Gliding progress

General
1

This morning the ground was coated with a fine smooth pollen (the consistency of talcum powder) which made gliding considerably easier on my otherwise sticky primo tire.

I can glide maybe 2 revs at most and am starting to get the feel of it. Seems like it just takes a lot of practice as the gliding foot learns to regulate very precisely. Seems you need a feather touch on the wheel with the ability to immediately regulate the pressure on or off the tire. Also seems that I might benefit from practicing on slightly steeper hills in order to get sufficient gravitational pull to yank me beyond 2 revs.

Is there an ideal place to keep the regulating foot ? close to the frame or further away? When you get into a long, smooth glide does your regulating foot stay in pretty much the same place?

I get into the glide from ofww. I’ve read the posts about going straight from one foot pedal which will give me more speed, but prefer a safer/slower way to develop my gliding. In other words, it seems that once I’m really comfortable with gliding, then I will try going straight from the pedal speed.

Anybody have any advice other than keep practicing? :slight_smile:

Joe

2

RE: Gliding progress

> Is there an ideal place to keep the regulating foot ?
> close to the frame or further away? When you get into
> a long, smooth glide does your regulating foot stay in
> pretty much the same place?

In my opinion I think this has more to do with leg length than anything
else. You want the center (arch) of your foot to be where the friction is
taking place. I think this is fairly consistent with the other riders with
whom I’ve shared “glide marks” on our shoes over the years. So put that part
of your foot on whatever part of the tire is most comfortable, and gives you
the most leverage.

> I get into the glide from ofww. I’ve read the posts
> about going straight from one foot pedal which will
> give me more speed, but prefer a safer/slower way to
> develop my gliding. In other words, it seems that
> once I’m really comfortable with gliding, then I
> will try going straight from the pedal speed.

Amen. The transition from riding (either two-foot or one) to gliding is a
scarier one, and it helps to be already comfortable with gliding before you
start working on it.

> Anybody have any advice other than keep practicing? :slight_smile:

Sounds like you are on track. Thanks for posting some “useful” questions
about a skill. Too many people out there ask questions so generic they
aren’t worth answering, other than by pointing out an URL. To progress
beyond 2 revolutions you may need something a little more steep. Beginning
gliders prefer steeper slopes. Once you get comfortable and can minimize
your braking force, you’ll be able to glide on fairly shallow slopes.

The gliding competition course at UNICON X was a challenge because it was
both shallow and lumpy. It took a long way to build up some speed (other
than what you came in with, as it’s a running start). Then as you approached
the finish there were a bunch of irregularities in the road. A good,
challenging course. I unfortunately fell off at the bumps in both of my
attempts.

Stay on top,
John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
jfoss@unicycling.com

“I am never riding the wrong way on a busy street again, esp. when on the
phone.” - David Stone, on survival

Joe