Words of wisdom from experienced cyclists

Riders line up for the start of a race: The measure of the man is not how strong he starts or finishes but how he worked till the finish.

There are all sorts of strange sayings in the world of cycling. What do they mean?

“Don’t Be A Half Wheel Harry”

One of the most annoying things about riding with someone new to the sport is the “Half Wheeler”. Many probably don’t know they are doing it or understand why it’s annoying so here’s the low down.

Half wheeling is when you ride half a wheel or more ahead of the person you are cycling beside. Half wheeling is an annoying cycling faux pas that should be avoided at all costs. Half wheeling your riding partner is like saying “you’re rubbish and I’m putting my front wheel ahead of your to remind you of that”.

You may get a subtle comment like “I didn’t realise that your bike is longer than mine”. A less subtle approach will be having the pressure applied to the point where you are blown up as the pace is beyond your measure. Don’t be a “Half wheel Harry” your buddies and strangers alike will thank you for it.

High flying BMX

Dean Benalla gets airborne with his BMX (Photo Connectons BMX)

Do not conform your children to your own learning for they were born for another time -Hebrew Proverb
We see them on the street standing tall over small bike frames the whole time as rarely do they sit on the seat. The bikes are quite often absent of brakes as the riders create their own free style braking method of the shoe over the frame onto the back wheel.

These young riders are athletic and extremely agile and have an extreme sense of fun. They defy all cycling thinking of set up of seat height frame size and gearing yet in their own way it all fits the style of riding chosen but to the untrained eye it is just another BMX.

What steers your bike (part 2)

Cornering fast and smoothly is all about balancing forces and lots of practice. (Photo Dean Murhpy)

Continuing on the theme of what steers your bike, hopefully last week we established that a bicycle is unstable when standing still due to being a two wheel human powered vehicle.

Once the bicycle is moving forward stability increases when the centre of gravity in over the frame and wheel.  The weight being kept in balanced combined with the wheels acting as gyroscopes the forces keeps the bike upright and moving forward and is very stable. As the speed of the bike is increased cornering takes on a complete new approach to maintain the forward momentum and centre of gravity stability. 

What steers your bike (part 1)

Steering a bike is more about balance than turning the handle bars. (Photo Christian Barkla)

Have you ever wondered what steers your bike?

Most people would think that is what the handle bars are for. This is true to a certain degree and the handle bars are there to create stability and control the bike at low speed and something to hold onto at high speed to assist in steadying the upper body.

Riding a bike requires balance that in turn keeps the centre of gravity stable so as to not fall over sideways. 

Know the limits of your bike

THE combination of corners and two wheels is a mystery for many newcomers to cycling and is most likely shrouded by the fear of falling off. You don’t have to be going fast to lose control of the bike – slow turns can be a cause of difficulty for the novice. It may bring some confidence knowing what some of the limitations of the bike you are riding are as this will vary for each style of bike and size.

Get to know your gears for an easier ride

Easy rider: get your gears working to reduce your effort. This bike is set for comfortable cruising. Photo: Helen Cronin

One Sunday morning, we passed a woman valiantly pushing up a hill in her top gear. But she was working needlessly hard.

Gears are designed to even out the terrain so it’s not such hard work. Up hill in low gear should be almost as comfortable as on the flat with a ripper tail wind.

Relax for a better ride

A friend in her early 40s is learning to ride a long board. After the first “lesson” she complained that she felt like she’d been hit by a bus. True, she fell off a couple of times, but the real problem was that she was tense and tentative.

In order to skate without falling and without aching muscles she has to learn to relax. It’s the same on a bike.

Keep your mind on the job for improved performance

I was once privileged to be a support driver for the Herald Sun Tour. On one of the rest days I had a long chat with a “retired” cyclist who had competed at a very high level in Europe. He had not been able to afford a TV or other entertainment so he went and joined the local library.

The more he read the better he rode. He put it down to being able to sustain an intense level of concentration for long periods. It seemed that the greater comprehension he gained, the better he performed at all levels.

Take off the training wheels for a fast start

Forget the training wheels on those new bikes. Children (and adults!) can learn to ride faster without them. A simple three step method develops confidence with balance before the new rider has to worry about pedalling.

Remove the training wheels if fitted. Now take off the pedals and lower the seat so the child can sit on it with both feet flat on the ground.

Getting back to basics can be a lot of fun

While the professionals were showing their colours in the criterium before the Tour this year, a group of kids were showing their stuff on BMX bikes in Mitchell Street. Their bike handling skills are superb. No matter what that bike is doing, the rider is always in control.

Anyone who gets on a bike quickly discovers there’s a lot more to it than just turning the pedals. The Bendigo and District Cycling Club runs a program for kids to prepare them for track racing. But many adults would benefit from the exercises that focus on basic bike handling skills.