Riding Backwards

Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
details. Anyone else see this recently?

Phil Holman

Phil Holman <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote:
: Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
: riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
: details. Anyone else see this recently?

hey rick, i'm on tv. how cool is that?
--
david reuteler reuteler@visi.com

In article <Jbpyb.20330$n56.11540@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>, "Phil Holman"
<philjud@earthlink.not> writes:

>Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
>riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
>details. Anyone else see this recently?

Not recently, but many years (15 or so) ago I saw a Guinness book of records program about a guy in
Austria that rode his bicycle backwards while playing the violin.

Tom Gibb <TBGibb@aol.com

"Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> writes:

> Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
> riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
> details. Anyone else see this recently?

There's video at www.oldskooltrack.com of a guy riding in circles backwards (and doing no-handed
trackstands, too).

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 16:48:41 GMT, "Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote:

>Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
>riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
>details. Anyone else see this recently?
>
>Phil Holman
>

My father used to hop up onto the handlebars of any available bike (one speed, coaster brake) and
wobble off down the road facing backwards and looking over his shoulder to see where he was going!

Bob Flumere rflumere@comcast.net

"Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote in message
news:Jbpyb.20330$n56.11540@newsread1....earthlink.net...
> Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
> riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
> details. Anyone else see this recently?
>
> Phil Holman
>
>

There's a scene in Quicksilver where a bike messenger group does some 'flatland' trick on their
fixie track bikes. One is sitting on the handlebars riding backwards.

Mike

I've seen a short clip on TV of a monkey riding a unicycle backwards...

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:19:55 GMT, Bob Flumere <rflumere@comcast.net> wrote:

>On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 16:48:41 GMT, "Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote:
>
>>Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
>>riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
>>details. Anyone else see this recently?
>>
>>Phil Holman
>
>My father used to hop up onto the handlebars of any available bike (one speed, coaster brake) and
>wobble off down the road facing backwards and looking over his shoulder to see where he was going!
>
>Bob Flumere rflumere@comcast.net

It's not hard, used to do it all the time on my bmx bike as a kid, could go for blocks if there was
a downhill grade. I'd imagine I'd be able to go in reverse pretty far on a fixed gear bike too,
although I don't have access to one at the moment. Catch the freestyle X games guys sometime,
you'd be amazed at what can be done on a bike.

Phil Holman wrote:

> Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
> riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
> details. Anyone else see this recently?
>
> Phil Holman

--
Mark Wolfe http://www.wolfenet.org gpg fingerprint = 42B6 EFEB 5414 AA18 01B7 64AC EF46 F7E6 82F6
8C71 IBM: It may be slow, but it's hard to use.

May I just say that riding backward(s) is one of the most thrilling things that can be done with a
bicycle, ranking up there with dirt jumping and twisty singletrack. It's an awesome feeling, the
sketchy balance, learning to steer with the trailing wheel. It's like backing up a trailer. If
you're one of those well-balanced types give yourself a treat and try it--everyone who gets past the
initial troubles becomes addicted. Don't need a fixed gear, just a slight slope. IMO sitting on the
handlebars and riding backward Butch and Sundance style is easier than facing front and rolling
back. Riding in backward circles on a track bike is relatively easy compared to riding back in a
straight line, or, the ultimate, just riding anywhere you need to go backward. Only know a few guys
who come close to having that much control, and not surprisingly, they are the best all-'round bike
handlers I've ever seen.

Robert

> "Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote in message
> news:Jbpyb.20330$n56.11540@newsread1....earthlink.net...
>>Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
>>riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
>>details. Anyone else see this recently?

Michael Dart wrote:
> There's a scene in Quicksilver where a bike messenger group does some 'flatland' trick on their
> fixie track bikes. One is sitting on the handlebars riding backwards.

Bob Mionske (http://www.bicyclelaw.com/) can crawl up on the bars and ride backwards too. I've
watched him do it.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

"Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote in message
news:<Jbpyb.20330$n56.11540@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
> Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
> riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
> details. Anyone else see this recently?
>
> Phil Holman

Dear Phil,

I don't know about our fixed-wheel enthusiasts, but those wretched Chinese acrobats routinely ride
their fixed-wheel circus bikes backwards on the stage.

No hands.

On one wheel.

It doesn't matter whether you mean the bike itself going backwards on one wheel with its no-hands
rider facing forward . . .

Or the horrible acrobat sitting backwards on the seat, clutching it with both hands, and somehow
making the bike move forwards . . .

Or backwards, damn her!

Up until I saw their act, I was a fairly open-minded former trials rider and would never have
considered striking a woman just because of her outrageous sense of balance.

Carl Fogel

"Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote in message
news:<Jbpyb.20330$n56.11540@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
> Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
> riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
> details. Anyone else see this recently?

riding a fixie backwards is pretty doable. im no pro, but i do know folks who can do it with aplomb.
for myself, i only try it on platforms, and i cant really control where i go all that well. (yet..)

other backwards riders are the BMXers, who are a pretty agile bunch. you will often see them, and
their 26" wheel riding partners in crime, spinning their pedals backwards as they coast backwards
so the freewheel/hub doesnt catch up with them and spoil their balance. generally their backwards
speed comes from rolling backwards off something, although they can kick either tire to get a
little speed. fixers have an advantage, becuase they (we?) can more intuitively control the
backwards speed.

IIRC, there are also BMX hubs which allow the rider to travel backwards without the cranks turning.

Phil Holman wrote:
> Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
> riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
> details. Anyone else see this recently?

What's surprisigly hard is riding with crossed arms. Also, rolling another bike alongside.

I seem to regularly see cyclists rolling another bike alongside them here in Sweden. I hardly ever saw it happen when I lived in London. It's made me wonder just *why* I see so many do it here. Perhaps it's a sign of rampant cycle crime .-D

(More likely though it has to do with the higher percentage of active cyclists here, so it's probably people who have two bikes and have left one somewhere and are collecting it!)

__________________
-------------------------------
Cookstour
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On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:22:02 -0600, A Muzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

>> "Phil Holman" <philjud@earthlink.not> wrote in message
>> news:Jbpyb.20330$n56.11540@newsread1....earthlink.net...
>>>Did I imagine this or was the video being run backwards? I recall seeing a preview on TV of a guy
>>>riding a fixed wheel backwards but then didn't watch the rest of the program to find out the
>>>details. Anyone else see this recently?
>
>Michael Dart wrote:
>> There's a scene in Quicksilver where a bike messenger group does some 'flatland' trick on their
>> fixie track bikes. One is sitting on the handlebars riding backwards.
>
>Bob Mionske (http://www.bicyclelaw.com/) can crawl up on the bars and ride backwards too. I've
>watched him do it.

I remember as a kid seeing a TV news report on Lester Maddox, renowned segregationist, and at one
time governor of Georgia. There was a short clip of him riding a bike sitting on the bars.

A couple of my friends and I decided to try it. It's not as easy as it looks. We started trying
while headed across town (Scotch Plains, New Jersey) and by the time we reached our destination (in
Fanwood) all three of us could do it.

I used to demonstrate this ability often when I was younger, then stopped riding for years. I
haven't tried it since I resumed cycling (in about 1989) mostly because my bikes have cyclocomputers
mounted where I would sit. :-)

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3