D
Doug Taylor
Guest
I've read a few posts lately about the failure of riders riding in
groups and pacelines to point out obstacles, resulting in bike damage
and/or bodily injuries to the unfortunate rider behind. Another thing
that occurs all the time is the old age problem of the rider who
thrusts his/her bike back as they stand to climb, thereby causing
their rear wheel to hit or almost cit the front wheel of the rider
behind, with obvious consequences. I guess it's just physics, but
"they" say that an experienced rider can push the bike forward as they
stand, counteracting this effect. "They" say that, but I ride with a
lot of old timers, current and ex-racers, experienced and good bike
handler all, but this is a rare skill. Very rare, in my experience. A
lot of us "think" we can do it - me included - but I have no clue
whether I actually do. Maybe I'm not as bad as some because nobody
has yelled at me lately, at least for THAT offense. But some people
are down right atrocious.
So I'm on a ride this weekend with a group of new people, and it was
cool, but not that cold, and rain was in the forecast. There's this
one guy on a touring bike wearing full winter tights, rain jacket, and
a balaclava, and of course I'm thinking, "who's this fred?" because
you could get away with shorts, and I had knee warmers, arm warmers,
and an undershirt on, and of course I had my "rain" bike, which is
just an older titanium racing bike but not my "new" one. No triple
for me, no sirree.
So we start off and after the warm up, as the pace picks up and the
groups start to form, I notice that "fred" is not getting dropped but
is hanging in there with the front group, and with no apparent effort.
I notice also on a couple of risers that when he stands, his bike
doesn't move one iota backward, and it makes me notice. So then it
starts to rain, and a lot of people wisely opt for a shorter route
homeward, but not "fred" and so, not me, "Mr. you can't out tough me"
and one other.
And then we get to the real climb. It start out gradual, and "fred"
is on the front. And the pace picks up, and I'm trying not to show
how my breathing is starting to labor, because "fred" sure isn't
puffing, and then the slope starts to pick up and I'm thinking "I'm
not going to get dropped, am I, I sure hope not." So I'm hanging on
by a thread, and then it gets dicey steep, and "fred" stands up, and
his bike does not move one iota backward as he drops me like a bad
habit, and the other guy drops me, as I'm putting out the maximum
wattage my old, egotistical and deluded body can.
So, as" they" say, "you can't judge a book by it cover" and it IS
possible for a good rider to stand on a climb and not push their bike
backwards.
I'm going to practice it till I get it down...
groups and pacelines to point out obstacles, resulting in bike damage
and/or bodily injuries to the unfortunate rider behind. Another thing
that occurs all the time is the old age problem of the rider who
thrusts his/her bike back as they stand to climb, thereby causing
their rear wheel to hit or almost cit the front wheel of the rider
behind, with obvious consequences. I guess it's just physics, but
"they" say that an experienced rider can push the bike forward as they
stand, counteracting this effect. "They" say that, but I ride with a
lot of old timers, current and ex-racers, experienced and good bike
handler all, but this is a rare skill. Very rare, in my experience. A
lot of us "think" we can do it - me included - but I have no clue
whether I actually do. Maybe I'm not as bad as some because nobody
has yelled at me lately, at least for THAT offense. But some people
are down right atrocious.
So I'm on a ride this weekend with a group of new people, and it was
cool, but not that cold, and rain was in the forecast. There's this
one guy on a touring bike wearing full winter tights, rain jacket, and
a balaclava, and of course I'm thinking, "who's this fred?" because
you could get away with shorts, and I had knee warmers, arm warmers,
and an undershirt on, and of course I had my "rain" bike, which is
just an older titanium racing bike but not my "new" one. No triple
for me, no sirree.
So we start off and after the warm up, as the pace picks up and the
groups start to form, I notice that "fred" is not getting dropped but
is hanging in there with the front group, and with no apparent effort.
I notice also on a couple of risers that when he stands, his bike
doesn't move one iota backward, and it makes me notice. So then it
starts to rain, and a lot of people wisely opt for a shorter route
homeward, but not "fred" and so, not me, "Mr. you can't out tough me"
and one other.
And then we get to the real climb. It start out gradual, and "fred"
is on the front. And the pace picks up, and I'm trying not to show
how my breathing is starting to labor, because "fred" sure isn't
puffing, and then the slope starts to pick up and I'm thinking "I'm
not going to get dropped, am I, I sure hope not." So I'm hanging on
by a thread, and then it gets dicey steep, and "fred" stands up, and
his bike does not move one iota backward as he drops me like a bad
habit, and the other guy drops me, as I'm putting out the maximum
wattage my old, egotistical and deluded body can.
So, as" they" say, "you can't judge a book by it cover" and it IS
possible for a good rider to stand on a climb and not push their bike
backwards.
I'm going to practice it till I get it down...