Advanced bike handling for commuters

graeme_s-2

I've been commuting by bike for 6 years now, but this morning attempted a manoeuvre for the first time that caught me out slightly. While accelerating on my fixie into a gap between a line of stationary traffic and a line of slow moving on coming traffic I blew a kiss at a driver over my left shoulder. This caused more of a wobble than I would have anticipated, and definitely lessened the effect I was going for. (The driver responded with a friendly toot of his horn, which I interpreted as the audible cue for "caught it!").

So any tips for mastering my over the shoulder kiss blow? And are there any other commuting specific advanced bike handling manoeuvres that I should be practising?

Kieran_Burns

My personal fave is the "standing on the pedals and clenching the arse" at the MILF who is taking WAY too long to come past.

Your hands need to be on the hoods and pedals at 3 / 9 O'Clock to maximise height and consistency of cheek displacement.

fossyant

Busted ! Heh heh.

veronese68

Kieran_Burns wrote:

My personal fave is the "standing on the pedals and clenching the ars*" at the MILF who is taking WAY too long to come past.

Your hands need to be on the hoods and pedals at 3 / 9 O'Clock to maximise height and consistency of cheek displacement.

Not pedalling to avoid the 2 seals bobbing look?

Kieran_Burns

Veronese68 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

My personal fave is the "standing on the pedals and clenching the ars*" at the MILF who is taking WAY too long to come past.

Your hands need to be on the hoods and pedals at 3 / 9 O'Clock to maximise height and consistency of cheek displacement.

Not pedalling to avoid the 2 seals bobbing look?

That's not a skill, it's an art form....

walkingbootweather

Have you tried standing on the pedals, legs akimbo, head down and proffering said kiss between the legs :?:

kelsen

I've heard some people can do the 'Emergency brake - Endo - Handlebar stepover' but I've never witnessed it, nor would I have the skill to attempt such a technical manoeuvre.

spasypaddy

Kieran_Burns wrote:

My personal fave is the "standing on the pedals and clenching the ars*" at the MILF who is taking WAY too long to come past.

Your hands need to be on the hoods and pedals at 3 / 9 O'Clock to maximise height and consistency of cheek displacement.

this is also my favourite.

2nd is the old fashioned Italian wave of the arm in exasperation, not a great idea when attempting to slam on the brakes

reformedfatty

Perhaps not as advanced as those mentioned, but I've had plenty of opportunities to demonstrate my 'road bike 23mm tyre endo with a 5 kilo pannier on the back'. Also demonstrated that its not fixies that can lock up the back.

kelsen

Oh, the condescending finger wag is a favourite of mine if a driver has just pulled a dodgy manoeuvre on you. Only to be executed though when you sail past as they get caught in a stream of traffic and there's minimal chance of them catching you.

wgwarburton

kelsen wrote:

I've heard some people can do the 'Emergency brake - Endo - Handlebar stepover' but I've never witnessed it, nor would I have the skill to attempt such a technical manoeuvre.

Hmm, how does that work, then?

Either your feet are going outside your arms, in which case you have to let go of the brake or somersault(?); they are going inside your arms, in which case you need to get them over the bars without hitting any cables, lights etc while you are still holding on; or you let go of the left bar and go around, somehow avoiding getting a twist going that will spin you and the bike off course...
If you let go of the brake the bike's still going to be underneath you when you come down... I can't see that being a good thing...

Last option would be to push the bike backwards as you let go and keep moving forward as you come down in the hope of outrunning it. That might hurt less, if you pull it off, but seems like it wouldn't be the best for the bike.

What am I missing? (Apart from a youth mis-spent on BMXs, of course :-( )

Cheers,
W.

tgotb

kelsen wrote:

I've heard some people can do the 'Emergency brake - Endo - Handlebar stepover' but I've never witnessed it, nor would I have the skill to attempt such a technical manoeuvre.

