Manuals

[Super Otaku]

Next year, I'm looking for a good hardtail freeriding machine with good brakes and frame design. I wanted a bike where I can learn manuals faster.
I know shorter chainstays are a shortcut. But is easier to learn manuals with a shorter stam?

Thanks.

 

[jaz]

Manuals aint that hard to learn really (but they are hard to perfect) having disks has helped me a lot as you can drag the back brake in a way thats not easy with V's.
Just get out & practice normal wheelies & perfect the balance point so you can keep them going easy then once you can balance pretty well on the back wheel using the rear brake & your body weight (leaning back) find a smooth slope & start wheeling down it trying to balance on the balance point & use the rear brake if you goto far back & your body weight if you start dropping the front, do it for an hour at a time for a few days & it will start to come easy.

 

[Super Otaku]

I assume hydraulic rim brakes are better, right?

 

[jaz]

I use hydraulics myself, I havent used the cable versions though so I dont know if they have the same amount of control.
I think a shorter stem will help, I use a 90 or 100mm I cant remember exactly which but as I said the most important thing for me was mastering the balance point & being comfotable with it so you can wheely along without having to increase your pedal stroke to keep it going, once you master that you will find you can stop peddling for short periods then you just have to practice & you will start increasing the distance you can go without peddling & keeping it going by leaning back & pushing down & forward with your legs if you lose the balance point & using the back brake if you go too far back.
Im still learning myself & can only do about 10 metres max on the flat & 20 metres on a slope but practice does help & it does look cool when you do these tricks.