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View Full Version : tips for doing flat wall hooks!


netto
04-05-2007, 04:19 PM
ive been practicing this move for a while, and seem to be able to do it consistently now. i thought i'd take the time to share with you guys the things i pay attention to when i do this move. Please take note that this is what works for me, and may not work for everyone.


FINDING THE RIGHT OBSTACLE :
when you are first doing the move, make sure you have a nice smooth run up to the wall. Also make sure that the wall is high enough for you to do a hook. If the wall is too low, you will not get enough upwards momentum to complete the move.

generally, i look for something that is over my shoulder height. Shoulder height seems to be the lowest i can hook. i am about 5'6" (168cm) tall.




THE APPROACH :
you want to approach the wall at a slight angle where your forward foot would be angled away from the wall. Eventually, as you get better at the move, you can attempt it straight on.

make sure you do not approach it at too sharp of an angle, as your rear tire will slide along the wall when you hit it. try something like a 80degree angle from the wall.

you want to be going towards the wall as fast as you can, but still be able to do a controlled pedal up. if you are going too fast, you may not be able to perform the pedal up at the right time, and may end up hurting yourself and your bike.




THE PEDAL UP:
you want to start the pedal up as late as you possibly can. you do not want to shift your weigh too far back or too far forward. It simply feels like you are not following through with the move.

the biggest thing to take note of is to NOT over-do the move. you only want your front wheel to barely clear the top of the wall. make sure your bars are straight, and that you ratchet your pedal back slightly before you hit the wall.





MAKING CONTACT WITH THE WALL :
you want to try to have both tires hit the wall at the same time. right before you hit the wall, you want to stiffen up. if you are too relaxed when you hit the wall, you will just move closer to the bike, and the momentum will be lost.

the instant you hit the wall, you want to push the back wheel into the side of the wall with your legs. this should give you enough of a bounce that your rear tire starts leaving the wall, and you start to pivot on your front wheel.

once your rear wheel leaves the wall, you must throw your weight over the bars as fast as you can, while keeping the front brake locked. you will then need to release the front brake, and throw the bike forward (feels like doing a "hoo-ha"?).

The trick to this part of the move is getting your weight shifter over the bars as fast as you can. the timing of when you release your front brake is also very important. if you keep it locked for too long, you will not be able to push the bike forward anymore. If you do not keep it locked long enough, your rear tire may not make it high enough before you switch.




try to think about the pedal up and the hook as one move, rather than 2. because there is such a short time frame to complete the move, your weight should always be shifting. try not to have any pauses between each part of the move.

if anyone has anything else to add, feel free.

darkside
04-05-2007, 04:32 PM
I really need to learn this move. Maybe I'll work on it on tonights ride, but there's only one wall at the park that's a decent height and it's a bit crowded by a tree...

Glad to see this post though. There aren't really enough riders on here that can do the move with enough understanding to explain it to others.

RomanC
04-05-2007, 04:33 PM
a pretty good write up. I've tried it a few times but w/o much success. I think I was going too slow to pull it off. Do you lock your rear brake or keep it open most of the time?

netto
04-05-2007, 04:35 PM
i used to do it without the rear brake. that resulted in my gu fork exploding.

i do it with the rear brake locked now.

mekanic305
04-05-2007, 04:35 PM
Awesome!... thanks for this.

How did you learn? Just try and keep practicing? I've tried it many times but it feels so awkward and wrong and like I'm not even getting close that I can't motivate myself to keep trying. Also, Do you think being really good at pedal ups and side hops helps?

netto
04-05-2007, 04:41 PM
i dont see how being able to sidehop would help, but being able to pedal up is definately something you need.

va_tick
04-05-2007, 04:53 PM
awsome post! thnks!

eastside
04-05-2007, 05:14 PM
Nice write up! I can hook a 89-88 degree wall all day. As soon as it hit a 90 degree angle I am stuck. Oh well, I guess I need to just huck myself at 90* walls more

jackflash
04-05-2007, 06:58 PM
i made a few hooks of about 52-53" last year, never any consistency. i dont grab my back brake at all, i find it bounces you up a little more this way. i ride an oldschool knifen (about 4 pounds), so i dont really have to worry about that breaking

Ross W.
04-05-2007, 10:26 PM
Nice write up! I can hook a 89-88 degree wall all day. As soon as it hit a 90 degree angle I am stuck. Oh well, I guess I need to just huck myself at 90* walls more

werd. I feel pretty confident until the wall becomes vertical, then...

I find rocks are much easier to learn on, maybe everyone knows this. I'd say start on rocks and pallets, then move up to walls and such.

Thanks for the write up Kevin. You're one of the few on here that can actually do this and its good to have something to go on.

Acolyte
04-05-2007, 11:53 PM
I always wondered about the front brake. When it's not close to vertical, I could sometimes huck the bike straight up after hooking it, like a wheelswap, but when it gets near vertical, I always got stuck.

I suck at hooks anyway, this will make for good practice.

ThatHonkey
04-06-2007, 02:28 AM
quite the ballz write up i must say
now time to practice :bigthumb:

mezofein
04-06-2007, 03:37 AM
great text! But do you all hit the wall both tires at the same time? I haven`t watch myself on video, but it seems to me that I hit rear wheel first (but it`s really a very short time)... :dunno: or maybe not...

jamesb
04-06-2007, 08:34 AM
Hitting the rear wheel first really helps to get yourself rotating forwards. I do it all the time now but as you said it is only a really short time before the front hits. For me, no back brake.

hopsalot
04-06-2007, 03:06 PM
Any problems hitting you front foot on the wall, when I really try commiting to a vertical hook it seems my big toe hits first. This hurts, alot.

KMT
04-07-2007, 03:58 AM
Use your rear brake... or buy decent forks :(

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8186/hifivilla001yo6.th.jpg (http://img224.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hifivilla001yo6.jpg)

chronic
04-07-2007, 04:12 AM
Use your rear brake... or buy decent forks :(

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8186/hifivilla001yo6.th.jpg (http://img224.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hifivilla001yo6.jpg)
Shitty man...


Thanks for the write up netto. I read it, although I dont think I quite understand, at the same time I can visualize it. I need to just practise.

madbiker66
04-07-2007, 03:14 PM
I can't do hooks for shit, but when i try without a rear brake, i sometimes find the front wheel turns to the side of least resistance. Its pretty shitty. I have the problem of speed and vertical walls. Theres a wall with a small lipi can 'rest' my rear wheel on, andi can hok that all day long

mezofein
04-08-2007, 09:17 AM
I can't do hooks for shit, but when i try without a rear brake, i sometimes find the front wheel turns to the side of least resistance. Its pretty shitty. I have the problem of speed and vertical walls. Theres a wall with a small lipi can 'rest' my rear wheel on, andi can hok that all day long

I also have problems with speed. I am running 18-15 gear ratio and it still seems that there is not enough speed:( My record is 159cm, but that seems to be the absolute maximum! Any suggestions?