#1
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Cyclecraft Query
"Cyclecraft" by John Franklin (1997 edition),
Chapter 7, "Non-traffic hazards", Page 121, "Slippery surfaces" Paragraph 2: "Whenever slippery surfaces are likely, reduce speed and take extra care turning or braking. Keep your weight low and both hands on the handlebars. If you see a definite hazard, cross it keeping straight and upright, with the brakes off. Changing to a lower gear can help. Going downhill, you will be more stable if you pedal against the brakes." Changing to a lower gear can help what? Help you to cross a hazard whilst keeping straight and upright? I don't follow. Pedalling against the brakes? I would have thought you'd be more stable while freewheeling because there's no shifting of your weight, no movement, etc. Again, I don't follow. Any insight? Dani |
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#2
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Cyclecraft Query
asqui wrote:
"Cyclecraft" by John Franklin (1997 edition), Chapter 7, "Non-traffic hazards", Page 121, "Slippery surfaces" Paragraph 2: "Whenever slippery surfaces are likely, reduce speed and take extra care turning or braking. Keep your weight low and both hands on the handlebars. If you see a definite hazard, cross it keeping straight and upright, with the brakes off. Changing to a lower gear can help. Going downhill, you will be more stable if you pedal against the brakes." Changing to a lower gear can help what? Help you to cross a hazard whilst keeping straight and upright? I don't follow. Changing to a gear with bigger cogs might help stop the chain from jumping off, perhaps? I'd have to say that with front and rear derailleurs, this is rather unlikely to happen. Pedalling against the brakes? I would have thought you'd be more stable while freewheeling because there's no shifting of your weight, no movement, etc. Again, I don't follow. If you were not wearing toeclips, it might help to keep your feet on the pedals, I suppose, but more stable?. I do think he means crossing a hazard while going downhill on a slippery surface. Pedalling might help to stop the rear from locking, but I would doubt the usefulness of this, as you might get worse results if any bumps in the hazard cause any brake modulation. Perhaps he's offering this as an alternative to the idea of taking your brakes off while crossing the hazard, which is what I would probably do. I'm not convinced, though. -- Jim Price http://www.jimprice.dsl.pipex.com Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war. |
#3
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Cyclecraft Query
On Fri, 8 Aug 2003 13:11:34 +0000 (UTC), asqui
wrote: Changing to a lower gear can help what? Help you to cross a hazard whilst keeping straight and upright? I don't follow. Maybe if the hazard slows you down, you'll be able to pedal directly after going over it. Pedalling against the brakes? I would have thought you'd be more stable while freewheeling because there's no shifting of your weight, no movement, etc. Again, I don't follow. Possibly to avoid skidding the rear tire for people who are unable to modulate their rear brake? Any insight? Sounds like the author had a crack-cocaine abuse problem. Dani -- Rick Onanian |
#4
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Cyclecraft Query
David Kerber wrote:
In article , says... "Cyclecraft" by John Franklin (1997 edition), Chapter 7, "Non-traffic hazards", Page 121, "Slippery surfaces" Paragraph 2: "Whenever slippery surfaces are likely, reduce speed and take extra care turning or braking. Keep your weight low and both hands on the handlebars. If you see a definite hazard, cross it keeping straight and upright, with the brakes off. Changing to a lower gear can help. Going downhill, you will be more stable if you pedal against the brakes." Changing to a lower gear can help what? Help you to cross a hazard whilst keeping straight and upright? I don't follow. Pedalling against the brakes? I would have thought you'd be more stable while freewheeling because there's no shifting of your weight, no movement, etc. Again, I don't follow. I think it would be similar to using engine braking in a car: you can slow down by forcing the wheels to turn slower than the car's speed by allowing them to slide a bit, but you don't lock them up completely, Engine braking afaik entails reducing the throttle to the point at which the engine is being forced to higher revs by the momentum of the car, transmitted through the wheels and gearbox. It is not necessarily corellated with making the wheels "turn slower than the car's speed by allowing them to slide". I can't see that anything like engine braking could take place on a bike equipped with a freewheel. If you coast you are not putting any power out, but you are not actively inhibiting your progress either. If you pedal you are putting out some quantity of power. At no point are you putting out "negative" power -- on a fixed gear I assume this would entail trying to go through the motions of pedalling backwards, while the cranks are still rotating "forwards". making it easier to keep control. I've never tried this on a bike, but it certainly works in a car with a manual transmission. It doesn't necessarily make it easier to keep control, it just saves using your brakes by cleverly using gearing and throttle to control speed. |
#5
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Cyclecraft Query
on a fixed gear I assume this would entail trying to go
through the motions of pedalling backwards, while the cranks are still rotating "forwards". Bingo. Using the legs to resist the momentum of the cranks is a skill just about all fixed gear riders learn, even those running brakes. Chris Neary "Science, freedom, beauty, adventu what more could you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh |
#6
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Cyclecraft Query
asqui wrote: "Cyclecraft" by John Franklin (1997 edition), Chapter 7, "Non-traffic hazards", Page 121, "Slippery surfaces" Paragraph 2: "Whenever slippery surfaces are likely, reduce speed and take extra care turning or braking. Keep your weight low and both hands on the handlebars. If you see a definite hazard, cross it keeping straight and upright, with the brakes off. Changing to a lower gear can help. Going downhill, you will be more stable if you pedal against the brakes." Changing to a lower gear can help what? Help you to cross a hazard whilst keeping straight and upright? I don't follow. Pedalling against the brakes? I would have thought you'd be more stable while freewheeling because there's no shifting of your weight, no movement, etc. Again, I don't follow. A section of my commute includes a downhill (not too steep) section of what passes for beach sand. I find that keeping a little power to the wheels while also braking slightly helps. These conditions require a slow and cautious approach with weight shifted well back to avoid trigging the front wheel. At the same time, you want to avoid stalling out. The resistance from the sand tends to vary, and sometimes you need to add power. I think I can react quicker to the subtle changes when I am already applying power to the wheel. - Dave Any insight? Dani |
#7
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Cyclecraft Query
Using the legs to resist the momentum of the cranks is a skill just about
all fixed gear riders learn, even those running brakes. Do many ride without brakes? Wow. Don't fix me up! The messenger crowd in particular appears to favor going brakeless. Ref: http://www.oldskooltrack.com/ My friends and I, as well the majority of fixed gear riders, run front brakes. Chris Neary "Science, freedom, beauty, adventu what more could you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh |
#8
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Cyclecraft Query
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