I did this once, on a Brompton. The front wheel locked and sort of slid out of the way, I went over the handlebars (letting go in the process), landed on one foot, took about three steps forward and came to a halt without falling over. No idea how I managed it, and I've no intention of trying to replicate it. I was on the way to work, in office attire, and I think most of the acrobatics was motivated by a deep desire to keep my clothes clean.

SimonAH

The Biker Fox Flip man, the Biker Fox Flip!

kelsen

WGWarburton wrote:

Hmm, how does that work, then?

Either your feet are going outside your arms, in which case you have to let go of the brake or somersault(?); they are going inside your arms, in which case you need to get them over the bars without hitting any cables, lights etc while you are still holding on; or you let go of the left bar and go around, somehow avoiding getting a twist going that will spin you and the bike off course...
If you let go of the brake the bike's still going to be underneath you when you come down... I can't see that being a good thing...

Last option would be to push the bike backwards as you let go and keep moving forward as you come down in the hope of outrunning it. That might hurt less, if you pull it off, but seems like it wouldn't be the best for the bike.

What am I missing? (Apart from a youth mis-spent on BMXs, of course :-( )

Cheers,
W.

Like I said, it's hearsay on my part, but I think most likely the last option you've described, probably executed as a last ditch attempt to avoid a collision. I heard it's been done on a roadbike/flatbar though, and like TGOTB, the practitioner had no idea how they did it which leads me to think it's one of these Zen bike manoeuvres which if done with any degree of consciousness would result in a spectacular faceplant

asprilla

TGOTB wrote:

kelsen wrote:

I've heard some people can do the 'Emergency brake - Endo - Handlebar stepover' but I've never witnessed it, nor would I have the skill to attempt such a technical manoeuvre.

I did this once, on a Brompton. The front wheel locked and sort of slid out of the way, I went over the handlebars (letting go in the process), landed on one foot, took about three steps forward and came to a halt without falling over. No idea how I managed it, and I've no intention of trying to replicate it. I was on the way to work, in office attire, and I think most of the acrobatics was motivated by a deep desire to keep my clothes clean.

+1. I've done this and no idea how.

EKE_38BPM

I've done it too.

My brother and I were riding MTBs (this was a long time ago) down a long, straight, quiet road. I was riding no handed and so was he. He was behind me but riding a little bit faster and with his arms folded, as he overtook me, he shouted "Barge" and barged into me when we were roughly shoulder to shoulder. That much I remember clearly, from now on its half remembered guess work.

I think our handlebars touched and somehow mine turned 90 degrees. The bike very quickly up-ended and I kind of stepped over the bar with one leg and then the other. This ended up with me running down the road as the bike crashed behind me.

To this day my brother rates it as the best bit of bike skill he's ever seen, but then he's never seen the Biker Fox Flip or Danny Macaskill.

raffa cakes

SimonAH wrote:

The Biker Fox Flip man, the Biker Fox Flip!

Sorry to be pedantic, but I believe this is actually the Biker Fox Hop. The Biker Fox Flip involves a forward flip through the dismount and is surely beyond the skill of even the most advanced commuter.

Kieran_Burns

raffa cakes wrote:

SimonAH wrote:

The Biker Fox Flip man, the Biker Fox Flip!

Sorry to be pedantic, but I believe this is actually the Biker Fox Hop. The Biker Fox Flip involves a forward flip through the dismount and is surely beyond the skill of even the most advanced commuter.

I *almost* managed the flip.

Almost....

Broken left wrist and cheese grated right arm testified to the almost part....

In other news, you'd be AMAZED how far you can jump when someone pours neat TCP onto a cheese grated right arm.

roger_merriman

Asprilla wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

kelsen wrote:

I've heard some people can do the 'Emergency brake - Endo - Handlebar stepover' but I've never witnessed it, nor would I have the skill to attempt such a technical manoeuvre.

I did this once, on a Brompton. The front wheel locked and sort of slid out of the way, I went over the handlebars (letting go in the process), landed on one foot, took about three steps forward and came to a halt without falling over. No idea how I managed it, and I've no intention of trying to replicate it. I was on the way to work, in office attire, and I think most of the acrobatics was motivated by a deep desire to keep my clothes clean.

