Don’t you just love the neighbors with really steep, long driveways that are in the perfect spot for pasersby to gape as you glide down them? Ahhhhhh… My new record: approx. 6ft/2meters, probably more. I don’t know exactly how far, as I was more worried about balancing and whatnot. (I do know 6ft does is not equal to 2m though.)
-JD
Next skills: Pedal grabbing and 180 uni spins. (That’s kind of ironic though, isn’t it?)
Ahhh gliding – freedom from the pedals! Congratulations on your new-found freedom. Gliding is fun.
There is no official world distance record for gliding. The longest glide I know of is 8/10 mile, which I did in the fall of 1987 or 88, in Binghamton, NY. It’s hard to find a good hill for long glides, not too steep, and not too flat. And not too much traffic! I’ve found places for longer glides, but they’re usually freeways or really busy roads.
Actually, Old Foresthill Road in Auburn might work, but I’d have to check the slope to make sure it’s constant. Have a follow-car and a new record is possible…
Re: New distance record (for me): Gliding
“johnfoss” <johnfoss.i3drz@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in message
news:johnfoss.i3drz@timelimit.unicyclist.com…
>
> There is no official world distance record for gliding. The longest
> glide I know of is 8/10 mile, which I did in the fall of 1987 or 88, in
> Binghamton, NY. It’s hard to find a good hill for long glides, not too
> steep, and not too flat. And not too much traffic! I’ve found places for
> longer glides, but they’re usually freeways or really busy roads.
>
> Actually, Old Foresthill Road in Auburn might work, but I’d have to
> check the slope to make sure it’s constant. Have a follow-car and a new
> record is possible…
What would the minimum % road grade need to be?
I know of a few roads in So Cal which might be good for this, depending on
desired grade.
I know some downhill skaters/luge boarder guys like them 
David Winston
Hey John, but at gliding for 8/10 mile you need more than one shoe to brake. It’s not very easy to glide so long without having burning shoes…
_Felix
Re: Re: New distance record (for me): Gliding
Basically just enough to keep going. Not too flat, as a little heaviness on the tire could cause you to stop. But also not too steep, as you have to press real hard and traveling at higher speed just ups the danger level.
A course with some flat spots might be managed if the rider can pick up enough speed before them to glide through. Obviously these flat spots have to be relatively short. This was the situation with the gliding competition at UNICON 11 last summer, where the slope was minimal, and there was a flat section that only a few people made it past (not including me).
I find that on a pretty minimal slope, it’s possible to build up plenty of speed. This way you won’t wear out your shoe in 8/10 mile of gliding. The attached photo shows my shoe after my record attempt. Check out those old racing pedals!
