Last weekend I had a most humbling experience. I was meeting with some
friends on a local paved trail for some rollerblading (me on my Schwinn
24" instead of 'blades). We decided to pack lunches and picnic stuff and
make an afernoon of it. Although I’ve been riding for about 2 years, I’ve
never ridden with a 15lb. knapsack on before. Let me tell you, it felt
like I was learning to ride all over again!
I know that many of you ride with Camelbaks and knapsack and such; how do
you adjust for the vast change in your center of gravity? Perhaps I just
don’t have enough experience to adjust to being top-heavy. I assure you,
next time I show up to ride with a group and have made any variations in
anything, I’ll try it on my home ground first!
> I know that many of you ride with Camelbaks and knapsack and such; how > do you adjust for the vast change in your center of gravity? Perhaps I > just don’t have enough experience to adjust to being top-heavy. I
Yes, I think it’s mostly a matter of being used to it. Riding trails without my Camelbak would probably feel stranger than riding it with,
these days. But my Camelbak, even when full, weighs a lot less than a
full backpack.
I’ve ridden with backpacks and they can be annoying. Because they stick
out from the vertical centerline of your body mass, they tend to swing
side to side as you ride (depending on your riding style). The further
anything is from your body’s vertical centerline, the more noticeable it
will probably be. But if you ride with it some more you will be fine.
This reminds me I will be riding next weekend in Moab with more water than
I’ve ever brought. I should try that out in advance as well. I may end up
with a backpack and Camelbak, to bring a 35mm camera and other stuff…
In article <39EE88F311B9D111B59D00E029099F9FD3098E@HDQFS4>, Taylor, John
<jctaylor@shrinenet.org> wrote: ) )I know that many of you ride with
Camelbaks and knapsack and such; how do )you adjust for the vast change in
your center of gravity? Perhaps I just )don’t have enough experience to
adjust to being top-heavy.
It helps to be top-heavy to begin with. I recommend a regimen of
cheeseburgers and Krispy Kremes.
It works better to have the load strapped down well; the more it can lurch
around, the harder it is to control. It’s mostly a question of getting
used to it; I still find freemounting to be more difficult with unsecured
loads, but riding isn’t really a problem. Messenger bags may work better
than backpacks. -Tom
>Taylor, John <jctaylor@shrinenet.org> wrote: ) )I know that many of you >ride with Camelbaks and knapsack and such; how do )you adjust for the >vast change in your center of gravity? Perhaps I just )don’t have enough >experience to adjust to being top-heavy.
I often ride my unicycles to school, either my 24" or my 28". I always
have quite the heavy backpack on; those Calc books are massive! I guess
I don’t really notice how the weight affects me until I go for a ride
withOUT my backpack – then I am amazed at how easy it is to freemount,
idle, hop … I love it!
Riding with a backpack can be a bit unbalancing when on a unicycle. When
given a choice I prefer to use a fanny pack (or lumbar pack) rather than a
knapsack or backpack. Riding with either a heavy fanny pack or a heavy
knapsack takes some getting used to.
I had a similar public display of a regression in riding skills recently.
I took my Coker out to pick up a package. All was well unitl I tried to
mount the Coker with the package held under my left arm. It took quite a
few attempts to get back on the Coker all while more people were taking
notice of some clumsy klutz trying to get on a unicycle.
john_childs
>From: “Taylor, John” <jctaylor@shrinenet.org> > >Last weekend I had a most humbling experience. I was meeting with some >friends on a local paved trail for some rollerblading (me on my Schwinn >24" instead of 'blades). We decided to pack lunches and picnic stuff and >make an afernoon of it. Although I’ve been riding for about 2 years, I’ve >never ridden with a 15lb. knapsack on before. Let me tell you, it felt >like I was learning to ride all over again! > >I know that many of you ride with Camelbaks and knapsack and such; how do >you adjust for the vast change in your center of gravity? Perhaps I just >don’t have enough experience to adjust to being top-heavy. I assure you, >next time I show up to ride with a group and have made any variations in >anything, I’ll try it on my home ground first! > >John Taylor >813.281.7101 jctaylor@shrinenet.org >
I guess