I need help. I'm pretty much a dummy. I've been mountain biking for about 15 years here in Vancouver and know a bit about biking. I can manual on any of my bikes, be it my Stinky D-L, my .243, and especially my old P.3. I can't even get my front wheel off the ground more than 2-3 inches on my new trials bike. It's the brand new Zoo! Pitbull. I measured the dimensions and it's not too far off the .243. As you would expect doing a 'western' style bunny hop off the back tire is literally impossible for me. I can get at least a good 2-2-1/2 feet off even my D-L. What gives? It seems that my front tire is stuck to the ground with elastic bands or something. The only difference I think is the long travel forks on my other bikes. Please could anybody give me any insight before my hamstrings fall off? Thank you all very much!
Manual question?!?
- Thread starter jjym
- Start date
Yeah, I can pedal kick ok and can get to the manual position only when I pedal into it. Otherwise I look like a 3 year old on the bike trying to pull up without the pedal. My stem is 130mm by 10degrees. I guess it's pretty long. I even left the fork steerer tube uncut and filled it with spacers so the bike would feel better in trackstand. I'm pretty small at 5'5". I know it doesn't take strength per se to lift the front end it's more technique like on my other bikes. Like I said, manualing and bunny hopping on my 47+ pound Stinky D-L is done with ease. This bike I can't pop the tire at all. Driving me a little insane! I've tried almost every possible angle to lift it short of trying to do a back flip.
I know exactly what you are feeling. Are you sure that its a "short" frame and not the long? Do you have a shorter stem to try on there? When I first got my trials bike I was so far over the bars that I couldn't bhop or manual for sheeeit. Turns out the stem was waaay big.
For 08/09 the frame is one size and it's quite long. I guess I have to try a shorter stem or something like you said. Got to figure this out! It's just really weird how it behaves. Pedaling up is ok but with 18/15 gearing I'm going at less than a walking pace. I usually like going at least 30km/h when I pull up. Dang! What the heck's going on, eh?
its the bike, not you. i was able to manual my street bike and dh bike, but not the trials bike. i think its becuase the front end is so low and has a long stem, but the rear end is really short. when i was able to hold a manual i zig-zagged and didnt have much control. now back on my street rig it feels much better, tho my manuals are a bit off now
also the rear brakes on the trials bike are really touchy so i couldnt lightly drag it to keep the front down
also the rear brakes on the trials bike are really touchy so i couldnt lightly drag it to keep the front down
So I guess my dreams of a rolling 'big up' are smashed. Hmmm. That really sucks. I measured the distance in fork lengths and the trials is 16" from axle to the bottom headset. My freeride bike's fork length is about 21". 5 inch difference. Does it matter since I stacked the steer tube with spacers and both bikes 38 inches from bottom of tire to the top of the stem? Should it not be equal? That's the only real big difference in the bikes. Also my freeride's chainstay length is around 17" as opposed to 15" for the trials. Theoretically shouldn't that make it easier to manual on the trials? I'm dumbfounded.
it's a trials bike, not a mountain bike. You don't coast to an "up", you pedal. You would benefit from watching some trials vids. Trails bikes are more difficult to do many MTB moves, they are designed to do things that can't be done on a MTB. Don't try to make it a MTB, learn how to ride trials. OTN,net, beginners forum is a good place to check it out. few can manual a good trials bike. no one can up a 6' wall on a DH bike.
The reason you cant manual your bike is simple - assuming by "It's the brand new Zoo! Pitbull." you mean the 09 model, the wheelbase on that bike is 1090mm. That is HUGE. For your 5'5" height, that is simply too big of a bike - you can ride it, and presumably will be able to pedalkick and pedalup big objects, but it is too big for you to properly handle.
I'm 5'6" and when I started rode a Koxx LB 1045, then eventually ended up on a 1065 XTP.
In addition to your frame being too big, your stem is absolutely out to lunch. That is practically a mod stem. With such a long frame you should be running a tiny stem, 70mm x 0, maybe even as short as 50mm x 0.
Good luck.
I'm 5'6" and when I started rode a Koxx LB 1045, then eventually ended up on a 1065 XTP.
In addition to your frame being too big, your stem is absolutely out to lunch. That is practically a mod stem. With such a long frame you should be running a tiny stem, 70mm x 0, maybe even as short as 50mm x 0.
Good luck.
Yeah the bike is big. Does a difference in 2.5cm in wheelbase really make that much of a difference? It looks very small when you actually measure it but I guess it changes how it would handle. I wonder if I got a set of forks with less rake it would make a difference. I'll try a smaller stem. I've got a 40mm x 7 on hand and I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again guys for all your help!
in theory it would make it easier to get the front up. but once you get to the correct position i would think a longer chainstay would give you more control
oh and its harder to bunny hop because youre needing to lift the front another 6". just wait until you get comfy on the trials bike, then try and ride your street bike again. im practically looping out when trying to bunnyhop on my dj bike now
Last edited:
Stand up straight, Lean back and pull the bike up. As it come up you need to come up too to the straight up position. with trials bikes the BP is a lot higher than a dj or urban bike. you will essentially look like you are doing a RWH but rolling. MTC
I've been riding a mod off and on for about a year now, trying to learn as much as I can, but I'm basically self taught so far. This thread got me thinking about the sizing of my ride. The wheelbase is 1040 with a 145-150 stem. Does this sound normal to anyone? I bought the bike third hand, pretty cobbled together at that point. I'm 5'10, mostly legs. for trail bikes, I'm usually on an 18 inch frame with a shorter stem.
Beuller?
Beuller?
Beuller?
Um, Verticult, I've seen lots of videos. Why don't you look at some like this http://broadbandsports.com/node/1798 and tell me that at time 1:08, 1:20, 1:56, 2:19, 2:30 etc. he's pedalling up? Doesn't look like it. I know I'm not Neil and will never be, but he's 'manualing' up onto things. Well, it is essentially the technique of a manual to an up. In other words a 'western' style bunny hop. That's my gripe.
my "bigger" ups were always without a pedal kick. granted they werent very big to start with
i made this a while ago but forgot to post it 