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Date: 24 Oct 2007 14:46:37
From: Colin Campbell
Subject: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to ride much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got "smoked" the last 5 - 6 miles.). So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 minutes or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could do this as a kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because current road bikes have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn like I rode to school 50 years ago? How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely able to go downhill, and mostly coast.
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 19:37:30
From: joseph.santaniello@gmail.com
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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On Oct 25, 8:18 pm, jobst.bra...@stanfordalumni.org wrote: > Joseph Santaniello writes: > >>>> Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to > >>>> ride much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got > >>>> "smoked" the last 5 - 6 miles.). > >>>> So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 > >>>> minutes or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I > >>>> could do this as a kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that > >>>> because current road bikes have tighter wheelbases than an old, > >>>> old Schwinn like I rode to school 50 years ago? How do you teach > >>>> yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely able to go > >>>> downhill, and mostly coast. > >>> Certain geometry may make no hands riding easier, but certainly > >>> heavier wheels make it easier. This may help explain why the > >>> bikes you remember where easier. Saying that it scares you makes > >>> me think it is difficult for you to ride no hands because you are > >>> tense and nervous about it. Go with the flow! > >>> Steering is by moving the seat side to side with your butt. This > >>> is easier to do if you are sitting up vertical. You can ease your > >>> way into this position by perhaps just holding the bars with one > >>> hand and gradually work your way to just finger-tips, then > >>> no-hands. Especially now that it is getting cold, I see large > >>> number of kids riding MTB's no hands at pretty slow speeds on > >>> their way to school each morning. They ride no hands because they > >>> have their hands in the jacket pockets (not wise!). I guess > >>> gloves are for squares. > >> Jacket pockets or even pants pockets are far warmer than gloves. > >> The trouble with pants today is they are worn so low and are so > >> baggy that pockets are hard to reach so jacket pockets are closer > >> and accessible. > > Perhaps true, but in the context of riding a bike no hands, I'd > > prefer cold hands or gloves. > > Call me overly cautious, but I don't run up stairs with my hands in > > my pockets either! > > I ride substantial distances in winter with hands in pants pockets, > never touching the bars. Typically HWY84 from Skylonda summit > (1500ft) to the beach at HWY1 (15 miles) which easily can be ridden in > a big gear (no shifting required). > > Running with hands in pockets is a different matter, swinging arms > being an essential part of running, especially up stairs. Next, you > might suggest climbing ladders with hands in pockets. > > Jobst Brandt These kids I see ride on segregated bike paths that are dangerous due to cars that pull out of driveways and stop to wait for traffic on the road without looking for bikes that may be coming from either direction. The dimensions of the path along with shrubs makes for dangerous situations. One needs to be able to respond lightening quick at even moderate speeds. I neve use those paths. I ride in the road. My concern while running is saving myself from a stumble. At least on steps. It's been a long time since I last stumbled, but when I next do I'd rather catch myself with my hands than my face! A friend in High-School was once riding his bike home from basketball practice at night (going the wrong way on a one-way street, listening to a walkman) with his hands in his pockets. He got hit by a car, which he may have been in a position to avoid had he been able to brake and/or steer more effectively if he had had use of his hands. He wasn't injured, and he got lots of mileage out of telling us about how time slowed down in his humorous way: "So there I was, thinking to myself, 'Holy Shit! I just got hit by a car, I'm sailing through the air, and in a moment I'm going to land on the fucking ground! Bummer!" Joseph
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 16:31:02
From: datakoll
Subject: Re: I'm getting better!
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http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4JG30
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 09:13:25
From: Colin Campbell
Subject: I'm getting better!
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Colin Campbell wrote: > Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to ride > much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got "smoked" > the last 5 - 6 miles.). > > So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 minutes > or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could do this as a > kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because current road bikes > have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn like I rode to school > 50 years ago? > > How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely > able to go downhill, and mostly coast. A buddy and I thought we'd try to ride this morning, but when I got to the meeting place, the sun was a brown disc in the sky, so I decided to scrap riding for today. Before going home, I rode around in the neighborhood, as I'd done the previous two days. Today, I rode down the long, gentle slope twice with no hands while pedaling much of the way, and I made it back up about 60% of the way with no hands and pedaling. Practice, practice, practice.... I think I'm gonna make it. (But I'm not gonna try to carry a box on my head!)
