The recent Sagan/Wheelie thread got me thinking about the handling skills of your every-day cyclist and your average AG triathlete. In your opinion, what should be mandatory skills? My list in order of importance:
-Emergency, controlled stop
-Look over either shoulder while traveling down the road.
-Remove, drink from, and replace water bottle while looking ahead.
-Track stand
-Ride hands-free
-Bunny hop
-Ride rollers.
“required” and necessary I think are 2 things…from your list I would “require” these:
-Emergency, controlled stop
-Look over either shoulder while traveling down the road.
-Remove, drink from, and replace water bottle while looking ahead.
Those are just basic every day moves that will make you safer and more predictable out on the roads and in races.
Taking body contact and not panicking.
For AG triathletes.
For AG triathletes.
Years ago part of the Lifetime Triathlon in Miami had a turnaround at the dead end of a two lane road. A large group that was ahead of me by ~100 yards bunched up and went down in the turn. I was very tempted to cut the course by ~20’ to avoid the mess. They should probably advocate “single file†for such turnarounds.
Stay to the side of the road. Don’t ride the center line. 5 wide is not acceptable and against the rules.
Makes sense, but all too common that these are ignored.
“required” and necessary I think are 2 things…from your list I would “require” these:
-Emergency, controlled stop
-Look over either shoulder while traveling down the road.
-Remove, drink from, and replace water bottle while looking ahead.
Those are just basic every day moves that will make you safer and more predictable out on the roads and in races.
I would add predictably hold a line on a curve…this seems to be real problem from what I’ve observed with triathletes.
How is riding rollers a mandatory skill? Riding rollers makes you good at riding rollers.
Trackstand is pretty pointless, too, save for maybe a specific track event.
As I noted I think some things are “mandatory” to help make you a safer rider and some are necessary.
But riding rollers will make you a better/safer rider, it’s much more than just “riding rollers to ride rollers well”.
As I noted I think some things are “mandatory” to help make you a safer rider and some are necessary.
But riding rollers will make you a better/safer rider, it’s much more than just “riding rollers to ride rollers well”.
Experience riding will make you a better/safer rider. No need for rollers in the least.
Stopping in wet conditions with carbon brake tracks.
Riding with a side wind
Looking over shoulder
Removing/putting back bottles from where ever you store them (behind the seat?)
And experience riding + rollers will make you a better rider. Rollers give you confidence that’s in itself hugely helpful for on the road riding.
As is a track stand. It’s more a “confidence” transitive skill than anything. You become better by becoming better at higher quality skills. End of story.
And experience riding + rollers will make you a better rider. Rollers give you confidence that’s in itself hugely helpful for on the road riding.
As is a track stand. It’s more a “confidence” transitive skill than anything. You become better by becoming better at higher quality skills. End of story.
You’re really, really stretching here. Confidence? Seriously? Riding on rollers, again, has to do with riding on rollers. Cornering, descending, riding in groups, dodging obstacles, real-life riding?!; all of those things take actual experience doing. Rollers have nothing to do with any of that.
And trackstanding? In a dozen years of riding with dozens of cat 1s, 2s, and 3s, I can count on one hand the number that could actually trackstand, and those few guys were mountain bikers as well.
Just imagine how much more confident and better at higher quality skills they’d be if they could trackstand!.. but…oh…
End of a story that you’re making up as you type your responses, perhaps…
How is riding rollers a mandatory skill? Riding rollers makes you good at riding rollers.
Trackstand is pretty pointless, too, save for maybe a specific track event.
As Doughtie mentioned above me, riding rollers translates well into general bike handling skills (if you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball!) and track standing translates well into low speed handling.
…so maybe not “mandatory†but helpful. I did try to list things in a hierarchical order.
I’ve never once said that rollers make up for on the road riding. I simply said that they are a very specific higher level skill that improves the confidence of a rider and thus makes them better on the roads. You stated you need to know how to turn and miss obstacles- riding on rollers can improve your bike handling; I’m not really sure how you can sit here and debate that. Doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense actually. Never once said they replace anything. Just said they do a hell of a lot more than just make you a better rider on rollers that you claimed.
You dont think those skills are transitive skills for better riding, I do (and others disagree with your assessment even on this thread) . End of story.
*As m original note, there are skills that were noted that I think are “required” and some that are more “necessary” for better quality of riding. I noted that neither of the skills we are discussing are “required” skills. Just that they make you a better rider if you do them in addition. And they certainly add more skills than just riding rollers that you claim.
+1
I took a skills session before my first Cat 5 race where we practiced this, and it blew my mind how much body contact you can take without thinking you’re just going down.
Also as previously mentioned, being able to hold your line while looking over both shoulders is a big one.
How is riding rollers a mandatory skill? Riding rollers makes you good at riding rollers.
Trackstand is pretty pointless, too, save for maybe a specific track event.
As Doughtie mentioned above me, riding rollers translates well into general bike handling skills (if you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball!) and track standing translates well into low speed handling.
…so maybe not “mandatory†but helpful. I did try to list things in a hierarchical order.
What are you dodging on rollers, exactly?
The notion that rollers help “smooth out pedal strokes” and “improve handling” is archaic silliness rooted in 1970s cycling lore.
If you like riding rollers and trackstanding, by all means do it and enjoy. But don’t pretend like it’s necessary component for riding well, aggressively, or successfully. Because it’s most assuredly not. .
I’ve never once said that rollers make up for on the road riding. I simply said that they are a very specific higher level skill that improves the confidence of a rider and thus makes them better on the roads. You stated you need to know how to turn and miss obstacles- riding on rollers can improve your bike handling; I’m not really sure how you can sit here and debate that. Doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense actually. Never once said they replace anything. Just said they do a hell of a lot more than just make you a better rider on rollers that you claimed.
You dont think those skills are transitive skills for better riding, I do (and others disagree with your assessment even on this thread) . End of story.
*As m original note, there are skills that were noted that I think are “required” and some that are more “necessary” for better quality of riding. I noted that neither of the skills we are discussing are “required” skills. Just that they make you a better rider if you do them in addition. And they certainly add more skills than just riding rollers that you claim.
You and the OP disagree. But the OP somehow thinks that being able to trackstand should be a mandatory riding skill. I question how many bike races he’s participated in if he genuinely thinks that.
No, but you’ve said multiple times they’re necessary for whatever “very specific higher level skills” are.
What are those, exactly?
Please explain. Please also explain the “more skills” rollers provide that you couldn’t get out on the road.
I mean, you thinking that isn’t the “end of story”. It’s just you thinking it and trying to be dismissive without providing any rational or realistic reasoning to back it up.
Like I said above, archaic silliness.
As a 200 pound man the only bunny hop you’re getting from me is on a mountain bike, that shit will pop your tires and our damage your race wheels.
OP said “mandatory” and in general it’s more of an discussion point. Which is what I pointed out to him that there really are “mandatory” skills AG triathletes should learn and then there are skills above and beyond that will only help them, but aren’t necessary.
Trackstand/rollers would fall into the skills not needed but helpful. They are skills that are helpful in your comfort and ability to handle a bike-I’m sorry you don’t understand that. You think it’s archaic silliness, and I see opportunity to get better. So I’m showcasing how it’s been helpful, you dismissed being “confident”. There’s nothing else really to discuss with you. You have your theory, I have mine.