First ride
- Thread starter Garstan1
- Start date
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
Keep at it Garstan1. Those slow speed maneuvering skills are terribly necessary haha
chicorider
Zen MBB Master
For me, it was about repeated outings. They didn't need to be long, but each outing rewired my brain just a little more than the last one. Eventually, over a span of time, it became natural. But yeah, it sure wasn't at first.
Enjoy the process. It's strangely satisfying.
Enjoy the process. It's strangely satisfying.
billyk
Guru
Yeah, but you’ll figure it out like all the rest of us. We have all levels of riders here. No high level skills needed, though some here (not me) do have those skills. It took me weeks before I was comfortable in close traffic. But once you do get it, these are fun bikes to ride.
After decades of regular riding on an upright, I tried to enjoy the learning curve as if I were a kid learning to bike for the first time. “Tried to” … but there were times when I wanted it to come quicker. .
After decades of regular riding on an upright, I tried to enjoy the learning curve as if I were a kid learning to bike for the first time. “Tried to” … but there were times when I wanted it to come quicker. .
rrbrickmason
New Member
Pay attention, take your time, and stay off of the narrow and busy roads if you can until you have some experience. It is easy to think everything is under control, turn your head to the side, wind up with a serious wobble and then in the wrong place for a moment. Not bad unless a car is passing.
Bill Wightman
Well-Known Member
Here is my $1.00's worth. Take everything in little steps. Try the same thing over and over and over. Practice the one leg starts, practice if your foot comes out when you start, practice slow and emergency stops. Only add speed in small doses. When you are having problems...coast. I started as a 60 yo and gained a lot of upper body strength and balance in the process. Try to leave more room around common road bikes as they will assume you are as maneuverable as they are, we are not and our turning circle and balance at slow speed stinks (on average) compared to an upright road bike. Also we generally start slower. These reasons are why I ride a short distance off the back of a group of upright road bikes. You have to be careful at the lights as you will sometimes be cutoff as the yellow turns red. Because I have a higher top speed it is usually not hard to catch the group. Be patient and careful. Always ride with bright day and non-glaring night flashing and solid lights. No sudden motions, ever. Get a 1 - Garmin Varia and 2 - a mirror, and 3 - briefly glance over shoulder when changing lanes (3 layers of protection). Assume you are invisible to cars and trucks, really. I wave traffic on that has stopped in a dangerous fashion all the time, people will do crazy things around bikes. When in doubt just wait, safety trumps everything else.
Also, if you should fall know that you are not very high up. The best approach is to let the bike slam down as you climb upward on the handlebars (like the Titanic sinking). That sums up my only three V20 falls and the only things that suffered were my right shoe that got ground down, my derailleur which got ground down but still worked, and my right handlebar grips were ground a bit. Let the bike take the hit. Let the bike slide on the pavement and get eaten up. Strangely I only fall to the right side, even on upright bikes.
Also, if you should fall know that you are not very high up. The best approach is to let the bike slam down as you climb upward on the handlebars (like the Titanic sinking). That sums up my only three V20 falls and the only things that suffered were my right shoe that got ground down, my derailleur which got ground down but still worked, and my right handlebar grips were ground a bit. Let the bike take the hit. Let the bike slide on the pavement and get eaten up. Strangely I only fall to the right side, even on upright bikes.
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Right there with you, 3 days in and the bike still has a mind of its own
Velocivixen
Well-Known Member
I bought a Q45 lightly used & practiced daily for about 3 weeks. Then it got too hot for me to ride……eventually bought a 2022 Greenspeed GT20. I’m not sure when I’ll get back on the CB.
