Youngsters, OK...But can a big guy learn pedal grabs



M

Memphis Mud

Guest
I've got a Summit. I've seen video of kids with [my] Summit jumping
seat-in over benches. Or they pedal grab and shproing up to the obstacle
no problem.

I'm 185 pounds and too old [45] to be invincible. I'm having some
trouble just hopping 12". (But I'm working on that, and improving). The
riders in this video are 16 to 18 yrs old. They don't even grunt.

I hate to admit it, but my problem is ...limited guts. I'm still nursing
a sore tailbone from the giraffe kicking me in the ****. (Watch out
superkids...injuries linger after 40)

I'll position myself as if I'd pedal grabbed onto a bench. Then I just
stand/hang there thinking it through. Minutes go by, then I bail.

Is there a sequence of skills leading up to this manouvre? Someone list
the baby steps for this big old baby.

I've seen the crank grab, but that seems like a flatfooted launch. No
shproing. Those pedal grabs I've watched appear fluid. What 185 pounder
is doing crank grab launches?

I know that the answer is practice, practice, practice. But practice
what first? I may not be able to hop 24", but I see myself pedal
grabbing 18"-24" and up and over. I can see it, I just cant do it.
:confused:


--
Memphis Mud - Student of GrandMaster 2T

Mantra: Avoid Hitting Tailbone...Avoid Hitting Tailbone...

"do not think, just ride"...muniracer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memphis Mud's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1987
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
ive only ridden for 2 months but from my experience, just try and pedal
grab the lowest possible object, then move up. How does your summit hold
up to drops? what have you broken on it so far? how long have you owned
it? im getting one soon


--
gpickett00 - Level 3.7

Bicycle is just a short way of saying unicycle with a training wheel.
'Our unicycling videos' (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albuv95)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
gpickett00's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5654
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
Being one of them spry youngin's I feel it's worthy of mentioning that
at one point not all that long ago, I was terrified of crankhangs, let
alone crankgrabs. I didn't even bother trying just from pedal. At first,
I did whast you did, and then Igot up the guts to go for up to rubber. I
always failed, and things sucked. then I met Chex, and he set up an
obstacle where in order to get to crank, I just had to jump about 1". I
got a crankhang withing 5 tries. Then, after a while of pratice
(unusually long 3 months), I got crankgrabs.

The trick to overcoming fear of crankhangs is to find a ledge for a 20"
that's only about 11-12" high, and try to crankhang that. It's not
nearly as scary. It also helps to get someone else to stand by you
goading you on. It worked for me, and I've since used that technique to
teach others who were shy or scared of trying. Start with crank, then go
to pedal. Once you can do 13-14", you should be able to go to rubber,
although you probably already could if you were encouraged in person
enough. Having someone ther for encouragement made a huge difference for
me.


--
gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

Don't you think it's a cruel irony that acting like a G.I. Joe in the
army can get you a Medal, while playing with one can get you thrown out?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
gerblefranklin's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4295
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
Memphis Mud wrote:
> *I've got a Summit.
>
> I'm 185 pounds and too old [45] to be invincible.
>
> What 185 pounder is doing crank grab launches?*
Hey MM.

I'm 44 and 180 lbs. I learned crank grab to rubber about a year ago on
my freestyle and later got my the Summit. My inspiration was some tall
200 pound 50 yr old geezer with a pony tail, and he had the advantage of
long legs.

I still haven't figured out pedal grab to rubber. It looks so much
easier and is so fluid but I find the uni is so much more stable to
launch to rubber from a crank grab.


--
UniBrier - Its Time to Ride

Steve De Cuckoo

"Only an idiot would try to ride a pointed stick with a wheel on the
bottom."

‘tiped again’ pretty much summing up what we all thought after our
first ½ hour ever of unicyling.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
UniBrier's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1404
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 22:39:43 -0500, "gerblefranklin" wrote:

>I was terrified of crankhangs, let
>alone crankgrabs.

Am I right in assuming that the difference between the two is that a
crankgrab involves hopping up, and a crankhang skips that and allows
you to get into the position any way you want? In other words, a
crankgrab is an upward (hop/jump) move that will result in a
crankhang?

Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
--
Clearly a system of 1/14 and 1/16 is not decimal - Mikefule on the English weight system
 
gpickett00 wrote:
> *ive only ridden for 2 months but from my experience, just try and
> pedal grab the lowest possible object, then move up. How does your
> summit hold up to drops? what have you broken on it so far? how long
> have you owned it? im getting one soon *

Summit does my drops fine. My biggest ever was only about 3 feet tho.
Haven't broken anything yet. I've yanked on the KH seat enough that it
has developed some flex. Nothing to worry about tho. Very happy with it.
I like the flat crown for 1 foot riding/idling.

I'm understanding crankhangs like you Klaas Bil. That sounds like a good
intermediate step. Hang and hop OFF. Then Hang and hop ON.

I'm encouraged that "terrified" is a common condition that is curable.

Thanks to all. This will continue as my next area of focus.

Something else I can't get out of my head since I saw it in Universe is
Hopping straight up in the air, pedalling the wheel 180 or, dare I say,
360 degrees before landing safely. Doesn't get you anywhere, but flashy.


--
Memphis Mud - Student of GrandMaster 2T

Mantra: Avoid Hitting Tailbone...Avoid Hitting Tailbone...

"do not think, just ride"...muniracer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memphis Mud's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1987
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
James_Potter wrote:
> *I think in UNiVERsE that guy was on a trampoline. But you can get 180
> fairly easily before landing. And off of a drop, you could get 360. *


I'm pretty sure I've seen somthing near a 540 on flat:eek: . I have a
friend who can 360 crankflip on flat. I've 180'd out of a pedalgrab over
a 2x4 (27" off the ground, so it was wierd at first. Then it was scary
because I landed goofy-footed. I landed it, though. I can also 180
crankflip on flat. i just roll, and then do a rolling hop and flip the
pedals. It's scary at first, and then gets easy.

And yes, a crankhang is just on, hang, and then off, while a full
crankgrab is on, hang, up to rubber. I find that it's really hard to
pedalhang, although i can go to rubber from pedal. It's just soo wierd.


--
gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

Don't you think it's a cruel irony that acting like a G.I. Joe in the
army can get you a Medal, while playing with one can get you thrown out?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
gerblefranklin's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4295
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
gerblefranklin wrote:
> *
> And yes, a crankhang is just on, hang, and then off, while a full
> crankgrab is on, hang, up to rubber. I find that it's really hard to
> pedalhang, although i can go to rubber from pedal. It's just soo
> wierd. *

I'm thinking I'll start on the ledge on the crank. Then I'll hop off. As
I practice this, I'll try adding height to my hop off. When I'm sure I
can get the height needed for ascent to rubber, I'll try going the other
way for a hop up.

Meanwhile, I'll be working on my ascent to the crank on ledge.

I rode my Niner around town yesterday and all I could focus on was
ledges and benches and walls. [On the Summit] I can hop up about 12
inches. The Summit's pedal at the 12 oclock position is at least 12" up.
If I could grab a pedal at the top, and swing up, I'm thinking 18" - 24"
walls are doable...


--
Memphis Mud - Student of GrandMaster 2T

Mantra: Avoid Hitting Tailbone...Avoid Hitting Tailbone...

"do not think, just ride"...muniracer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memphis Mud's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1987
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
I can get the crankhang 75% percent of the time. I'm just having trouble
making it to rubber. It just feels so awkward. Is there a trick. Last
night in bed I thought about the idea of more driving up then hopping up
but haven't got a chance to try it and don't if it works. All help is
appreciated.

David


--
darchibald - Unofficial level 3.8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
darchibald's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6240
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
I, too have been having trouble learning the pedalgrab. I can go to
rubber from crank about 99% of the time on a 24 with fireball (so bigger
than a trials uni) but I can't seem to go up from my pedal. I haven't
been trying very long or hard, though. Any tips on the technique?

I am youngish, at 17. But I am also largi and fattish at 6'1'' 225.


--
TheObieOne3226 - Extreme Halfb*ker

Yeah. Shut up kid!

