learning to ride backwards?

[peter]

Is it harder to learn to ride backwards (sitting on the bike normally but
allow the bike to roll backwards on a slope) than forwards?

I spent half an hour practicing riding backwards on a mt bike but didn't
seem to make much progress.

There's a practical reason for this: I have to back my motorcycle out of my
garage which is on a slope and there is no space to U-turn inside the
garage. Right now I have to back up very carefully and slowly out the slope.
If I could ride backwards, then it would be a piece of cake.

 

[Rich]

peter wrote:
> Is it harder to learn to ride backwards (sitting on the bike normally but
> allow the bike to roll backwards on a slope) than forwards?

It's is nearly impossible to ride a normal two wheeled bike like this
for any distance due to the fact the wheel that steers is in back.

On a bike, when you start to fall to the left, steering to the left
causes the bike to move back under you, stopping the fall. When going
backwards, this doesn't work, as the bike moves further out from under you.

Rich

 

[Bill Sornson]

Rich wrote:
> peter wrote:
>> Is it harder to learn to ride backwards (sitting on the bike
>> normally but allow the bike to roll backwards on a slope) than
>> forwards?
>
> It's is nearly impossible to ride a normal two wheeled bike like this
> for any distance due to the fact the wheel that steers is in back.

You obviously haven't seen that "bike ballet" video then! (E-mail that went
around few months ago.) Those freaking guys were freaking
unbefreakinglievable! (Granted, fixed gears, but still...)

Anyone have a link?

BS

 

[Chris Zacho The Wheelman]

Your motorcycle has a reverse gear?

- -

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

"May you have the winds at your back,
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

 

[Rich]

Bill Sornson wrote:

>>>Is it harder to learn to ride backwards (sitting on the bike
>>>normally but allow the bike to roll backwards on a slope) than
>>>forwards?
>>
>>It's is nearly impossible to ride a normal two wheeled bike like this
>>for any distance due to the fact the wheel that steers is in back.
>
> You obviously haven't seen that "bike ballet" video then!

O.K. If he has a fixie, and can ride a unicyle, then he can ride
backwards. Otherwise, he's out of luck.

 

[[email protected]]

peter wrote:
> Is it harder to learn to ride backwards (sitting on the bike normally but
> allow the bike to roll backwards on a slope) than forwards?
>
> I spent half an hour practicing riding backwards on a mt bike but didn't
> seem to make much progress.
>
> There's a practical reason for this: I have to back my motorcycle out of my
> garage which is on a slope and there is no space to U-turn inside the
> garage. Right now I have to back up very carefully and slowly out the slope.
> If I could ride backwards, then it would be a piece of cake.

I believe you could learn to do this on a
motorcycle. The big problem I think is that we
riders of freewheel bikes use forward pressure
on the cranks to slow the bike, whereas of
course you have no cranks, and will probably
have to drag the front brake if the slope
requires a speed-check. If the slope is slight
you might be able to get by with just coasting
it back. Stand on the pegs instead of sitting.

Robert

 

[Violet Tigress]

In article <nYt6f.10146$Io4.661@trnddc06>, "peter" <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Is it harder to learn to ride backwards (sitting on the bike normally but
> allow the bike to roll backwards on a slope) than forwards?
********
Having never ridden anything without coaster brakes (well unless you
count those few minutes before the bike tipped over) it would be
immpossible for me to pedal backwards.