Jim: Jumps

Just some short random comments today.

Did the commute on the fixed gear, as my post-industrial-revolution-bike with multiple gears was still in surgery. Coming down the Capital Crescent through Bethesda I was spinning out at about 22-23 MPH - it's hard to go faster than that for an extended period of time with my gearing, but I can go that fast (at a cadence of about 130) for a long time. I passed a guy in Bethesda and he caught my wheel. A mile on, we passed another guy who was moving pretty good and he caught on. A mile after that, another guy who rides a Bianchi, who I see commuting regularly and actually normally goes like stink (faster than 23) caught on. Then somebody else joined in. By the time we got to Georgetown, I was leading a 5 man train going 22-23 pretty steadily. You don't normally get a paceline on the trail, so that was unusual. I slowed for some traffic. Everybody came around. One guy said "nice pull. That was really impressive. Fast." I had to be both truthful and boastful all at once. "Thanks," I said. "But it really wasn't that fast. I'm not very fast, and besides, on the fixie, I'm limited to about 23, just can't spin any faster than that on this route." Wow. On the one hand, the truth is a bee-atch. I am not fast. I am, in fact, quite slow. On the other hand, just a bit of racing and training builds up the engine quite a bit, and the worst racer can crush commuters. Still, it was mean. Sometimes I appall myself. But it takes constant pumping to keep that unjustly puffed up ego inflated.

Fortunately, I have good friends who know how to keep my ego under control with regular pin pricks. Like this one:



Like the new handlebar tape? This is what you get when the LBS owner is a drinking buddy, and a you're a regular on his group rides, and he's a Cat 3, and he thinks your cocky butt needs some putting in its place. After destroying my bars in "the incident" on Saturday, I asked for a set of loaners to use for the hill ride and Greenbelt tomorrow night. I specifically said "No tape, Jon. As soon as the FSA Wing is in Thursday, I'll bang it on there." So this is what I get. Very funny. Actually I laughed my butt-tocks off when I walked into the house and saw it tonight. But I know I'm going to catch hell about this tomorrow. What can a boy do? Why, sing, of course.

I feel pretty...
Oh so pretty...
Oh so pretty, and witty, and gay!
And I pity,
Any girl who isn't me today."

I mean it would look fine if my name was Jan, and I rode for a phone company. Unfortunately, the only thing I have in common with that guy is we're both kinda fat right now, and we both just looove beer. As for Jon, my LBS guy... there will be ramifications. Count on it. Hat tip to West Side Story for the lyrics.

On the fixie, I've been able to do a skip stop or skid stop for several months, but only on gravel or wet pavement. That's when you lock up the rear wheel using just leg power, and skid to a stop. It's hard. Here's how the Wiki defines it:

A rider can lock the rear wheel and skid to slow down or completely stop on a fixed-gear bicycle, a manoeuvre sometimes known as a skip stop. It is initiated by unweighting the rear wheel while in motion (and usually lifting it off the ground slightly) by shifting the rider's weight forward and pulling up on the pedals using clipless pedals or toe clips. The rider then holds the pedals in a horizontal position, thus stopping the drivetrain and wheels, while applying his or her body weight in opposition to the normal rotation of the pedals. When the rear tire again contacts the ground the rear wheel will skid, which acts to slow the bike. The skid can be held until the bicycle stops or until the rider desires to continue pedalling again at a slower speed. The technique requires a little practice and using it while cornering is generally considered dangerous.

Great instructions, eh? Here's how a bike messenger told me to do it:

Press back hard with your back leg, man, then lean over the front wheel, kick back, and pray your knee don't blow out.

Yeah, that works better for me, too. Today I managed a skid stop for the first time on dry pavement. All it took was to be booking through George Washington Circle under full power, and have a woman pull out in front of me, raise her left hand (palm outwards) and come to a complete stop across three lanes about 15 feet in front of me. I couldn't get my hands of the drops and onto the brakes quick enough, locked 'er up and skidded to a stop, in a brief trackstand, about six inches from her door. Yet again, I impressed myself. On the other hand, she looked like the Psychic Hotline lady, so maybe she used a magic palm or something and that's how I stopped. I'll have to try it again tomorrow with some other motorist who is trying to kill me, and see if it works then.