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Date: 31 May 2007 15:03:44
From: Lou D'Amelio
Subject: TT Start Help for Klutz
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Here's something to divert you guys away from the endless doping
scandals. I need a little advice about time trial start technique -
specifically balancing the bike while clipped in with both feet and
being held. More often than not, I wobble, clip out my left
(nondominant) foot, and then skulk off with an embarrassing start and
ten seconds (and ten places) down the tubes. I've never had
particularly good balance. Are there any tricks ? From what I've
ascertained with the help of my wife patiently helping me, I do better
with the back brake applied, looking ahead and not at my feet, and
standing slightly. Am I on the right track and are there any other
tricks ?
Thanks in advance for your replies.........
Not a dumbass but definitely a klutz................Lou D'Amelio
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Date: 01 Jun 2007 10:22:11
From: Simon Brooke
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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in message <1180649024.279761.124060@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com >, Lou
D'Amelio ('ldamelio@patmedia.net') wrote:
> Here's something to divert you guys away from the endless doping
> scandals. I need a little advice about time trial start technique -
> specifically balancing the bike while clipped in with both feet and
> being held. More often than not, I wobble, clip out my left
> (nondominant) foot, and then skulk off with an embarrassing start and
> ten seconds (and ten places) down the tubes. I've never had
> particularly good balance.
I used to have good balance but that's years ago. I recently discovered to
my extreme embarrassment that I can no longer trackstand at all - not even
for a second. As a young man I used routinely to track stand at traffic
lights, because it saved the hassle of releasing the strap, and tightening
it again afterwards...
> Are there any tricks ?
Firstly, if you really can't do it, you may start faster if you keep one
foot on the ground until the starter says 'go'. It's better to be prepared
than to wobble off, as you say. Secondly, if your club has a regular
holder - my club has a man who was a very strong cyclist but has arthritis
in his knees, so now regularly does the holds - practice with him.
Holder-uppers who give you a little push - intending to help you - can
actually cause worse wobbles. Ask them not to (but quietly, because they
shouldn't anyway and may be offended at the suggestion).
It's quite important to know and trust the holder-upper - the fear that
makes you wobble is the fear that he won't be able to hold you up, and
that you'll fall. But also, you need to know how very little strength it
actually takes to hold someone up, so perhaps you should volunteer for
holder-up duty at a time trial. It really isn't nearly as hard as you'd
think.
Finally, don't place yourself too close to the curb for your start. If
you're not perfectly upright when the starter says go, you will need to
steer a bit immediately to correct this, and you need some room to steer
into.
> From what I've
> ascertained with the help of my wife patiently helping me, I do better
> with the back brake applied, looking ahead and not at my feet, and
> standing slightly. Am I on the right track and are there any other
> tricks ?
I use the front brake, holding it on quite firmly until the starter says
go. I already have quite a lot of weight on the lead pedal, but I stay in
the saddle until after 'go'. Mind you, I am not at all fast - this week
all the under-fifteen year olds in the club did 30s and I did a 36.
--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Good grief, I can remember when England won the Ashes.
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Date: 01 Jun 2007 02:58:33
From: Lou D'Amelio
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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Thanks for the tips. Vis a vis the slow riding, clipping out at the
last moment, etc., I'm OK with anything in motion. I have a problem
with static (still) balance as opposed to dynamic. I'm actually a
decent bike handler (once in motion) and 'crosser. Just need a quick
clarification on Tom K's reply - when being held for the ten seconds
or so, do you spin the pedals around and bring them into starting
position at 2-3 seconds or do you just hold them with dominant foot
forward/up the whole time ?
Thanks to all.
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Date: 02 Jun 2007 01:50:34
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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In article <1180691913.479148.208580@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com >,
Lou D'Amelio <ldamelio@patmedia.net > wrote:
> Thanks for the tips. Vis a vis the slow riding, clipping out at the
> last moment, etc., I'm OK with anything in motion. I have a problem
> with static (still) balance as opposed to dynamic. I'm actually a
> decent bike handler (once in motion) and 'crosser. Just need a quick
> clarification on Tom K's reply - when being held for the ten seconds
> or so, do you spin the pedals around and bring them into starting
> position at 2-3 seconds or do you just hold them with dominant foot
> forward/up the whole time ?
Hm. With a decent holder, it just shouldn't matter: you relax and let
him do the balancing.
