Track stands and manuals

[G3CWI]

Approaching 60 I feel that I now have sufficient experience to progress to being able to do track stands and manuals. I am fortunate in having the perfect quiet place to practice at the weekends; so I started today.

To my amazement I managed a sort of track stand. Very wobbly and only for a few seconds. This is enough for me to feel that given time, I can master that,

Manual is a different matter. I have watched the Youtube videos so I dropped the saddle and experimented with balance. Even low on the bike, arms at full stretch and with my bum over the rear wheel I cant lift the front wheel. Indeed there still seems to be quite a lot of weight on it. I am wondering if an effective manual on a long-wheelbase CX bike is actually possible?

Comments/tips welcome.

 

[jonny jeez]

What's a manual?

 

[Crackle]

Long wheelbase, long rear stays will make manuals much harder.

 

[vickster]

What's a manual?

+1 ? Sounds like a wheelie?? Yep that's what Google suggests

 

[G3CWI]

As I understand it a wheelie is when you are pedaling a manual is the freewheeling version.

 

[G3CWI]

Long wheelbase, long rear stays will make manuals much harder.

I was coming to that conclusion as a result of today's experiments. I want to develop my skills to get up kerbs and over ledges on my commute so what might be the best approach?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I was coming to that conclusion. I want to develop my skills to get up kerbs and over ledges on my commute so what might be the best approach?

With little expertise on my part I can usually get up kerbs with a bunny hop on a long wheelbase tourer. Takes a bit of a hoik for the front lift and won't work if there's anything weighty in the pannier.

 

[G3CWI]

With little expertis

This is what I'm missing!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

This is what I'm missing!

There are youtube guides to bunny hopping. This GCN one for example (and there are follow up links):

 

[Crackle]

I was coming to that conclusion as a result of today's experiments. I want to develop my skills to get up kerbs and over ledges on my commute so what might be the best approach?

As I'm no expert and can only do short manuals on a mtn bike I'm probably not the best person to advise but as posted above there are lots of videos online, there might even be a local course you can do on basic skills, might be worth considering. The other thing I'd say is just to practise. I went to the park every day for a few weeks practising low speed manoeuvres and pulling wheelies, still rubbish at it but less rubbish than I was.

 

[Gert Lush]

+1 ? Sounds like a wheelie?? Yep that's what Google suggests

With a wheelie you keep pedalling whereas a manual is normally done on a slope so just freewheel down with the front wheel in the air. They are slightly different. That's as far as I'm aware from watching Youtube vids on them in the past. GCN/GMBN ones.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if clipped in on a road bike, it's possible to bunny hop by rising out of the saddle and pulling your legs up. very handy for unexpected pot-holes…

 

[Dave 123]

What's a manual?

He's a waiter, from Barcelona.

 

[HarryTheDog]

I am a serial abuser of leaping off kerbs and up kerbs on my road bike,CX and XC bike and I am in my mid 50's. Yesterday I was racing my CX bike up small steps and going over nearly a foot high log. In my experience If you want to go up a kerb just ensure you approach it at a 90 degree angle , its quite small you just need to lighten up the front end and get it moving upwards, not completely lift it off the floor by 2 feet , the front wheel can actually hit it a bit and roll up the last bit if you are going at the correct speed. ( judging the speed is the crucial bit) the rear wheel will probably take care of itself. I approach the kerb in a neutral position, pedals arms flat, arms extended, rock back and pull on the bars a bit to get the front wheel just off the deck then usually don't care about the rear, if over something like a log, after getting the front up rock forwards and help lift the rear.
Above is the slower method, If you want to jump up a kerb fast, either cycle alongside it and bunny hop sideways or attack it at 90 degrees and speed and jump the whole bike. The key is to land both wheels together less stress on the bike. Helps if your small as if you cock it up a bit and are heavy you might not have any wheels left in a servicable condition.

 

[Hacienda71]

I can track stand on my road and mountain bikes but I can't manual. Would love to be able to do it, but suspect it takes more practice than I have patience.