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 08:34:04
From: joseph.santaniello@gmail.com
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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On Oct 25, 9:48 am, jobst.bra...@stanfordalumni.org wrote: > Joseph Santaniello writes: > >> Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to > >> ride much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got > >> "smoked" the last 5 - 6 miles.). > >> So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 > >> minutes or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could > >> do this as a kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because > >> current road bikes have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn > >> like I rode to school 50 years ago? > >> How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just > >> barely able to go downhill, and mostly coast. > > Certain geometry may make no hands riding easier, but certainly > > heavier wheels make it easier. This may help explain why the bikes > > you remember where easier. > > Saying that it scares you makes me think it is difficult for you to > > ride no hands because you are tense and nervous about it. Go with > > the flow! > > Steering is by moving the seat side to side with your butt. This is > > easier to do if you are sitting up vertical. You can ease your way > > into this position by perhaps just holding the bars with one hand > > and gradually work your way to just finger-tips, then no-hands. > > Especially now that it is getting cold, I see large number of kids > > riding MTB's no hands at pretty slow speeds on their way to school > > each morning. They ride no hands because they have their hands in > > the jacket pockets (not wise!). I guess gloves are for squares. > > Jacket pockets or even pants pockets are far warmer than gloves. The > trouble with pants today is they are worn so low and are so baggy that > pockets are hard to reach so jacket pockets are closer and accessible. > > Jobst Brandt Perhaps true, but in the context of riding a bike no hands, I'd prefer cold hands or gloves. Call me overly cautious, but I don't run up stairs with my hands in my pockets either! Joseph
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 18:18:39
From:
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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Joseph Santaniello writes: >>>> Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to >>>> ride much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got >>>> "smoked" the last 5 - 6 miles.). >>>> So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 >>>> minutes or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I >>>> could do this as a kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that >>>> because current road bikes have tighter wheelbases than an old, >>>> old Schwinn like I rode to school 50 years ago? How do you teach >>>> yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely able to go >>>> downhill, and mostly coast. >>> Certain geometry may make no hands riding easier, but certainly >>> heavier wheels make it easier. This may help explain why the >>> bikes you remember where easier. Saying that it scares you makes >>> me think it is difficult for you to ride no hands because you are >>> tense and nervous about it. Go with the flow! >>> Steering is by moving the seat side to side with your butt. This >>> is easier to do if you are sitting up vertical. You can ease your >>> way into this position by perhaps just holding the bars with one >>> hand and gradually work your way to just finger-tips, then >>> no-hands. Especially now that it is getting cold, I see large >>> number of kids riding MTB's no hands at pretty slow speeds on >>> their way to school each morning. They ride no hands because they >>> have their hands in the jacket pockets (not wise!). I guess >>> gloves are for squares. >> Jacket pockets or even pants pockets are far warmer than gloves. >> The trouble with pants today is they are worn so low and are so >> baggy that pockets are hard to reach so jacket pockets are closer >> and accessible. > Perhaps true, but in the context of riding a bike no hands, I'd > prefer cold hands or gloves. > Call me overly cautious, but I don't run up stairs with my hands in > my pockets either! I ride substantial distances in winter with hands in pants pockets, never touching the bars. Typically HWY84 from Skylonda summit (1500ft) to the beach at HWY1 (15 miles) which easily can be ridden in a big gear (no shifting required). Running with hands in pockets is a different matter, swinging arms being an essential part of running, especially up stairs. Next, you might suggest climbing ladders with hands in pockets. Jobst Brandt
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 11:41:30
From: Tom Nakashima
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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<jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org > wrote in message news:4720ddff$0$14112$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net... > > I ride substantial distances in winter with hands in pants pockets, > never touching the bars. Typically HWY84 from Skylonda summit > (1500ft) to the beach at HWY1 (15 miles) which easily can be ridden in > a big gear (no shifting required). > Jobst Brandt Both hands in the pocket while riding? I used to love riding with no hands too, until... I broke my left clavicle about two months ago, both hands on the top portion of the bar, but my thumbs not wrapped around. I hit a small rock just right, enough for the unstable steering to cause me to go down. It happened in a split second. No fun riding in a ambulance with a broken clavicle. -tom
