| |
Main
Date: 17 May 2007 14:45:45
From: Callistus Valerius
Subject: rear wheel spinning on dirt.
|
This hasn't happened to me much, but it is alarming when it does happen.
Went on an organized road ride, that happened to have an unexpetent 3.5 mile
stretch on dirt (due to a road improvement project). This was through very
steep rollers, I had 25 tires on. When I was climbing some of those steep
sections, I would naturally stand on my pedals and a few times the rear
wheel would spin, scaring the hell out of me. Not being an experienced
mountain bike rider, it brought back to memory, a few times in a similar
situation the rear wheel spinning also on steep dirt. What am I doing wrong
here?
|
|
| |
Date: 18 May 2007 13:13:09
From: Alex
Subject: Re: rear wheel spinning on dirt.
|
On May 17, 10:45 am, "Callistus Valerius" <jazzyb...@hotmail.com >
wrote:
> This hasn't happened to me much, but it is alarming when it does happen.
> Went on an organized road ride, that happened to have an unexpetent 3.5 mile
> stretch on dirt (due to a road improvement project). This was through very
> steep rollers, I had 25 tires on. When I was climbing some of those steep
> sections, I would naturally stand on my pedals and a few times the rear
> wheel would spin, scaring the hell out of me. Not being an experienced
> mountain bike rider, it brought back to memory, a few times in a similar
> situation the rear wheel spinning also on steep dirt. What am I doing wrong
> here?
What you are doing wrong is standing. That puts less weight on the
rear wheel
and that will give you wheel spin. Stay seated and move back a little
on the seat.
That will give you more traction.
-------------
Alex
|
| |
Date: 18 May 2007 12:49:17
From: Camilo
Subject: Re: rear wheel spinning on dirt.
|
On May 17, 7:47 am, "Leo Lichtman" <l.licht...@worldnet.att.net >
wrote:
> "Callistus Valerius" wrote: (clip) the rear wheel spinning also on steep
>
> dirt. What am I doing wrong> here?
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Nothing. That's what happens in loose stuff with narrow, non-cleated tires
> on steep hills. If you can manage to pedal sitting down, you will have more
> weight on the rear wheel, which may help. Pulling up hard on the handlebar
> at the height of the power stroke also helps, but I don't know how that
> would work on drop bars. There will be some limit where you just have to
> get off and push.
Leo is exactly right - it's very difficult to go up steep gravel or
dirt hills on a road bike, even if the surface is smooth enough to be
ridable with skinny tires. When you stand up - and also when you have
to really bear down sitting down - you don't leave enough weight on
the rear wheel. The only solution I've come up with is to be
conscious of the problem being unweighting the rear wheel, and try to
stand and pedal and keep weight back - but that's hard to do standing.
My latest bike has a triple FD for that very reason. It is much more
feasible to go up a steep gravel or dirt hill if you're sitting firmly
on the saddle spinning rather than standing or sitting and really
pushing at a slow cadence. 98% of my riding could be handled by a
compact double with a 25t rear, but the two or three hills that I have
to ride up to get home are very difficult (barely do-able, but NOT
fun). The triple makes them more doable, and much more fun, or less
brutal.
|
| |
Date: 17 May 2007 15:47:50
From: Leo Lichtman
Subject: Re: rear wheel spinning on dirt.
|
"Callistus Valerius" wrote: (clip) the rear wheel spinning also on steep
dirt. What am I doing wrong
> here?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Nothing. That's what happens in loose stuff with narrow, non-cleated tires
on steep hills. If you can manage to pedal sitting down, you will have more
weight on the rear wheel, which may help. Pulling up hard on the handlebar
at the height of the power stroke also helps, but I don't know how that
would work on drop bars. There will be some limit where you just have to
get off and push.
|
|