-The Thnikkaman
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TheObieOne3226's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4851
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
As for pedalgrabs, I could crankgrab for over three months before I
could do pedal. Now I can do both. Being able to do pedal has liberated
my riding. I can now get to rubber on poles, and I'm working on going
over straight 1" round handrails. I can already get over the thin edge
of a 2x4 and a chain link fence. I couldn't do that if I needed to use
the crank.

As for pedal, I practiced for ever, and it just wasn't happening. Then,
on a trials ride I was sitting on a massive concrete ledge about 16"
high that just went on forever in all directions. I looked at it, and
thought, "oh, what the heck, I'll try a pedalgrab. It's not like I'll
hurt myself." I got it on my second try. I think the trick was to be on
a ride where I was "feeling good" and be on an obstacle with almost 0
chance of injury. Now I'm pretty consistent. Funny, I'm more oconsistent
on hard stuff like fences and poles than ledges, because I get
careless...

As for going up and off the obstacle for crankgrabs, conceptually it's a
good strategy, but that's where it ends. The motion is *completely*
different going on than off. Just go for the full up, don't bother
practicing going off. You'll be fine. gotta go, I'll try to clarify
later.


--
gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

Don't you think it's a cruel irony that acting like a G.I. Joe in the
army can get you a Medal, while playing with one can get you thrown out?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
gerblefranklin's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4295
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
When I was trying to figure it out, I was always trying to go to rubber
with the seat in. Then I tried it with the seat out and got it first
try. There's definitely more technique to it that just jumping with the
seat out, but I would probably have a hard time trying to explain it.
Ryan Atkins is far more qualified to explain that sort of thing than I
am. Now that I think about it, there was a thread a little while back
explaining the technique to it. If i find it I'll link to it.


--
toddw9 - Doh!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
toddw9's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4466
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
maybe it'd help u oldies if u could find somewhere where u can jump from
both ur pedals. I have a gutter outside my house that's missing one of
its rails so u can drop the tyre down the gap and land on both pedals
and then jump back out again.

I dunno how you'd go about breaking your very own gutter so if you just
setup a couple of boxes or something close enough to each other so the
tyre can fit between them then you'd be able to get the feel for jumping
off pedals/cranks.

Pete


--
pete66 - Level 4 Unicyclist
------------------------------------------------------------------------
pete66's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4812
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
toddw9 wrote:
> *http://tinyurl.com/yruml *

I had seen this thread. It will be applicable to me after I get past the
initial stage. I'm struggling with crank/pedal grabs 101. That thread is
Sophomore or Junior level.

Pete66, your idea is great. That is a fantastic intermediate step! Just
what I was looking for.:D


--
Memphis Mud - Student of GrandMaster 2T

Mantra: Avoid Hitting Tailbone...Avoid Hitting Tailbone...

"do not think, just ride"...muniracer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Memphis Mud's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1987
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
i'm a 185lb 37 year old who is also not invincible. the crank grab just
clicked one day, but i have big time trouble on the pedal grab. the fear
factor is fine, the getting to pedal is fine but i feel off balance and
i can't even figure out jumping from that position for now. tips?

the crank grab for me feels like a seat out jump when i go to rubber. so
maybe it can be thought of that way because the position is stable
(somewhat). hope it helps!

john


--
unigeee - Hmmmmm!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
unigeee's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5397
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
toddw9 wrote:
> *When I was trying to figure it out, I was always trying to go to
> rubber with the seat in. Then I tried it with the seat out and got it
> first try. There's definitely more technique to it that just jumping
> with the seat out, but I would probably have a hard time trying to
> explain it. Ryan Atkins is far more qualified to explain that sort of
> thing than I am. Now that I think about it, there was a thread a
> little while back explaining the technique to it. If i find it I'll
> link to it. *


Is it possible to do it with the seat in? I am not used to jumping with
the seat out.


--
siafirede
------------------------------------------------------------------------
siafirede's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6057
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
I learned to crankgrab seat in. It's easier in the beginning, but
eventualy you want to be able to do it seat out, as it's more versatile.


--
gerblefranklin - Trials Unicyclist

Don't you think it's a cruel irony that acting like a G.I. Joe in the
army can get you a Medal, while playing with one can get you thrown out?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
gerblefranklin's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4295
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32011
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom Back