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 19:04:42
From:
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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Tom Nakashima writes: >> I ride substantial distances in winter with hands in pants pockets, >> never touching the bars. Typically HWY84 from Skylonda summit >> (1500ft) to the beach at HWY1 (15 miles) which easily can be ridden >> in a big gear (no shifting required). Jobst Brandt > Both hands in the pocket while riding? > I used to love riding with no hands too, until... I broke my left > clavicle about two months ago, both hands on the top portion of the > bar, but my thumbs not wrapped around. I hit a small rock just > right, enough for the unstable steering to cause me to go down. It > happened in a split second. No fun riding in a ambulance with a > broken clavicle. You'll find that riding upright, no-hands, is less hazardous than just leaning on the bars, because you are not going to fall over the bars against which you were leaning when upright. Jobst Brandt
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 14:12:13
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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>>> I ride substantial distances in winter with hands in pants pockets, >>> never touching the bars. Typically HWY84 from Skylonda summit >>> (1500ft) to the beach at HWY1 (15 miles) which easily can be ridden >>> in a big gear (no shifting required). Jobst Brandt > Tom Nakashima writes: >> Both hands in the pocket while riding? >> I used to love riding with no hands too, until... I broke my left >> clavicle about two months ago, both hands on the top portion of the >> bar, but my thumbs not wrapped around. I hit a small rock just >> right, enough for the unstable steering to cause me to go down. It >> happened in a split second. No fun riding in a ambulance with a >> broken clavicle. jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org wrote: > You'll find that riding upright, no-hands, is less hazardous than > just leaning on the bars, because you are not going to fall over the > bars against which you were leaning when upright. Absolutely right. The bike finds its way 'no hands' but falling off the front of a handlebar is dangerous. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 00:19:21
From: joseph.santaniello@gmail.com
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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On Oct 24, 11:46 pm, Colin Campbell <cmca...@adelphia.net > wrote: > Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to ride > much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got "smoked" > the last 5 - 6 miles.). > > So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 minutes > or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could do this as a > kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because current road bikes > have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn like I rode to school > 50 years ago? > > How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely > able to go downhill, and mostly coast. Certain geometry may make no hands riding easier, but certainly heavier wheels make it easier. This may help explain why the bikes you remember where easier. Saying that it scares you makes me think it is difficult for you to ride no hands because you are tense and nervous about it. Go with the flow! Steering is by moving the seat side to side with your butt. This is easier to do if you are sitting up vertical. You can ease your way into this position by perhaps just holding the bars with one hand and gradually work your way to just finger-tips, then no-hands. Especially now that it is getting cold, I see large number of kids riding MTB's no hands at pretty slow speeds on their way to school each morning. They ride no hands because they have their hands in the jacket pockets (not wise!). I guess gloves are for squares. Joseph
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 07:48:52
From:
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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Joseph Santaniello writes: >> Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to >> ride much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got >> "smoked" the last 5 - 6 miles.). >> So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 >> minutes or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could >> do this as a kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because >> current road bikes have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn >> like I rode to school 50 years ago? >> How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just >> barely able to go downhill, and mostly coast. > Certain geometry may make no hands riding easier, but certainly > heavier wheels make it easier. This may help explain why the bikes > you remember where easier. > Saying that it scares you makes me think it is difficult for you to > ride no hands because you are tense and nervous about it. Go with > the flow! > Steering is by moving the seat side to side with your butt. This is > easier to do if you are sitting up vertical. You can ease your way > into this position by perhaps just holding the bars with one hand > and gradually work your way to just finger-tips, then no-hands. > Especially now that it is getting cold, I see large number of kids > riding MTB's no hands at pretty slow speeds on their way to school > each morning. They ride no hands because they have their hands in > the jacket pockets (not wise!). I guess gloves are for squares. Jacket pockets or even pants pockets are far warmer than gloves. The trouble with pants today is they are worn so low and are so baggy that pockets are hard to reach so jacket pockets are closer and accessible. Jobst Brandt
