You, Andrew, are willing to learn the new skills necessary to pause successfully while riding. Those who are not willing to learn will keep insisting that continued motion is the only way.

that was a cool letter!

I belive the maneuver to which you refer is a track stand. Motionless and minute adjustments probably aren't the ticket to getting it down. First, get a track bike (track stand - track bike... what could be more natural & brakes are for the faint of heart anyway:-). Then, pedal forward then backwards (like a unicycle) keeping you and the bike in pretty much the same place. After you've gotten the feel for that - find a road with a strong crown and use the elevation gain from edge to center to substitute for pedaling backwards to allow you the same back and forth 'sawing' with a freewheeling bike. After a while the sawing will become more and more subtle. And once you get to the point that you can do it on a freewheel, get some really wide tires (like 2" or 2&1/2") - it will feel like a wide platform after the track bike's sew-ups and you will be tempted to hop, just don't try to clip out then hop. Actually, you'll fare better during the whole endeavor if you stay clipped in, always... at least until after you tip over (get some elbow pads if you're like old or something).

The bicycle metaphor is beautiful, autos are regulation and tariffs from the word go (without autos we wouldn't need speed limits or liability requirements). Autos are the plodding, doltish spawn of big business and big government while bicycles are glorious and gossamer, can be built by a sole proprietor with readily available, interchangable parts from geographicly disperse manufacturers. While autos enslave their owners to routine maintenance, license, annual inspection, registration and consume their identity, bicycles are the perfect example of utilitarian freedom.

as in keep "peddling" free trade claptrap, so that no one is the wiser. I am one of them deft cyclists who can balance themselves for minutes, so another cycling metaphor comes to mind -- the faster you pedal the harder you fall...and everyone takes a spill eventually.

Sorry, but that hit a raw nerve.