on gear and bailing on the safety page.

What’s next

Once you can hold a manual for a few metres, learn the bunny hop. The same pull-back starts every hop. More Foundations tricks →