--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
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Date: 01 Jun 2007 04:31:15
From: bjw@mambo.ucolick.org
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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On May 31, 3:03 pm, Lou D'Amelio <ldame...@patmedia.net > wrote:
> Here's something to divert you guys away from the endless doping
> scandals. I need a little advice about time trial start technique -
> specifically balancing the bike while clipped in with both feet and
> being held. More often than not, I wobble, clip out my left
> (nondominant) foot, and then skulk off with an embarrassing start and
> ten seconds (and ten places) down the tubes. I've never had
> particularly good balance. Are there any tricks ? From what I've
> ascertained with the help of my wife patiently helping me, I do better
> with the back brake applied, looking ahead and not at my feet, and
> standing slightly. Am I on the right track and are there any other
> tricks ?
> Thanks in advance for your replies.........
>
> Not a dumbass but definitely a klutz................Lou D'Amelio
I think the holder needs to hold you more firmly.
I also think it will be harder for the holder
if you stand slightly, because the seatpost
will wobble around independent of your butt.
This is a little different than trackstanding
because you don't want to keep moving and
rocking the bike. Try practicing while riding,
as you come to a stop, go slower and slower
until you're balancing the bike while hardly
moving at all. Don't clip out too early.
If you can't resist the impulse to clip out
early, practice on a bike with flat pedals,
where you don't have to put a foot down until
you're actually tipping over. For ex, flat
pedals are how I finally learned to do the
step-through on a cyclocross dismount.
Ben
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Date: 01 Jun 2007 12:03:46
From: Ewoud Dronkert
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:31:15 -0000, bjw@mambo.ucolick.org wrote:
> I think the holder needs to hold you more firmly.
Obviously. And relax.
--
E. Dronkert
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Date: 01 Jun 2007 00:24:41
From: Michael Press
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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In article
<1180649024.279761.124060@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com >
,
Lou D'Amelio <ldamelio@patmedia.net > wrote:
> Here's something to divert you guys away from the endless doping
> scandals. I need a little advice about time trial start technique -
> specifically balancing the bike while clipped in with both feet and
> being held. More often than not, I wobble, clip out my left
> (nondominant) foot, and then skulk off with an embarrassing start and
> ten seconds (and ten places) down the tubes. I've never had
> particularly good balance. Are there any tricks ? From what I've
> ascertained with the help of my wife patiently helping me, I do better
> with the back brake applied, looking ahead and not at my feet, and
> standing slightly. Am I on the right track and are there any other
> tricks ?
> Thanks in advance for your replies.........
>
> Not a dumbass but definitely a klutz
Practice riding at low speed while still riding a
straight line. Try to get your straigh line riding
under 5 km/hr. Also when riding normally see how
straight a line you can draw. You will be surprised at
how soon you improve your balance.
Somebody around here is a physician; you?
Talk to an eyeearnosethroatguy.
--
Michael Press
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Date: 31 May 2007 22:41:32
From: Tom Kunich
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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"Lou D'Amelio" <ldamelio@patmedia.net > wrote in message
news:1180649024.279761.124060@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> Here's something to divert you guys away from the endless doping
> scandals. I need a little advice about time trial start technique -
> specifically balancing the bike while clipped in with both feet and
> being held. More often than not, I wobble, clip out my left
> (nondominant) foot, and then skulk off with an embarrassing start and
> ten seconds (and ten places) down the tubes. I've never had
> particularly good balance. Are there any tricks ? From what I've
> ascertained with the help of my wife patiently helping me, I do better
> with the back brake applied, looking ahead and not at my feet, and
> standing slightly. Am I on the right track and are there any other
> tricks ?
Not a trick - you're being held upright. Don't fight the guy. Spin the
pedals around so that your starting position is with your power leg forward
and slightly up. As the count down guy says, "ONE" stand up on your power
pedal and release the brakes.
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Date: 01 Jun 2007 03:39:26
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: TT Start Help for Klutz
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In article <waI7i.12023$296.9296@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net >,
"Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com > wrote:
> "Lou D'Amelio" <ldamelio@patmedia.net> wrote in message
> news:1180649024.279761.124060@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> > Here's something to divert you guys away from the endless doping
> > scandals. I need a little advice about time trial start technique -
> > specifically balancing the bike while clipped in with both feet and
> > being held. More often than not, I wobble, clip out my left
> > (nondominant) foot, and then skulk off with an embarrassing start and
> > ten seconds (and ten places) down the tubes. I've never had
> > particularly good balance. Are there any tricks ? From what I've
> > ascertained with the help of my wife patiently helping me, I do better
> > with the back brake applied, looking ahead and not at my feet, and
> > standing slightly. Am I on the right track and are there any other
> > tricks ?
>
> Not a trick - you're being held upright. Don't fight the guy. Spin the
> pedals around so that your starting position is with your power leg forward
> and slightly up. As the count down guy says, "ONE" stand up on your power
> pedal and release the brakes.
Also, if this happens consistently, choose a lower gear so you get a
smoother start.
--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
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