Quote Originally Posted by tzvia View Post
..... I am thinking the rear tire is spinning in jerking motions, not smoothly as you claw your way up. With a slight lean during such torque-down on the pedal in really loosely packed dust while turning, the rear tire could just kick out.

I've been trying to keep my rear end weighing down the back, while I lower myself from the waist 'tits to the tube' I think is the term. Raising and lowering my torso as needed for the incline is all I do to keep the weight centered between both wheels. Now if only I could muster a nice smooth spin, pulling up and pushing down fluidly instead of looking like a fish on a boat deck...
Hopefully I've the tire problem settled, though I will need to decide what to do with the front tire when the leaves start falling.

I've been thinking about Tzvia's comment here about the torque on my pedals. I do not clip in on the mountain bike, it isn't even an option right now, time will tell if it ever is. I do have great BMX pedals...I wonder if the lack of any attachment is causing me to do this when I start cranking my way up a longer climb.

Limekiln, my usual trail this summer, DOES have hills but they are shorter...basically part of it is a pump track and that is how some treat it - very fast and flowy. Once you get enough momentum going there isn't an problem getting up the inclines on the trail. The hill I was trying to climb when I fell Saturday is longer than what I am accustomed to on the mtb bike, and since I am unattached to the bike I may well have done this. I hadn't thought of that before. It wasn't THAT big of a climb, but longer than what I am accustomed to.

I will start saving for a new pair of shoes, probably Teva or Vans. I've understand the use of grippy shoes with pinned pedals to be an intermediate step between using hiking shoes and clipping in. This should help me make circles when the going gets rough.

"Boobs to the Tube", I will try to remember this This was the mantra we received from our clinic instructor this summer...