Bike Handling Skills Tip (a little late)

[Chattbiker]

Some of you might be aware of this already so if so forgive me. I layed my bike down a couple weeks ago. It happened so fast that I really didn't have time to think. I was doing a route recon for an upcoming race with two friends when all of a sudden I ran up on my buddy's wheel. As I looked up(ordown) at his wheel I was just to the left of it. All I could focus on was hitting his wheel. As I stared at his wheel trying my best not to hit him or rub wheels, I went down hard.

The next week I was telling the story to a guy who attended a bike handling skills class and he gave me a great tip. You may already know this but I thought it would be worth sharing because I didn't really consider it until I heard it. But then tried it, it worked!

Whenever your faced with a situation like the one above or you find yourself simply veering off the road, turn your head in the opposite direction. That's right just look the other way. By turning your head, your bike will naturally go in that direction. DO NOT continue to look in that same direction that your trying to avoid because by looking in that direction, your natural tendency is to go that way. I've tried it since then and it does work. Practice this on your next ride. It really does work.

[megale3]

Chat no I did not know this and thank you very much. I wonder one thing? How did you try it the second time and figure out that it worked? I hope that you are feeling ok and nothing is really messed up on you.
Meg

[kszspin]

This is absolutely spot on. "Look down, go down!" :o
I also ride a motorcycle, this is the major thing you learn about riding a MC. But when turning (or taking a curve), you need to look out into the direction you DO want to go (turn your head and look at your vanishing point, the place where you cannot see anymore). You obviously do that to some degree when riding a bike around a curve, but the speed on a MC is much greater and you also accelerate through the turn.

[Julibird]

Same rule applies to skiing/telemarking - we must be wired to respond to physics this way...

Thanks, Chat, for this tip - next group ride is in a few days - I may need it!

[Chattbiker]

Chat no I did not know this and thank you very much. I wonder one thing? How did you try it the second time and figure out that it worked? I hope that you are feeling ok and nothing is really messed up on you.
Meg

You can actually just do it while riding in a straight line especially when you're close to the shoulder. If you focus on the shoulder you tend to go that way but if you turn your head the other way, you veer that way. I didn't actually try it out of necessity the second time, just experimenting.

[megale3]

[ I didn't actually try it out of necessity the second time, just experimenting.
Thank God! 8)

[lizardbiker]

Chat no I did not know this and thank you very much. I wonder one thing? How did you try it the second time and figure out that it worked? I hope that you are feeling ok and nothing is really messed up on you.
Meg

You can actually just do it while riding in a straight line especially when you're close to the shoulder. If you focus on the shoulder you tend to go that way but if you turn your head the other way, you veer that way. I didn't actually try it out of necessity the second time, just experimenting.

That's one reason for the courtesy of letting a cyclist know you're passing them. If you try to pass fast and silently to impress them (like lots of "cyclists" do around where I work) the tendency for the person being passed is to turn their head to see the source of the new sound - they drift left and link handlebars with the idiot who is trying to be cool be zoofing within inches of the other person. Seen them do it on mountain descents. Glad I didn't see them go down, although the person getting passed was a little rattled.

Definitely a good handling skill to practice so that it becomes second nature.

Another application: night riding - if you stare at oncoming headlights, you tend to drift towards them. That's when you try your best to focus on the line on the side of the road - if you have a helmet light it makes it easier to focus on your beam on the road until the car passes.

[JFK]

Not to get too philosophical, but "look where you want to go" is good advice for the road...and life!

[like2bike]

That's one reason for the courtesy of letting a cyclist know you're passing them. If you try to pass fast and silently to impress them (like lots of "cyclists" do around where I work) the tendency for the person being passed is to turn their head to see the source of the new sound - they drift left and link handlebars with the idiot who is trying to be cool be zoofing within inches of the other person. Seen them do it on mountain descents. Glad I didn't see them go down, although the person getting passed was a little rattled.

Definitely a good handling skill to practice so that it becomes second nature.


This really gets my goat when other "cyclists" pass without warning. So true too, about how you will turn your head to the left to "see" the sound and you start to bobble and slightly loose control. What happens next is usually a mishap.

Thanks for the reminder Lizard. I always announce when I'm passing but I'm going to remind the folks I'm riding with in the upcoming MS-150 just to "refresh" them.

Also, Chat, thanks for posting this. It's good to read this in writing to make yourself "aware" that if/when this happens, look the other way.

[like2bike]

Not to get too philosophical, but "look where you want to go" is good advice for the road...and life!

Very true!

[Mark M]

In the past two weeks, we've had two accidents on our group rides. A lady broke her collarbone several weeks ago. I didn't witness the incident, but we have a lot of new riders that are just strong enough to get in trouble. The line will surge and then abruptly slow and there you go down to meet the pavement. Tuesday, we had an experience rider go down. However, this was freakish. He had transitioned out of the saddle to participate in a sprint. The pin in his cleat broke and he went tumbling down. It happened right in front of me. I first thought his fork had collasped. He had your typical cuts, bruises and scratches. He'll be all right; however, when it happens, it makes you feel a little more vulnerable on the rode.

[Mark M]

Another application: night riding - if you stare at oncoming headlights, you tend to drift towards them. That's when you try your best to focus on the line on the side of the road - if you have a helmet light it makes it easier to focus on your beam on the road until the car passes.[/quote]

Dude, you are way too much for me. I'll stick to day time riding!! :lol: [/quote][/quote]