David Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Hey people,I really think its about time I learnt to tap now. I have been putting it off for quite a long time and I dont think I can get much higher using my current backwheeling technique.At the moment I can just make a bit over bar height using the Bad foot - Good foot technique and no tap. I also sometimes go good, bad, good foot as Ive found the extra speed helps a lot.I have watched many people tap and been given some usefull tips, such as trying to just 'Glance' the wall with my front wheel instead of tapping it...My problem seems to be that I approach the wall and just bottle out and lift my front wheel high enough to clear the wall and end up backwheeling it normally. Does anyone have any tips on things they did to learn tapping? I am going to try them tommorow, is it best to start on a wall I cannot backwheel with my normal technique?Thanks,Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun H Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Pedal later. That'll pretty much force you into tapping and is better technique anyway as you get a kind of kick during/after the tap. Hard to explain but yeah, try pedaling later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted April 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Pedal later. That'll pretty much force you into tapping and is better technique anyway as you get a kind of kick during/after the tap. Hard to explain but yeah, try pedaling later.Thanks, I can see the logic behind that. Ill give it a go tomoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun H Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Thanks, I can see the logic behind that. Ill give it a go tomoz You really have to force yourself to do it. If I'm having a bad day of taps it's usually because of this, very much a confidence thing. I find thinking about exactly where I'mg going to hit the wall with my front wheel helps alot. And as you're maxing out at just over bar height try practicing the technique on 36-7" walls as it'll give you a bit more confidence with riding straight into solid walls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balman Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Yes thats about right i only learnt them myself yesterday and it is just pedaling late and as your front wheels just hits the wall give the pedal a quick strike and it sends you flying up.hope this helpedJack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted April 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Thanks for the tips, cant wait to try them tomoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bionic Balls Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 if you can already do just over bar height without a tap on a pitbull....you should be flying pretty soon...i started tapping when i could do about 30" wheelie hops adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomN Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 You also want to hit it low helps you more for that extra height Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smo™ Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Don't pedal when your wheel hits, because you're inexperienced with it you'll fly over the bars and headbutt the wall. Instinctively when you want to pedal, you lean slightly forward and this inbalance will f**k you over. Pedal UNTIL you hit the wall, then stop and throw your arms up. Also, don't tap lower unless you need to. You'll just kill yourself/rim/forks. Only start to tap lower when you've got the technique nailed and are trying something unusually big for your standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterOfGussets Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Surely the lower you tap (front wheels contact area less than 45 degrees from ground) the further in the wrong direction your bike ricochets?I mean, to a certain extent I can see that it would create a bigger reaction due to the bigger action. But there would come a point when you get bounced directly back or downwards.I would have thought you would be aiming to contact the wall approximately bar height? Or you might be talking about slight differences in contact height. Either way, I've never tried a tap... so I really am talking out of my arse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smo™ Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 It's fact that if you tap lower, you get higher. Don't ask why, it just works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun H Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 It's fact that if you tap lower, you get higher. Don't ask why, it just works. Not really? There's definitely a cut off point, the lowest I'd ever want to tap is 30". Any lower and you take out so much speed and energy that you don't get much out not to mention it really starts killing forks. I think really it's the higher the obstacle the lower from the *top* of the obstacle you need to tap. Which is obvious anyway to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bionic Balls Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 you know mate...i'm pretty sure that's what he meant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishayton Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Right this is how I tap and i was crap at them until i learnt it this way ( i can do around 50 inch) Pedal at the wall bring the front wheel up as you get close BUT dont jump until you tap, remember TAP THEN JUMP.Pedal technique is also important but hard to get right. use your bad foot to bring the front wheel up and as you hit the wall your good foot will be right in the middle of its turn( maybe just before the middle, imagine 45degrees from vertical)and as you put power down on this foot you hit the wall and the force of this pedal and your current speed propels your front wheel upwards, as this happens jump and bring the bike up beneath you.things to remember with taps-hit hard-hit low-fast is important for huge taps but if you pedal at the wall hard enough you dont have to go as fast as you ---think. -keep low on the bike till you hit-keep pedal strokes smooth-TAP THEN JUMP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted May 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Thanks again for the tips everyone Should be trying them later (as soon as it brightens up grr) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janson Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 first learn how to just glance the wall with any pedalling tech, for example the bad-good.then start working up to about 42-43". then you'll realize that your technique is shite (this is normal), then you'll have to relearn the whole thing, with hitting lower and using 3/4 or full pedal rotation.This is what i did. I was stuck on a tad under 42" for almost a year, then i relearnt the tap altogether. Just give it time, that's the most important thing. Taps are weird, but keep at it.At first, you'll almost manual into the tap. It's easier than pedalling all the way into the tap (at first anyways). A low front end really helps tapping, I remember flipping my stem while learning taps, just to get the hang of it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich4130 Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Im having trouble with mine, I cant pedal into taps for shit, I end up riding into it, I just cant pick the spot unless I bunnyhop, which is ok up to about 40" but any higher and it becomes a bit sketch, cos I have to go faster and hit it harder to get the height, but if i hit too low it scares the shit out of me for ages and puts me off.I can pedal fine into tapping 35" or so, but any higher and i just cant 'hit' it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poopipe Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I can pedal fine into tapping 35" or so, but any higher and i just cant 'hit' it?^^ short bikesame problem on I have on mod. I find over about 3' you basically run out of wheelbase - I suspect the secret is to tap while off the ground but thats scary and I still cant do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich4130 Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 ye true, I had that problem on my ashton24, but I'm on a pure 1060, but I do have well high bars, 90mm/15deg Thompson, and 2" ride azonics, could be it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Geary Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Yeah i can't get this pedal shizzle going down were it's good foot then lift with bad foot then follow through with good foot.I can't get it, it's so hard ... at the minute im just going good foot bad foot then lift with good foot and like do a manual in to the wall but i'm getting around 45" max on vertical walls and on slanted walls i can do that pedal stroke thing and get around 50" max but when it's on a vertical wall it all go tits up and about kill my self.Ah well ... practise makes perfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IOLO Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 deff start pedalling with your good foot forward,, get more ooommphhagge!and just dare, HIT IT !!go go goand watch vince vids !!lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterOfGussets Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I don't know wheather this has been posted before or not, nor if it will help but I remembered finding this a few weeks back...http://puretrials.com/trials/videos/french.mpeg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted May 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I don't know wheather this has been posted before or not, nor if it will help but I remembered finding this a few weeks back...http://puretrials.com/trials/videos/french.mpegThat video was actually kind of helpful, anyone care to translate?! I liked the tip of placing the front wheel on the wall and rolling the bike back to get the correct pedal stroke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krisboats Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 (edited) My tapping method is pedal like a madman, coast for a minute or two and then bunnyhop and hit the wheel at exactly the right time to get me up higher. I can also manual into walls to tap and bunnyhop with a tap as i'm in the air, though these are harder. Despite being able to do it in those different ways my biggest ever tap was 46 inches verticle and i've only ever done it one time and using the pedal coast hit and jump method.In fairness though i havent done a tap for a long time now and i can't get my headaround the pedalling malarky so thats not gonna happen. Edited May 3, 2006 by Krisboats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Geary Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 my biggest ever tap was 46 inchesYeah right you struggle on 40" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.