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 00:10:33
From: joseph.santaniello@gmail.com
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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On Oct 25, 6:28 am, "Marty" <m_p...@yahooo.com > wrote: > "Colin Campbell" <cmca...@adelphia.net> wrote in message > > news:471fbd3c$0$16522$4c368faf@roadrunner.com... > > > How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely > > able to go downhill, and mostly coast. > > Don't think about it. I'll remove my glasses and helmet and then put them > back on at anytime without missing a beat in order to clear the occasional > bug that flies into a vent. Can do this on either road ride bike or on the > SS UAV. Also ride no hands on the rollers too. I think it's better if you > are pedaling. > > Just do it? > -- > Marty My favorite no-hands episode was about 20 years ago riding with a guy I knew who was supposed to pick up a kiddy-pool for his little brother at Toys-R-Us and he was late because we had been out on a training ride. It came in a huge cardboard box, probably 4' by 4' by 2'. My buddy had me give him a hand to get started which went hitch free from the first attempt. He rode with this box on his head. It was too tall for him to be able to get his hands over the top edge, so he just kept his hands on the sides, flipped into his toe-clips and off we went. This was in Los Angeles with cars around. We rode probably 20 blocks like that. He didn't have access to his brakes, so a few times he rode up ramps into gas-stations, etc to cut corners to avoid congestion. Twice he had to make a right on red, and then a U-turn when clear because we rolled up to a red light with cross traffic. It was amazing. Talk about "Just do it"! Joseph
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Date: 24 Oct 2007 22:28:13
From: Marty
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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"Colin Campbell" <cmcampb@adelphia.net > wrote in message news:471fbd3c$0$16522$4c368faf@roadrunner.com... > How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely > able to go downhill, and mostly coast. Don't think about it. I'll remove my glasses and helmet and then put them back on at anytime without missing a beat in order to clear the occasional bug that flies into a vent. Can do this on either road ride bike or on the SS UAV. Also ride no hands on the rollers too. I think it's better if you are pedaling. Just do it? -- Marty
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Date: 24 Oct 2007 20:28:50
From: Michael Press
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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In article <471fbd3c$0$16522$4c368faf@roadrunner.com >, Colin Campbell <cmcampb@adelphia.net > wrote: > Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to ride > much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got "smoked" > the last 5 - 6 miles.). > > So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 minutes > or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could do this as a > kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because current road bikes > have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn like I rode to school > 50 years ago? > > How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely > able to go downhill, and mostly coast. Observe that your connection with the bicycle is through the two pedals and the saddle. Learn to steer by varying your balance on the saddle while pedaling. The nose of the saddle is important for steering the bicycle. I can turn corners on city streets no hands on a sport frame bicycle. -- Michael Press
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Date: 25 Oct 2007 03:28:17
From: datakoll
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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with a load of food from wal, I stopped at the intercoastal bridge's bottom clearing the way for a bike headed down. so the kid way up the bridge, did a wheeelie for 200' with no hands zooooooooooooooooom past me no hands concrete wall and banana river on left posted low steel guardrail on right. zooooooooooooom walmart dirt bike definite O2 problem
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Date: 24 Oct 2007 17:36:55
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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Colin Campbell wrote: > Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to ride > much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got "smoked" > the last 5 - 6 miles.). > > So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 minutes > or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could do this as a > kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because current road bikes > have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn like I rode to school > 50 years ago? > > How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely > able to go downhill, and mostly coast. It can be done but hard to explain. I had a tenant who could juggle 5 tennis balls while riding a unicycle around the house. Equally facile forward or back. I can't do either one, but I ride no hands frequently without thinking about it, just a natural break in the routine on flat bar or normal road bikes. My fixie is 97cm wheelbase and rides 'no hands' as well as anything so 'short geometry ' seems not to matter. Perhaps you just need more time 'behind bars'! -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