+1. I've done this and no idea how.

done it MTBing when i've hit puddles/bog that was deeper than expected and the front wheel sunk in past the hub....

So you kind of jump off and keep going, fairly sure if I attempted it i'd fail but as an moment movement it does work.

tetm

Probably this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jZ7gyxUmJ4A#t=10s

or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzrIb-HNvzw

gtvlusso

Must admit that I secretly want an old school BMX - Take me back to those days of chuck yourself about stupidity.....

Retro BMX's cost a small fortune though!

veronese68

I must say, as most of the above would indicate. If you were to think about stepping over the handlebars whilst doing an endo it would be too late and the face plant would be guaranteed. I think it's just sheer blind luck coupled with your reflexes trying to stop you getting hurt.

t4tomo

TGOTB wrote:

kelsen wrote:

I've heard some people can do the 'Emergency brake - Endo - Handlebar stepover' but I've never witnessed it, nor would I have the skill to attempt such a technical manoeuvre.

I did this once, on a Brompton. The front wheel locked and sort of slid out of the way, I went over the handlebars (letting go in the process), landed on one foot, took about three steps forward and came to a halt without falling over. No idea how I managed it, and I've no intention of trying to replicate it. I was on the way to work, in office attire, and I think most of the acrobatics was motivated by a deep desire to keep my clothes clean.

I've don't that too on a Brommie. Front wheel went from underneath me as I turned left on some wet road metal. I sort of stepped off it and was left holding the bars with just my left hand with the bike almost horizontal in the air.

I remounted and pedalled off!

Again no intention of trying to repeat it.

kelsen

Well, I think everyone will agree that if we only take one thing away from this thread, it's that clown bikes are inherently unsafe and you should get a proper bike instead

vermin

kelsen wrote:

I've heard some people can do the 'Emergency brake - Endo - Handlebar stepover' but I've never witnessed it, nor would I have the skill to attempt such a technical manoeuvre.

I did that once, by accident, and landed on a Spanish lovely. Not sure I could do any of those things again.

t4tomo

kelsen wrote:

Well, I think everyone will agree that if we only take one thing away from this thread, it's that clown bikes are inherently unsafe and you should get a proper bike instead

I see the wink, but all I can say is I'm glad I wasn't on the Bianchi, Ihave had no chance of gettinng off and landing on my feet. "Clown" bikes have their place, especially if you need to spend some of your commute on a train into London!

EKE_38BPM

kelsen wrote:

Well, I think everyone will agree that if we only take one thing away from this thread, it's that clown bikes are inherently unsafe and you should get a proper bike instead

I did it on an MTB. A Spesh Hard Rock I do believe, so not a clown bike.

tgotb

kelsen wrote:

Well, I think everyone will agree that if we only take one thing away from this thread, it's that clown bikes are great for doing stunts and you should get one in addition to your a proper bike(s)

FTFY

As a (related) aside, avoid Schwalbe Marathons like the plague if you want any form of grip in the wet...

ManiaMuse

'Look-at-me-I'm-gonna-burn-you-out-at-the-lights-front-wheel-perpendicular-to-the-road-wheelie-oh-shit-that-was-not-intended...'

raffa cakes

kelsen wrote:

Well, I think everyone will agree that if we only take one thing away from this thread, it's that clown bikes are inherently unsafe and you should get a proper bike instead

Jumping to the defence of the Brompton's honour with a very dull point: it probably happens more with them because the frame only comes up to your shins so doesn't have the tendency to catch your legs and pull you down like a proper bike does. So, inherently safe. QED.

rick_chasey

TGOTB wrote:

kelsen wrote:

Well, I think everyone will agree that if we only take one thing away from this thread, it's that clown bikes are great for doing stunts and you should get one in addition to your a proper bike(s)

FTFY

As a (related) aside, avoid Schwalbe Marathons like the plague if you want any form of grip in the wet...