Comments on: To-Do List

By: fletcher_the_dog

fletcher_the_dog — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:09:45 +0000

I am shocked about the stair thing, has this changed? I have seen pictures of you doing far harder things. If you have suspension or probably even with the 29 inch wheels it is just like riding down a steep hill. Just don’t freak out in the middle and slam on your brakes.

By: Al Maviva

Al Maviva — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:38:00 +0000

I ride stairs all the time. Sometimes even intentionally. Down is easy. Just keep your weight back. I can’t stress that enough. Firm grip, loose arms.

You want a challenge? Ride up some stairs without pinch flatting. That’s a bit trickier.

Don’t worry about cadence too much. A lot of the best riders (i.e. pros) are wicked pedal mashers. They’ve studied this recently and while PowerCranks and similar devices may be the route to a smoother pedal stroke, they aren’t the route to a UCI ProTour job.

By: Pammap

Pammap — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:14:06 +0000

Around the time you first wrote this entry, we did the Bike Across Kansas which is just under 500 miles in 8 days. A guy did the whole thing on a unicycle as a fund raiser; people were sponsoring him with money per miles. It was impressive.

While Kansas is not hilly, there are “inclines” that go on for miles and the wind is relentless. There is no aero tuck on a unicycle so this guy bore the brunt of the wind full-chest for almost 500 miles. There were a couple of days you had to pedal to get down the hill because of the wind. Like I said, it was impressive.

By: buckythedonkey

buckythedonkey — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:49:14 +0000

Unicycle: go off-road and get a Muni (http://www.unicycle.uk.com/muni.asp). Some nutters have ridden the South Downs Way on them (http://www.vimes.u-net.com/sdw.html).

Stairs: easier than much of the trail riding any of us have been doing. I mean, they’re uniform and it’s not as if you’re going to encounter a wet root halfway. Hey, you could practice at home using the stairlift to take you back up. That’d be just like being in Whistler! :-)

Wheelie drop: the manoeuver to which you refer is called a Manual. It’s a pretty easy move to pull off but, because failure is not an option (zero-lift Manual + big drop-off = almost certain injury), you need to practice, practice, practice. Luckily, you can practice manuals on any flat-ish surface, so you can hone your skills all the way to work (although what Becky would make of that is anyone’s guess).

Fatty, this month’s issue of a UK mag called “What Mountain Bike” has instructions (with pictures) on how master the Manual. If you want it, email me and I’ll post it to you.

By: Dutch Girlie On a Bike

Dutch Girlie On a Bike — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:18:14 +0000

I can’t ride no-handed. Scared to death to try it. I am doomed to always come in second place in a bike race cuz I wouldn’t be able to triumphantly ride over the finish line with my fists up in the air in after a win. Uhh yeah like I’d ever enter a bike race. Uhh yeah like I’d ever even take 2nd!!! 2nd to last maybe.

By: axel

axel — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:01:14 +0000

I do the unicycle thing – I ride forward and I can walk the dog while riding. It doesn’t help with the trackstand, it just makes your list longer – do a trackstand and learn to stand still on a unicycle.

Stairs – just do them, they are easy. Start with 3 or 4 steps, then 5 or 6, then 10, then you can do 20 or 100 or however many there are in the empire state building.

3, 4, 8, 9 are on my list, too.
Lance let me down and did not build a velodrome in town for his hour record attempt.
But we do have a nice 24 hour race near by, there is really no excuse. Well, maybe there is, riding 24 hours is painful plus it is the same loop over and over again.
Working on the wheelie drop, I just do not like to crash so progress is slow.
I have worked hard on riding a wheelie – these full suspension bikes make it hard (I think). A new bike may just fix that problem, right?

By: cyclingphun.blogspot.com

cyclingphun.blogspot.com — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:01:58 +0000

I don’t know about the modern “BMX courses”, but dirt track on BMX is sweet as heck! As far as wheelies and stairs, done both (again) on BMX years ago, and it’s arguably one reason I’m anxious to get a MTB. The rest I personally don’t care one way or the other, though Velodrome would be cool, but I could see where you would be up for it. Just my two cents.

By: cyclostu

cyclostu — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:33:35 +0000

I think that I’m going to have to agree with you Big Mike. Of all the things on the list, the track racing does have the most appeal. Kind of exotic sounding to those of us who just ride road and/or ATB. Not to mention you could knock out the track stand too. I think if you could hit a good sprint on a short race you could even argue that it was close enough to a BMX race with the banked turns and all. So that’s 3 things off the list right?

By: Big Mike In Oz

Big Mike In Oz — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:30:04 +0000

My boys (9 & 13y.o.) came and watched me at the velodrome a few weeks ago and started asking about getting real bikes (their BMXs & MTBs are commuter use only). 8 days ago they each got a road bike (I managed to build 2 complete road bikes from “spares” in my shed while only forking over $300 for a second hand junior frame and a couple of chains and cassettes). Yesterday at the weekly club race my 9 year old received the most improved award, not for his race result because it was only his first race. He got it for track standing for 4 minutes at the prerace riders briefing.

If track standing is still on your list I think you should take your next holiday to Australia so my 9 year old can teach you how.

By: emily

emily — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 23:26:42 +0000

The flight of stairs thing seems somewhat shocking. If I am on fat tires I ride down stairs all the time just out of laziness– who wants to get off the bike just to avoid that tiny possibility of a tooth-sacrificing public endo?