how many seasons and/or miles til experienced?

[CyclChyk]

TYGAB- you are not alone. I too ride like you. Brake on down hills, easiest gear up hills; focus on staying upright........... I'm turning into one giant bruise (not to mention the road rashes)......

Boy oh boy do I feel dumb. Pick up a water bottle while riding?? And the bottle be on the ground?? And I'm guessing you guys mean to do it and not fall over and go BOOM??? Yeh ok, I can tell you that's something I'll NEVER do.

I have my work cut out for me. And VELO, if you are ever in GA please let me know because I really need help. Steer the bike with my hips?? Wow I'm way more of a novice than I realized. The fear/timid thing; thats me. The non-athletic life history; me too. Geez..... you guys are really depressing me.

[Kano]

I have my work cut out for me. And VELO, if you are ever in GA please let me know because I really need help. Steer the bike with my hips?? Wow I'm way more of a novice than I realized. The fear/timid thing; thats me. The non-athletic life history; me too. Geez..... you guys are really depressing me.

Don't feel depressed, CyclChyk! I don't plan to ever play with that water bottle trick either. But, steering with your hips -- you're probably doing that unconsciously, like I discovered when I paid attention after reading that earlier today! Then I tried deliberately doing it -- all it takes is a shift of weight, lean your butt a bit left or right, and wow, the bike follows! It's remarkably easy to do, hard to think about doing.

Now, I may not be doing what Velo teaches exactly, but I was sort of exxagerating to myself to get the sense of it, you know? I'd probably never REALLY do the silly feeling stuff I was doing today where there was no one to see!

Karen in Boise

[cherinyc]

But, steering with your hips -- you're probably doing that unconsciously, like I discovered when I paid attention after reading that earlier today!
Karen in Boise

ummmm unconsciously?
I surely hope not - that could be REALLY dangerous. Of course if you are unconscious, I hope that something is steering you (the hips will do).

[kelownagirl]

Boy oh boy do I feel dumb. Pick up a water bottle while riding?? And the bottle be on the ground?? And I'm guessing you guys mean to do it and not fall over and go BOOM??? Yeh ok, I can tell you that's something I'll NEVER do.
(

I'm still working on getting my water bottle out of the holder, drinking, and putting it back while riding. And all that without getting my heart rate up so high, I need to take a break...

[CyclChyk]

I'm still working on getting my water bottle out of the holder, drinking, and putting it back while riding.

I can do this now!!! But only if I am going real slow, on a straight stretch, and ONLY with my left hand. Even tho I am right handed I feel very wobbly trying to go for the bottle with my right hand.

I have so much to learn.

[aicabsolut]

This is an aside, but I want to share:

I was driving home the other day during rush hour and I get to this intersection where a bike is in the left lane (going to turn left), waiting for the light to change. It's a little bit uphill there, and this guy is clipped in, at one of the busiest intersections around, standing up, COMPLETELY STILL, just chilling. Bike wheel turned a little left, butt sticking up in the air, no wobbles, no rocking the wheel around, no slow crawl forward. Completely still. Light changes, off he goes. I hate him....only because I want to be him.

[CyclChyk]

I can't begin to phathom that kind of balance....... only in my dreams.

[Brandy]

This is an aside, but I want to share:

I was driving home the other day during rush hour and I get to this intersection where a bike is in the left lane (going to turn left), waiting for the light to change. It's a little bit uphill there, and this guy is clipped in, at one of the busiest intersections around, standing up, COMPLETELY STILL, just chilling. Bike wheel turned a little left, butt sticking up in the air, no wobbles, no rocking the wheel around, no slow crawl forward. Completely still. Light changes, off he goes. I hate him....only because I want to be him.

I want to master track stands...only because I'm so lazy that it would save me from unclipping.

[RoadRaven]

Pssst...



SK and AG... you guys crack me up!!!

[Veronica]

I've been thinking about this thread for awhile.

These are changes I've noticed in my riding over the years.

Snot Rockets - at first I would stop every 10 minutes and blow my nose with a tissue. That got old, so with Thom's encouragement I started doing snot rockets. At first, I'd get it all over me, and I'd have to coast to do it. Then I mastered the technique, but still needed to coast. Now, I can maintain whatever speed I'm at and generally it goes where it is supposed to.

Water Bottle Reach - at first I would need to coast and look at the bottle. Then it became coast and grab the bottle w/o looking. Now it is keep pedaling and grab the bottle.

Descents - the first time I took a corner faster than I wanted to on a descent was eye opening. Nothing bad happened! And I just sort of took off from there. I'm cautious on roads I don't know. But I don't ride the brakes. And I can't really explain what I do. I know I look through the corner as far as I can. I use most of the lane if I am doing the speed limit (or exceeding it!) Almost passed another motorcycle today. I try to NEVER go out of my lane on a descent. The motorcycle did. I'm not perfect and it happens sometimes. I learn from the mistakes. I haven't crashed yet.

Brake Quick Release - The first time this didn't get closed, I stopped and had to think about what could be wrong. Today when I realized it was open, I reached forward as I was riding and closed it. I just knew that was why I had no front brake.

Tool Usage - I am often by myself in the middle of nowhere. I never considered myself especially mechanically inclined. The day I broke my front derailleur, Thom was home and could come pick me up. But before he got to me, I had almost completely removed the broken derailleur. Why? because if he hadn't been home, I'd have been stuck ten miles from home with the choice of walk or find a fix.

I know I tend to reflect on my rides, both on what was good and what was not so good. I didn't get here by reading a book or someone telling me what to do in various situations. Every mile I ride adds to my wisdom.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I can do this now!!! But only if I am going real slow, on a straight stretch, and ONLY with my left hand. Even tho I am right handed I feel very wobbly trying to go for the bottle with my right hand.

I have so much to learn.

You're supposed to do it while riding backwards.

[CyclChyk]

Oh lisalisa - what are you trying to do to me girl??

I like your advice of "just do it!" MUCH better!

Oh and are SNOT ROCKETS what I think they are ???? My god it would be all over my face!