Link manuals through rollers
Pro trail builder Nikki Whiles shows how to up your pump track skills
Rollers are the staple of any pump track and are the main way of generating speed without pedalling. Depending on how big they are, how many there are and your speed, rollers can be tackled by pumping, jumping or manualling. Manualling between a double set is pretty easy because speed will carry you through. Staying on the back wheel through a line of rollers is much trickier as it requires you to hold a balance point. As well as helping you rip around the pump track, it’s a great transferable skill for trail riding, giving you the confidence to manual through holes or rough terrain at full speed if jumping isn’t an option.
01 INITIATE THE MANUAL
To pop the bike onto its back wheel, focus on shifting your hips back and driving your weight through the pedals to get the front wheel aloft, rather than yanking up on the bar. Although it’s essential to pull back, it’s much more about body position than brute force. With a bit of practice, you’ll soon get a feel for the movements and how much effort is needed. It’s a good idea to get the basics dialled on the lat before you try to take this technique to the pump track.
02 BODY POSITION
Once you’re up on the back wheel, keep your arms locked straight but maintain a bend in your knees, so you can absorb the undulations of the track. As the wheel rolls up the transition towards the crest, bend your knees more to allow the bike to come up towards you. Then as you go over the peak, extend your legs to push the bike down the other side. The point at which you start pushing down is the thing most people struggle with. Everyone is scared of looping out over the back, so a common mistake is to push down too early before the back wheel has reached the lip, which drops the front wheel instantly. Start at slow speeds and don’t be afraid of going too far a few times to get the feel for it!
03 MAINTAIN YOUR BALANCE
On low rollers with gentle transitions the changes in gradient are mellow, so you won’t need to do too much to stay at the balance point. It gets harder when the rollers are taller and steeper, and the bowls between them are deeper. Here you’ve got to have the guts to really extend your arms and legs and get right over the back wheel. Different spacing between the rollers makes it less predictable too, so pick a set that are fairly even and work. on maintaining a manual through two bowls, then three, etc. Learn from your mistakes by thinking about what you did right and wrong on each attempt.