Catwalking

[Purecanadianhoney]

Can anyone confirm or deny that catwalking is genetic?

If so, how the F**k do you do it?

I've practiced tons and I suck at it just as badly as when I started. :(

[Lady Gravity]

it kind of depends on your bike

i can't do it on my fs (wheelbase too long), i can sort of do it on my ht, but i rode a small specialized enduro comp (xc fs) and did it awesome (while drunk :P ) sooooo all i can say is, keep practicing!!

i can't bunnyhop worth shit :(

and trust me...if i can catwalk? then anybody can, because i'm super uncoordinated!!! :lol:

[BiG D]

lol i can catwalk forever.


but couldnt for shit when i started

its all just practice
and balance point

[Neo]

catwalks are easy man just sit and pedal. learn to feather the rear brake. manuals are where its at.

[Nelson]

easy to say when youre the manual god...

[cookedbananas]

i can catwalk pretty good, but right now i dont have a rear brake, so i go over alot, even when i try really hard to stay up.

[Mr. Charles]

what is catwalking?

[FullMonty]

a pedaling wheelie. it looks goofy and unstable, like a cat walking on it's hind legs.

Best advice I can give you: keep your arms pretty much straight, pedal and lean back. Use a fairly hard gear (I use 32t ring and about my 5th cog,) don't go putting it in the easiest gear you have, you'll run out of speed. A slight uphill helps, too, because it will keep you from accelerating beyond what the gear you are using can support - unless you want to learn manuals really fast. :)

I have 'em pretty dialed, I just never get on a really long, straight-ish section of road when I do get one that could last for a looooong time.

[Curtis]

Edit: was typing while Fullmontey had posted, don't want to look like am talking over him.

There are two ways of doing a "catwalk" one is The Braking Catwalkand the second is the Balanced Catwalk. The Balanced Catwalk is by far more difficult.
First off learn to do The Braking Catwalk then move to The Balanced Catwalk.

1.Start off by use a gearing like the middle chain ring and the 3rd or 4th cog.

2.Apply the rear brake so you have to pedal to keep moving but not so much that you stop right away when you stop pedaling. Just drag it.

3. While seated and with the brake still dragging pedal with your dominant foot and pull up on bars keeping your back and head straight. Don't lean into the bike, you need your head and back to be straight to counter the weight of the bike.

4. If you feel your self falling backwards apply a bit more brake be easy on the brake or you'll slam the front wheel down. You want to modulate the brake.

5. If you feel the front wheel droping put more force on the pedals while still applying the brake. Until you get a real good feel for the balance point of the bike and feel comfortable modulating the brake. Don't be affraid to drag the brake the whole time, it just means you'll have to pedal more.

The two most important things are the use of the brake and keeping you back and head straight. It is a total confidence thing but once you realize you can stop yourself from ending up on your ass by using the brake you'll be on the road to doing "catwalks" for ever.

Once you get real good you can take the front wheel off your bike and start from a standing start and do a Catwalk. This really impresses your friends, but don't ever think of trying it until you can do a "catwalk" at a dead crawl.

Good Luck

[Req]

Thats some sounds advise, I'm just learning too and I know how discouraging it can be, but one thing I found that helps is just to overshoot the wheelie. Make yourself fall back (make sure to put your feet down :P ) that way you'll find where your balance point is.

[Curtis]

Originally posted by Req
Thats some sounds advise, I'm just learning too and I know how discouraging it can be, but one thing I found that helps is just to overshoot the wheelie. Make yourself fall back (make sure to put your feet down :P ) that way you'll find where your balance point is.

Good advise Reg.

[ReCkLeSs RiDeR]

yep rear brake'er

[Faithless]

jack up your seat super high, then when you get better lower it

make sure you press the rear break :P

[Curtis]

hey purecanadainhoney, nice handle kinda goes with the avatar.

[Purecanadianhoney]

Thanks for the advice Curtis...and nice job on catching the handle/avatar connection!
I'll keep practicing, but I'm still convinced of some sort of genetic conspiracy. :)

PS. Can anyone ride during weekday days? I rode Grouse Tuesday afternoon and didn't see a soul!

PSS. If it helps, I ride in a short skirt. ;)

[ReCkLeSs RiDeR]

really?:)

[Keefer]

Originally posted by Purecanadianhoney
Thanks for the advice Curtis...and nice job on catching the handle/avatar connection!
I'll keep practicing, but I'm still convinced of some sort of genetic conspiracy. :)

PS. Can anyone ride during weekday days? I rode Grouse Tuesday afternoon and didn't see a soul!

PSS. If it helps, I ride in a short skirt. ;)

I rode grouse tuesday afternoon too... It was too nice out to sit in stupid English and Calc class, so me my buddy and my brother left at lunch, and got to UOC at about 3ish. We ran into Jerry-Rig and T-Bone Hansen too.

Could possibly be doing that again next wednesday or possibly monday (head up at lunch time and miss afternoon class), if oyu wanted to hook up for a ride. Are you still in school, or can you ride whenever? PM me if you wanna set something up...

As for the wheelies, it's all practice. just practice when you're going somewhere to ride or whatever, one day you'll just find that you can get a couple extra strokes in, and you actually get to use your brakes, and it increases exponentially from there.
I thought it was hereditary too, till I learned. took about 6-8months of practicing wherever I went, and having disc's really helped.

that being said, Wheelieing impresses the ladies (which I'm guessing you don't need to do :P) and not too much else. time would be better spent learning to bunnyhop higher, but hey, it's cool to learn/know.

[Curtis]

Originally posted by Purecanadianhoney
Thanks for the advice Curtis...and nice job on catching the handle/avatar connection!
I'll keep practicing, but I'm still convinced of some sort of genetic conspiracy. :)

PS. Can anyone ride during weekday days? I rode Grouse Tuesday afternoon and didn't see a soul!

PSS. If it helps, I ride in a short skirt. ;)

Your welcome, you'll get it.... it ALL just comes down to practice and dedication..... hummmm..... I don't know about the consiracy theory tho.
ugggghhhhh......jelly doughnuts.......doh! I mean short skirt.

peace

[spleen]

I can vouch for purecanadianhoney riding in a skirt. Tank tops as well. We came ripping down mountain highway after a ride when the world cup was on and the entire T-mobile team was climbing up. Every guys jaw was on his top tube as she flew past wearing armour, a full face, a skirt and sleeveless jersey (with the zipper undone ala Paola Pezzo).

I DO love the "are you still in school" question...

[sanrensho]

Originally posted by spleen
We came ripping down mountain highway after a ride when the world cup was on and the entire T-mobile team was climbing up.

Did the team ride down the trails with their seatposts up all the way?:eek:

T-Mobile (http://www.team-t-mobile.com/news/index.php?urlaktion=overview_news&detail=462)