[Closed] Is it easier to learn to manual if you can wheelie?

I can wheelie but can’t manual. I’d say wheelie is easier.

I can wheelie as well cant manual to save my life

I'd say it's not easier to learn to manual if you can wheelie. Try to learn both from the off. You use a combination of a pedal stroke and weight transfer to get the front up in a wheelie, manuals use weight transfer only. There are loads of how-to videos on manuals. They don't necessarily make it any easier to do, but they can give you an idea of the technique.

This one from GMBN is one of my favourites, as it has Neil coaching someone through it. You get to see someone going through the learning process, not just a pro that can do it very well.

If the link doesn't work, just google GMBN manuals and it should be easy to find.

This one from Mike Boyd is interesting. He sets himself challenges to learn things quickly.

I'm not very good at manuals at all, I'm improving, but I'm not able to do what you need - practice lots - as regularly as I'd like.

I'm struggling with both and also following Neil's videos.

I'd say wheelie is easier, as with manual you don't have power as a tool you can use to maintain balance.

Can I blame my bike? It's an old cheap heavy (19kg) full suspension, with the rear effectively locked out. 48cm chainstay with a 110cm wheelbase, so that's 56:44 front:rear measurement ratio whereas a modern hardtail would be 64:36. Actual weight distribution is 48:52.

I can wheelie, cannot manual.

I can manual not wheelie...

The wheelie is easier as you are seated and can pedal so once on balance point can just sit and wheelie for miles. Manualling for miles would finish me off (if I could do it for miles) and even the best manualers (BMX riders) can look pretty shaky with a lot of movement required to keep wheel up for long manuals.
All both things involve front wheel being raised I don't really find them similar at all.

The Mike Boyd bid is interesting but not sure it helped me that much other than to emphasise the importance of keeping at it. His reactions when he keeps falling just short of his target are hilarious!! Can do a v short wheelie if I really put my mind to it. Can’t manual for toffee...

I did a 101 skills day and the coach was adamant if you can manual the length of your wheelbase that is all you will ever need.

Managed to get that in a few attempts but my technique is terrible.

I did the learn to wheelie in 30 days thing and got stuck on day 4.

The Mike Boyd bid is interesting but not sure it helped me that much other than to emphasise the importance of keeping at it. His reactions when he keeps falling just short of his target are hilarious!! Can do a v short wheelie if I really put my mind to it. Can’t manual for toffee…

😀

Always makes me laugh watching his videos when he loses his temper

I did a 101 skills day and the coach was adamant if you can manual the length of your wheelbase that is all you will ever need.

Need and want are different things

I decided to learn a bit of trials riding a while back and can hop on the rear wheel with some degree of control. I thought it might make doing wheelies and manuals easier. It didn't unless very slightly counts. Still need to put in the time practising each, which I haven't.

if you're interested in a 'proper' wheelie/manual (ie being able to hold one for a significant distance, say 100m) I would say that learning one would help the other - whilst areas of the technique are different, understanding the feel of the balance point and techniques for helping side-to-side balance are very similar.

If you're just interested in getting the front wheel up over things in the trail, I don't think either helps the other - the technique for just getting your front wheel up is very different

Sounds like I just need to learn to manual. Might get some flat pedals then....

sirromj
I decided to learn a bit of trials riding a while back and can hop on the rear wheel with some degree of control. I thought it might make doing wheelies and manuals easier.

I find all forms of back wheel balancing are, weirdly, completely different. I can wheelie but I can’t ride a unicycle. I can backhop but my manuals have been pretty terrible (getting better recently though!).

I actually think core strength is vital for manuals and not really those other things. If you can hold a good static position on the bike and make small controlled weight shifts, it really helps manuals. I think a lot of cyclists neglect that part of strengthening training (I definitely do).

I'm still trying to learn both; manual and wheelie.

I'm sure that once I can raise the front wheel in a manual then what little wheelie'ing skill I have will help me stay balanced. BUT my biggest problem with the manual technique is getting the front wheel high enough to have to worry about balancing!!

I'm scared of over-committing to the manual and going over the back of the bike. All this despite 'covering the rear brake' and having practiced the rear dis-mount many, many times. I still find myself tensing my shoulders and pulling my body forward once the front wheel gets more than 500 mm off the road :o(

I can manual maybe 10-15 feet at the absolute best. I doubt I'm doing it properly at all and I've gone off the back of the bike more than once. It's something I'd like to learn to do for longer but at the same time I can't see how it would have any tangible benefit to my riding.

I'm also fairly sure a comment like this comes up on every post about the subject! Does look cool though.