Tapping

[miket-raptorman]

hi,

At the moment im trying to learn how to tap stuff so i can start getting up the really big stuff, but im unsure of the technique. All ive been doing is what i used to to get on to stuff with my backwheel i.e start with bad foot forward half rotation until your good foot comes round and jumping onto the top of the obstacle sucking legs in and extending arms, except ive just been hitting my wheel on top of the obstacle first. Is there anything anyone could tell me to make my long journey of learning any shorter?

Thx for any advice

Edited November 15, 2005 by miket-raptorman

[N.Wood]

My standard answer for this is go on a ride and ask someone how to do it.

They'll be able to evaluate your good/bad points and help you progress better.

[lovatt]

Just make sure that when you tap that you lean forwads so that you dont fall back off and, it will stop your backwheel from hitting the object befor you have got up it. When your next out have a look at some one who can tap and look at how they do it for a good 5 mins, that way you will get the idea. Also dont be scared of hitting the wall hard and fast.

lovatt(Y)

[miket-raptorman]

Its all good saying ask someone or look at someone when you go out but in my area(cottingham) there arent any really good riders so basically where all figuring it out ourselves. but i can almost do it now anyway. i can get on a wall thats about a inch over my front wheel its just im too vertical and i fall back. putting my bike into a shop today so hopefully at the weekend il have ago at throwing my weight forward as i go up it.

[cookie456_the2nd]

Dont quote me on this but ive heard its easier to tap things over about 3 foot and that learning on small things can lead to you developing the wrong tequnique. I can back wheel about 3 foot and try to tap things a little higher.

[spode@thinkbikes]

I find the technique changes depending on the size of the object.

On a small object, say below 2 feet, you almost place the front wheel on and just roll it on to the back wheel. In fact, at this height, I often just kick straight on to it (the same method you are using now).

With something a little higher, you are tapping it on the edge of the top. This can be done from close to stand still (i.e one pedal rotation)

With something higher still, you are tapping BELOW the edge. I usually find for this I need 1 1/2 pedal rotations.

I will say though, I do run quite a light gear (22/21, just changed to 20/19 which should be close to the same but I haven't tested it yet due to injury). For the last week I've been experimenting with 22/19 which is considerably stiffer than I'm used to. At this ratio, things felt different and I was more inclined just to kick straight on to things (except on the big stuff) or required a slightly longer run up.

Hope this helps.

But riding with people that do it, and/or watching people do it in videos really does help. I hear a lot of people suggesting it's a difficult technique to learn, but tapping is the way I've ALWAYS backwheeled things, so I find it hard to relate to that.

[monkey gav]

1 find a wall about handlebar height.

2 practise getting your front wheel to touch the wall and make an attempt at going to bashring.

3 once u can do this comfortly try hitting ur tap about two inches below the wall.

4 roll ur front wheel over the wall and get ur weight centred over the front wheel.

5 this will allow u to suck ur legs up further and raise the backwheel with ease.

6 centre ur weight on the bike and ride off.

7 think ur ace cos u can tap handlebar height :blink:

This is how i learned to tap ont, my t raptor. so it should help u

Gavyn

[chrishayton]

Right, first off forget you old technique

the trick to it is wait till after you tap till you jump,

Ride at the wall at jogging pace maybe a little faster

lean back

pedal full rotation to lift the front and allow it to hit the wall hard

at the same time absorb the shock and jump whilst tucking,

then extend arms and keep balance and you should land on top, its a weird technique though so best thing is to ride with some 1

btw im ok at taps (only done them for a month but bout 48-50inch) so this technique does work

btw be prepared to destroy forks :blink:

to get higher, tap lower, lower your body postion and SPEED!

Edited November 19, 2005 by chrishayton

[the_ferret]

i get told im "weird" when i tap due to the fact as i am still rotating the cranks to maximise the drive through and up the wall the best thing to do is practice find a speed your comfy with and then just practice practice practice lol

oggy

[spode@thinkbikes]

i get told im "weird" when i tap due to the fact as i am still rotating the cranks to maximise the drive through and up the wall the best thing to do is practice find a speed your comfy with and then just practice practice practice lol

oggy

As in you pedal your front wheel on to the wall?

[Krisboats]

I tap in my own very weird way.

i start about 2-3 bike lengths away

then rotate my cranks so my bad foot is forwards

lean back a bit so my head is lower down

start peddling, i usually get 1 1/2 crank turns in before i'm near the wall (explosive starts = better taps)

and i pull up like a bunnyhop when i'm near the wall so my wheel hits it on the way up

as my wheel hits i try and stamp on the peddles if my reflex's are fast enough or if i just don't forget to.

then i jump up and all of a sudden my bike is up the wall, so i just push the bars forwards to keep me up and i ride away

i'm gonna try and get a very good clip i have of austin tapping, its pretty good. will edit in a minute.

*EDIT*

okay here you are, its a clip[ of austin doing a silly high tap with an overhanging ledge. once in normal speed then slowed down so u can take a closer look. click the link and its the austin tap clip or something to that effect (link)

feel free to have a ganders at my other vids as well if your bored :)

Edited November 19, 2005 by Krisboats

[Rossi]

i get told im "weird" when i tap due to the fact as i am still rotating the cranks to maximise the drive through and up the wall the best thing to do is practice find a speed your comfy with and then just practice practice practice lol

oggy

Stick with that technique :) When you get better at the move, you can hit the wall lower, and remain confident because it's very hard to go over the bars when you tap with that technique. Basically, you're doing a wheely into the wall, whereas a lot of people manual into the wall. Look at Stan Shaw for example, in the old Cultiv8ed vids when he rode his leeson & custom frame, he manualled into the wall as he tapped. Now on his Limey, he wheelies into the b*****d walls and gets up +50" walls. That technique really does help.

Rossi.

[spode@thinkbikes]

I think I see what you are suggesting and that's the way I'm doing it too. I hit a full crank rotation as my front wheel touches it.