bdot@hogpd.UUCP (J.BARRETT) (05/08/84)
I've finally convinced myself that I should bike alot more than
I currently do (only when there is no car around). Is there any
kind of technique that your supposed to use? Yes, I am one of those
people who bought a 10-speed without really knowing how to ride it
correctly. When do you use the higher (lower) gears, should you be
pedaling constantly (or coast once in a while), ........? Yes, I'm
really a novice, so no hint is too obvious. Is there a book on
cycling technique that anyone can recommend?
Thanks, John Barrett
ATT-ISLfish@ihu1g.UUCP (Bob Fishell) (05/08/84)
(oo)
There are lots of variations, but I'll throw my $0.02 in...
1) The handlebars on your bike offer four basic riding postitions.
(this is better with pictures, but) You should get used to riding
with your hands on the lower part of the handlebars, on the
horizontal section. This is your normal riding position.
For powering up hills, you want to move your hands forward, more toward
the curved section of the bars. This will give you maximum leverage.
For long excursions on straight, level surfaces, put your hands
either in the center of the bar, up top, or (my favorite touring
position) forward on the top of the bar, with your thumb and
forefinger straddling the brake hoods. With a little practice,
you can learn to brake from this position.
2) Get yourself some toe clips, if you haven't already. They should be
adjusted so the ball of your foot is just over the pivot point in the
center of the pedal. When you get comfortable with them, learn to
tighten the straps. Toe clips will greatly reduce fatigue on long
treks, and will give you a better distribution of stress in your
legs. They'll be uncomfortable at first, but you'll love them later.
3) The seat of the bike should be adjusted so as *not* to allow you
to completely straighten your leg, locking the knee, when the
pedal is at 6:00. Riding with the seat too far up is a good way
to destroy your knees. If your bike frame fits you properly,
the top of the seat will be about level with the top of the
handlebars when correctly adjusted.
4) Your gears should be used so that you are pedaling at more or
less the same speed, against the same resistance, over a
variety of terrains. Unfortunately, the 28/24/20/17/14 tooth
freewheels that come on most factory-equipped bikes have too
wide a range to permit this, especially if you live in a
relatively flat area. I kept the standard 52/40 tooth chain
wheels that came with my bike, but went to a 21/19/17/15/14
tooth freewheel.
This gives me a faster and more uniform gear grouping. Even
tighter ratios are available, by the way. Most of the time
I ride on my large chain wheel, but I can still muscle up
steep hills with my lowest gear with this arrangement. Ten
speeds are enough for most non-competitive biking, but racers
prefer twelve.
5) Recommended accessories:
1:Tire Savers, which are little wire loops that knock
debris off your tires. They save *lots* of flats.
2:Water bottle, if you do any country riding.
3:Tire pump, irons, and patch kit, and maybe a spare
inner tube.
4:Small crescent wrench, slipjoint pliers, flat and
phillips screwdrivers (for derailleur adjustments),
and a pocket knife.
5:Extra shoelaces; sooner or later, you'll get one wound around
the crank.
6:A saddlebag to hold much of the above.
7:Grab-Ons (foam-padded grips) and racing gloves. I have found
that my wrists and hands give out long before my legs do, and
these help to delay the onset of numbness.
8:Helmet. I have to confess I don't wear one myself, but
many experienced bikers recommend them.
6) Don't ride at night.
7) Watch the heat -- keep wet. I down a pint of liquid every ten
miles or so on hot days.
8) Have fun!
--
Bob Fishell
ihnp4!ihu1g!fishkfl@hoxna.UUCP (Kenton Lee) (05/09/84)
xxx Three good books for novices are "Richard's Bicycle Book" (by Richard Balentine), "Anybody's Bicycle Book" (by Tom Cumsomething), and "The Complete Guide to Owning a 10 Speed Bike" (by a man and a woman who's names I can't remember). I've probably botched the titles to all three, but they are all available in most book stores. -- Kenton Lee, Bell Labs - WB wb3g!kfl or hoxna!kfl
neal@druxv.UUCP (Neal D. McBurnett) (05/09/84)
Great reply! I would only add that it is important to pedal at a "high" rpm. When you're new to cycling, you tend to think that 90 rpm is awfully high, but you soon get used to it. Unless you're putting very little effort into pedaling, you should probably spin at 60 rpm or more. Advantages? less strain on you knees! If you supply the same amount of power at a higher rpm, the torque on your knees is less. great way to warm up at the beginning of a ride. easier to accelerate. Yes this means you need lower gears. For biking in the mountains, I certainly recommend a 33 inch gear or less. I have a 27 inch gear, and wish I has a 25 inch one! -Neal McBurnett, ihnp4!druxv!neal, DR x4852
grt@hocda.UUCP (G.TOMASEVICH) (05/10/84)
I agree with most of Bob Fishell's comments. The riding position holding on to the brake hoods should be your most used one. Use the lower part of the drops when going hard on the flats, especially into a headwind. Most advice on bars vs saddle is for the stem to be 4 cm lower than the saddle. Sit upright to get weight off the front wheel if you hit a gravel stretch; hold on to the straight part of the bars. George Tomasevich
bill@utastro.UUCP (05/12/84)
For an introduction to the basics of vehicular-style riding (which
experienced bicyclists generally agree to be the safest), I recommend
John S. Allen's book, "The Complete Book of Bicycle Commuting".
It covers many of the same things that will be found in John
Forester's "Effective Cycling", and many of the things in the
League of American Wheelmen's Effective Cycling program, but is
better written than Forester's book (at least, better written than
the original edition - MIT is about to release an updated edition),
and is available where no Effective Cycling instructor can be found.
Allen's book covers most of the other topics that everyday cyclists
need to know. It is based on his series of articles for *Bicycling*
magazine.
--
Bill Jefferys 8-%
Astronomy Dept, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712 (USnail)
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utastro!bill@ut-ngp (ARPANET)