Advanced Skills Information

-Bicycle Touring-

Beginning Rider Tendencies
-too much side to side movement
-seat too low
-leading with heal when peddling instead of toes
-learn to peddling technique in open setting not sidewalk or stop and go traffic
-need to wear bright colors
-need to stretch and warm-up
-usually pedal too slow in too high of a gear
Efficient Peddling
-use back roads to travel
-turn crank at steady pace
-pull back leg up instead of letting pedal push leg up
-use "ankling"= push toe down on bottom of crank circle
-pedal on the"balls" of feet
Climbing Hills
-"honking"=  standing over the pedals while peddling
-weight forward
-don't be afraid to walk bike up hills, mainly last resort
Descending Hills
-weight backward
-aerodynamic form
-brake smoothly yet quickly without tires leaving ground
-brake with both rear and front brakes to avoid wear on one brake pad and to decrease stop time
Shifting Gears
-rider should able to look around while riding (wavering off the line 5 inches is acceptable)
-shifts gears smoothly and quickly
Drafting
-important in Ellensburg
-ride in as straight of line as possible
-drafters head should be just off center to blockers body
-follow at close distance with partner w/o wavering, crowding, or falling behind. (Rider's front tire must stay within 1 foot of leader's back tire)

last updated 6/6/99