Practicing Technique

Okay, this is such a remedial question.

But my dismounts are still shaky enough to be dangerous if I have to stop fast (another reason why I'm scared of speeding up too much).

I realize in retrospect that both crashes I've had (into the CURB, ladies) are because I didn't know how to judge the U-turns I was making. (Once I was going too slow and in such a low gear I had no control of the bike; the other was unexpected and I didn't turn as sharply as I expected and was going too fast.)

I'm like somebody who was turned loose with a car and is fine on straight streets and has gotten okay on turning corners, but still has a lot to learn.

I am going to spend some time at the school parking lot. Off hand all I can think of to do are some figure 8s in both directions, and practice stopping and starting.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks much!

maybe this site will help
http://sheldonbrown.com/beginners/index.html

The best thing you can do, really, is ride. The more you're on the bike, the more skill and comfort you'll develop. As the cliche goes, practice makes perfect.

I agree with im4smiley, too, that education can help to speed up the process. Sheldon Brown's site is a great spot to get tips that you can put into use in your practice, as are mags like Bicycling or various books on riding technique. Knowledge + practice = comfort = more fun!

Thanks -- I've been following Sheldon Brown's site. It's where I got the info on how to start/stop, mount/dismount that has helped me the most.

I do think I need to practice on the parking lot, though. Today we rode 6.5 miles taking a different route and it was really pleasant early -- in the low 80s and we were home by 7:00 a.m. I did make sure I stopped and started (the few times I had to) on level street w/o propping my foot on the curb, just to establish better habits and so I won't feel at a disadvantage w/o the curb. These are tall bikes!

Pooks, I think practicing in a parking lot is a great idea. Mtbikers do skills training drills all the time while roadies neglect it. Your list of drills is good.

Slow race a friend with your feet unclipped. Last one across the line wins. You'll learn great low speed balance and can eventually learn a trackstand. This means you can slow way down when approaching something (like a traffic light or foot traffic) and learn to balance for just a split second while you determine whether to stop or turn or just delay your progress.

Also, learn the high speed emergency stopping technique. Maybe someone will have a link to better directions but, essentially, platform your pedals (at 9 and 3), straighten your arms and throw your butt off the back of the bike and apply both brakes hard. DO NOT TURN IN THIS MANUEVER. You ever watch a sprint "throw" his bike at the line for the win, butt back and stretched way out low over the bike? It is the same manuever but you are adding the braking. Throwing your butt back means you won't go over the bars in the rapid deceleration. This skill can save you from slamming into something like a suddenly opened car door or a child running into your path. It is one of the most important skills for a cyclist to have because it can save your life - the ability to go from fast to stopped in a split second. Having the slow speed skill will help you with stopping and not falling over with this fast manuever.

If you have a nice dirt lot or grassy area - even better practice area.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

Also, learn the high speed emergency stopping technique. Maybe someone will have a link to better directions but, essentially, platform your pedals (at 9 and 3), straighten your arms and throw your butt off the back of the bike and apply both brakes hard. DO NOT TURN IN THIS MANUEVER. You ever watch a sprint "throw" his bike at the line for the win, butt back and stretched way out low over the bike? It is the same manuever but you are adding the braking. Throwing your butt back means you won't go over the bars in the rapid deceleration. This skill can save you from slamming into something like a suddenly opened car door or a child running into your path. It is one of the most important skills for a cyclist to have because it can save your life - the ability to go from fast to stopped in a split second. Having the slow speed skill will help you with stopping and not falling over with this fast manuever.

If you have a nice dirt lot or grassy area - even better practice area.

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That's really great advice, SadieKate. Thanks for that post, it really helped me. As I've begun to ride in busier areas knowing how to stop short is something I've got to learn.

Emily

SadieKate,

Ditto the thanks for that post. If I had known that in April, it might have saved me from some broken ribs, or knowing me, not. :p

Thanks Sadie Kate -- I'm actually doing well with the trackstand -- as long as that doesn't mean balancing that way for extended periods. I slow WAY down and do pretty well at holding it until I finally do stop and have to dismount (unless of course the reason for the slow-down disappeared and I got to speed up and go on).

The high-speed stopping maneuver -- "Throw your butt off the back of the bike" -- you mean actually dismount? Or stand/raise up off the saddle but stay on the bike? (Hmm, my cute basket on bike is going to make it more difficult to do that, time to reconsider that set up.)

P.S. We don't have clips or cages -- just regular tennis shoes on pedals. I can't imagine how much trouble I'd be having if I was hooked onto the pedal in some way!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pooks

The high-speed stopping maneuver -- "Throw your butt off the back of the bike" -- you mean actually dismount? Or stand/raise up off the saddle but stay on the bike? (Hmm, my cute basket on bike is going to make it more difficult to do that, time to reconsider that set up.)

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No dismounting. Just learning to go from cruising speed to a trackstand in an emergency.

Watch the very end of this video. The sprinters are "throwing" their bikes across the line. Watch their body position. The emergency stop looks just like this but you come to a full stop and may or may not clip out. I know it seems contradictory but the manuever is much the same as an emergency stop. These guys are only accelerating until that split second when they throw their bikes. Because they are not braking their bikes get pushed in front of their bodies which are also continuing to travel forward. Because you are bringing the bike to a sudden halt, you must also stop the forward momentum of your body by making sure it stays behind the saddle.

http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/tou...vid27951.shtml

The video shows the manuever both from the front of the pack and from overhead.

Thanks -- this has all been SO helpful!

Being new to biking, I have learned a lot from this thread and now have many resources to read up on and skills to practice. Thanks to everyone on this board for the great advice, suggestions, and links.

Instead of only doing figure 8's in the parking lot, try doing a small circle about 3 times around in the same direction, then alternate. It's a slightyly different skill than a figure 8. Then do some slolum type zig-zags as well. And of course keep practicing mounting and starting, and stopping and dismounting. Way better to do all this in an empty parking lot and get your wobbly-ness over with there where you're safe.
Lisa

Thanks, Lisa. When I crashed and got all bruised up, it was because I'd been riding straight lines, turning corners, but not much else. When I decided to do a U-turn in the middle of a street that was plenty wide enough but I didn't have the experience to turn well enough to make it -- saw the curb coming -- tried to brake -- slowed down but still hit the curb and fell over.

So yes, circles and figure 8s are definitely on the agenda.

I've definitely gotten better at stopping, though.

And a guy at REI who was adjusting my handlebars told me to use my right brake to stop instead of both of them, but I've also read to use both. What gives there?

Great ideas everyone - always new tips to pick up

Hey Pooks I can relate to the U turn - hit the sidewalk trick. I did the EXACT same thing. The BF was along and we hadn't been dating for long:o

I have fallen a couple of times around him and when I decided to go clipless his only comment was "Are you sure that's a good idea? you fall"

Well I went clipless and have only fallen once and even then it wasn't so bad :)

A drill I like is to weave in and out of something like you are a slalom skier, put sidewalk chalk circles in the parking lot in varying patterns

another idea is to draw a line (or use a parking spot line) and ride up to it at varying speeds and try to stop exactly at the line.

if I am coming to an iffy situation (no matter what type of pedal) I stand on one foot, get off the seat, hang my other foot so it is ready to come down in an instant if I make it through whatever, (gate, gravel, sharp turn, stop light) I can just hop back on the seat and start pedaling again. Sometimes I have slowed enough I have to put my foot down and push off again, but I feel better safe than sorry