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Date: 24 Oct 2007 18:10:16
From: catzz66
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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A Muzi wrote: > Colin Campbell wrote: > >> Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to >> ride much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got >> "smoked" the last 5 - 6 miles.). >> >> So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 >> minutes or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could do >> this as a kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because current >> road bikes have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn like I >> rode to school 50 years ago? >> >> How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely >> able to go downhill, and mostly coast. > > > It can be done but hard to explain. I had a tenant who could juggle 5 > tennis balls while riding a unicycle around the house. Equally facile > forward or back. I can't do either one, but I ride no hands frequently > without thinking about it, just a natural break in the routine on flat > bar or normal road bikes. My fixie is 97cm wheelbase and rides 'no > hands' as well as anything so 'short geometry ' seems not to matter. > Perhaps you just need more time 'behind bars'! Don't some fork angles on current bikes still make it hard to ride no hands? I don't ride a lot of different bikes, so I really don't have much to compare with but my own. All I know is that I could sort of lean back on my old mountain bike (when I had one) and do it, but this didn't seem to help me on my road bike, so I just rest one hand/arm at a time. The tradeoff is that on my road bike I can brake with either hand where it was pretty dicey and prone to jacknife sometimes on the mountain bike.
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Date: 24 Oct 2007 18:42:45
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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>> Colin Campbell wrote: >>> Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to >>> ride much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got >>> "smoked" the last 5 - 6 miles.). >>> So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 >>> minutes or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could >>> do this as a kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because >>> current road bikes have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn >>> like I rode to school 50 years ago? >>> How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just >>> barely able to go downhill, and mostly coast. > A Muzi wrote: >> It can be done but hard to explain. I had a tenant who could juggle 5 >> tennis balls while riding a unicycle around the house. Equally facile >> forward or back. I can't do either one, but I ride no hands frequently >> without thinking about it, just a natural break in the routine on flat >> bar or normal road bikes. My fixie is 97cm wheelbase and rides 'no >> hands' as well as anything so 'short geometry ' seems not to matter. >> Perhaps you just need more time 'behind bars'! catzz66 wrote: > Don't some fork angles on current bikes still make it hard to ride no > hands? I don't ride a lot of different bikes, so I really don't have > much to compare with but my own. All I know is that I could sort of > lean back on my old mountain bike (when I had one) and do it, but this > didn't seem to help me on my road bike, so I just rest one hand/arm at a > time. The tradeoff is that on my road bike I can brake with either hand > where it was pretty dicey and prone to jacknife sometimes on the > mountain bike. 'jack knife' may be possible: http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/9.17.html albeit uncommon, again experience as suggested above may help you know those limits. Front end geometry, done properly, is neutral for all common values of head angle and fork clearance/rake. Mixing randomly selected forks into a given frame can result in weird handling, but seldom unridable. Bent frames and forks can be sketchy but even most crashed bikes are very usable by most riders - look at the next bike over at a stoplight. There are plenty of bashed commuter bikes still being ridden daily, even no hands. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
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Date: 24 Oct 2007 21:56:50
From: datakoll
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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you inhaked a lot of smoke, ruined your lungs, and oxygen deprived began doing what? running for the Hamilton Prize?
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Date: 24 Oct 2007 21:54:27
From: DanKMTB@gmail.com
Subject: Re: When It's Too Smoky to Ride...
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On Oct 24, 5:46 pm, Colin Campbell <cmca...@adelphia.net > wrote: > Due to the Southern California wildfires, it's been too polluted to ride > much the last two days (Monday wasn't perfect, but I only got "smoked" > the last 5 - 6 miles.). > > So, just to say I rode, I pedaled around my neighborhood for 20 minutes > or so each day. I practiced riding without hands. I could do this as a > kid, but these days, it scares me. Is that because current road bikes > have tighter wheelbases than an old, old Schwinn like I rode to school > 50 years ago? > > How do you teach yourself to ride hands free? So far, I'm just barely > able to go downhill, and mostly coast. Personally, I find it easier when pedaling. It's certainly a lot harder on a road bike than on a BMX, but it's totally doable.
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