FunkyScribe
New Member
The weather finally decided to cooperate and let me get out on my month-old Q45. I call her the SS Bumblebee (yellow and black and a lack of creativity on my part).
I live in a complex of about 15 apartment (condo) buildings with a wandering .75 mile looping parking lot/carport/speed bump farm. It's Colorado Springs, so there is no level ground anywhere, which I thought would be helpful for the 'learn to ride on a slight slope' directive.
I swallowed my pride and pushed the bike to the 'top' of the parking lot where I practiced my Flintstones, coasting with feet up, coasting with feet on the pedals, and some lazy turns. Once the novelty of that wore off, I settled in, took a few deep breaths, and started to roll down the hill. I've been riding bikes for half a century, how hard can it really be? Famous last words.
I pedaled gently without pushing my speed, and I didn't have the wobbles that I expected. I did, however, have the 'swoops'. Big, sweeping, left and right arcs out of nowhere. As soon as I thought I've got this, BAM, big, spontaneous left turn. And then the inevitable overcorrection, panic shifting, and then a hard stop, feet down, reset.
Thirty minutes, five laps, and four miles later, here's what I learned:
1. I need to relax. Leaning back is unnatural for me on a bike, but it really helps.
2. My shoulders hurt and my hands are sore. See also: RELAX, you fool.
3. My instinct is to fight the heavy front end, a task for which I am woefully under-equipped. I'm a computer jockey, and I have the upper body strength to prove it.
4. High pressure tires freak me out. I've been riding fat tires for 30+ years, anything over 35 psi makes me lean away while I'm pumping them up.
5. Is this therapy? It feels like therapy.
6. To quote my motorcycle instructor from many years ago: Look where you want to go and the bike will follow. It's not about turning, it's about steering.
7. Speed bumps suck, but that rear shock is sweet.
8. I need some grippier shoes and/or pedals.
8. I did not sufficiently tighten my handlebars and brakes.
The last trip around I managed to hit the center gap on all the speed bumps, so I ended on that high note.
No tears, no blood, I'm counting that as a win.
I felt it a couple of times, though, that control and confidence when it all lines up just for a moment. Going back out tomorrow to see how much of that learning actually sunk in.
I live in a complex of about 15 apartment (condo) buildings with a wandering .75 mile looping parking lot/carport/speed bump farm. It's Colorado Springs, so there is no level ground anywhere, which I thought would be helpful for the 'learn to ride on a slight slope' directive.
I swallowed my pride and pushed the bike to the 'top' of the parking lot where I practiced my Flintstones, coasting with feet up, coasting with feet on the pedals, and some lazy turns. Once the novelty of that wore off, I settled in, took a few deep breaths, and started to roll down the hill. I've been riding bikes for half a century, how hard can it really be? Famous last words.
I pedaled gently without pushing my speed, and I didn't have the wobbles that I expected. I did, however, have the 'swoops'. Big, sweeping, left and right arcs out of nowhere. As soon as I thought I've got this, BAM, big, spontaneous left turn. And then the inevitable overcorrection, panic shifting, and then a hard stop, feet down, reset.
Thirty minutes, five laps, and four miles later, here's what I learned:
1. I need to relax. Leaning back is unnatural for me on a bike, but it really helps.
2. My shoulders hurt and my hands are sore. See also: RELAX, you fool.
3. My instinct is to fight the heavy front end, a task for which I am woefully under-equipped. I'm a computer jockey, and I have the upper body strength to prove it.
4. High pressure tires freak me out. I've been riding fat tires for 30+ years, anything over 35 psi makes me lean away while I'm pumping them up.
5. Is this therapy? It feels like therapy.
6. To quote my motorcycle instructor from many years ago: Look where you want to go and the bike will follow. It's not about turning, it's about steering.
7. Speed bumps suck, but that rear shock is sweet.
8. I need some grippier shoes and/or pedals.
8. I did not sufficiently tighten my handlebars and brakes.
The last trip around I managed to hit the center gap on all the speed bumps, so I ended on that high note.
No tears, no blood, I'm counting that as a win.
I felt it a couple of times, though, that control and confidence when it all lines up just for a moment. Going back out tomorrow to see how much of that learning actually sunk in.
