I was out last night practicing in a parking lot. Beginner stuff. I’ve hit
100 meters but I’m still working on forward consistency. Anyway this parking
lot has a slight very minimal grade. I don’t have much problem going across
(basically level travel) or going up the minimal grade. But it all goes to
pieces when I try to travel down the grade. Can’t even get off the starting
block. Again this is the lightest of inclines. Is it just a psychological
block I have or is traveling even a slight downhill a bit more difficult?
Thanks, -Cubby
Re: up grade vs down grade
In article <3f245e6c$1_3@corp-news.newsgroups.com>,
Cubby01 <cubby01@lycos.com> wrote:
)I was out last night practicing in a parking lot. Beginner stuff. I’ve hit
)100 meters but I’m still working on forward consistency. Anyway this parking
)lot has a slight very minimal grade. I don’t have much problem going across
)(basically level travel) or going up the minimal grade. But it all goes to
)pieces when I try to travel down the grade. Can’t even get off the starting
)block. Again this is the lightest of inclines. Is it just a psychological
)block I have or is traveling even a slight downhill a bit more difficult?
)Thanks, -Cubby
It is almost certainly psychological. To go downhill, you need to lean
backwards slightly; your body is rebelling against doing that. Try wearing
a helmet, or wrist guards, or whatever might make you feel less nervous
about leaning backwards, and you’ll get it. Really, it will come pretty
naturally as you get better.
-Tom
Re: up grade vs down grade
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 18:20:47 -0500, “Cubby01” <cubby01@lycos.com>
wrote:
> is traveling even a slight downhill a bit more difficult?
Just keep doing it and the downhill trouble will go away. In fact,
after some experience downhill is easier than uphill (on the same
incline).
As for the leaning that Tom mentions, see
<www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/lean_uni.htm> for an illustration.
Klaas Bil - Newsgroup Addict
“the helmet is to protect the brain, not replace it. - iunicycle”
In terms of balance and control, up hill can be easier.
Riding down hill, you are pedalling fowards, but resisting the movement of the pedals.
Riding uphill, you are simply pedalling forwards - there’s only one direction of pressure.
Even now, I find that if I want to ride fast, a very slight incline (or a slight headwind) can help, because there is no danger of over-spinning and the uni overtaking me.
As the Vogon guard didn’t say: “Resistance is useful.”
Re: Re: up grade vs down grade
as I noted in another post, you can also have another position:
which is torso leaning forward “in” the slope and let your legs take the thrust
I use it for severe slopes … but I sometime cannot do it because of
the psychological pressure that forces me to get “out” of the slope.
bear
I might be wrong, but I think you should try riding down some grassy hills in the park. Knowing that if you fall it will be onto soft earth instead of asphalt will give you a psychological edge, and the bumpy terrain will quickly make you a better unicyclist
If you find yourself in a fall situation, keep your body straight! This way your feet will take the impact, not your head, wrists or bottom.
Right now the only thing that will take you to the next level is time spent in the seat. If you ride the thing daily you will soon amaze yourself. carjug