Why look down?

[FloydLandis]

I think alot of us do this so i was just wondering some of the things you are looking at when you give the ol' looksie towards the ground while riding. What is the first thing that catches your eye if you do this and why do you think we are looking down in the first place. I just really noticed this so much yesterday. I was looking down at the frame where the bb sits as if to be asking for some sort of help from my bike.

 

[cheapie]

i'm just trying to see if there's an anchor attached to my bike.

 

[rule62]

Some days I'm looking for the chain...some days I'm looking to see if my brakes are rubbing.

 

[Lonnie Utah]

I think alot of us do this so i was just wondering some of the things you are looking at when you give the ol' looksie towards the ground while riding. What is the first thing that catches your eye if you do this and why do you think we are looking down in the first place. I just really noticed this so much yesterday. I was looking down at the frame where the bb sits as if to be asking for some sort of help from my bike.

Stretching the neck. I'll usually check out my HRM....

 

[friedmikey]

Checking the gear position/chainline, looking at the HRM, giving the neck a break, not looking at the rest of the climb ahead, mostly just looking at nothing in particular to help me focus my strength on really pushing hard.

 

[Bob Ross]

In addition to much of the aforementioned (checking out my drivetrain, giving my neck a break, etc) I feel like I get better ventilation to the ol' melon when the top of my head points directly forward.

 

[wiredued]

If I'm struggling I ussually look to see if I have a flat and get a little deflated if I don't.

 

[reelbf]

Checking out my legs... Mostly when they hurt like hell or when I'm tired and trying to get alittle but more out of my legs.

 

[schmuzzy]

looking down to see the enormous armadillo that just crawled into my pants...

 

[Archibald]

Stretching the neck. I'll usually check out my HRM....

what he said.
and to take a quick peek at the rear cassette if i've forgotten what gear i'm in...

 

[FrankBattle]

To see how good my calves are beginning to look.

 

[MartinInMass]

I think alot of us do this so i was just wondering some of the things you are looking at when you give the ol' looksie towards the ground while riding. What is the first thing that catches your eye if you do this and why do you think we are looking down in the first place. I just really noticed this so much yesterday. I was looking down at the frame where the bb sits as if to be asking for some sort of help from my bike.

The last time I looked down for any length of time was when I was reaching my 500 mile mark for the first time. I was excited, I think that's normal. Then, no lie, I ran over a broken bottle and some glass and lost my back tire at 499.9

Don't do it anymore.

 

[pod]

It's tempting to lower your head and relieve the strain on your neck but it's a good idea to watch where you are going. A while back a rider in our group was looking down whilst hammering up a hill and ran into the back of a boat and was seriously injured by the propellar. Boat was being towed up the hill and stopped for traffic.

 

[Rob81]

Relive to neck and *maybe* to relive the muscles that moves eyes (6 in total). Try to overextend your neck and keep eyes watching something above you.

 

[MartinInMass]

On a more serious note, my Philosophy *not my major* professor talked of a story of a man following some monks up a mountain to their temple. And the man looked up at the mountain and thought it would kick his ass. And all the time he was looking up, seeing how much further it was until he reached the top. And after awhile, other monks started passing him, all the while looking down.

They were looking down and just trucking along, and when they got to the top, it was a simply running out of mountain to climb, it wasn't looked at as a feat.

I don't know about you guys, but I've always looked down - with brief checks up to look for obstacles, glass, morons, etc - when climbing hills. It's a huge pyschological abvantage to be just gutting it out rather than thinking "Man, when will this hill just stop?". It's sort of like running in the Marine Corps in the US, just lean forward and stop yourself from falling until it's over.

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

I look down because I've just bought some new cool looking go faster Sidi shoes and I like to watch them going round, thinking wow those shoes are the business. As I forked out a lot of money for them, I think it's important to extract the maximum amount of pleasure by watching them in action. And what's more it's only polite to look at someone when they're talking to you.
My shoes talk to me when I'm climbing saying, "you can do it, just press on us, we can handle it".

What are those men in white coats doing here?
Oy, leave me alone, why are you putting me in this van?

 

[tyler1212]

I have a tendency to watch my left knee. I've had a boatload of problems with my pedaling form on that side because of meniscus damage and watch out for rolling with reckless abandon..

 

[tyler1212]

The last time I looked down for any length of time was when I was reaching my 500 mile mark for the first time. I was excited, I think that's normal. Then, no lie, I ran over a broken bottle and some glass and lost my back tire at 499.9

Don't do it anymore.

It's funny you should mention getting flat right at a milestone. I got one right at 1000 miles, with piece of glass, on my rear tire. Go figure?!