Riding on thin beams
08-20-04, 05:09 PM
#1
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Riding on thin beams
Hey Guys...
I'm having trouble riding on small beams (about 15-16 cm across). Do these things come more with skill or more with the bike's balance and structure? I'm going to try it again, but last time I did, I fell off, 3 feet unexpectedly, hit my pedal as I fell, flipped but luckiuly, not even a single cut. Just a lot of bruises. =D
I'm having trouble riding on small beams (about 15-16 cm across). Do these things come more with skill or more with the bike's balance and structure? I'm going to try it again, but last time I did, I fell off, 3 feet unexpectedly, hit my pedal as I fell, flipped but luckiuly, not even a single cut. Just a lot of bruises. =D
08-20-04, 05:36 PM
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What the heck is a cm...ummm let me google that...ok 5 to 6 in...no...hints
1 - use your body to adjust. Do not steer with the handle bar
2 - use your legs to balance and avoid pedaling. If you must pedal learn how to ratchet, this stop body sway and keeps the bike upright
3 - in extreme circumtances stick a leg out for counter balance...
4 - practice...lots...north shore kids become good at skinnies by riding them a lot. Nothing I can say will help you beyond your initial thinking
1 - use your body to adjust. Do not steer with the handle bar
2 - use your legs to balance and avoid pedaling. If you must pedal learn how to ratchet, this stop body sway and keeps the bike upright
3 - in extreme circumtances stick a leg out for counter balance...
4 - practice...lots...north shore kids become good at skinnies by riding them a lot. Nothing I can say will help you beyond your initial thinking
08-20-04, 06:05 PM
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Me and my riding buddies always ride along the top of gutters to practice. They are normally about 5 inches or like 20cm wide sop theyre pretty good. AND if you fall, it doesnt matter, you're only half a foot off the gorund on one side and no drop at all on the other! Perfect for practising!
08-20-04, 07:19 PM
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Two more points
5 - look far enough ahead to know what is coming up YET keep your front wheel in peripheral vision.
6 - Startsmaller. 3 ft and 6 inches is damn tall/hard. At 3 feet if you are asking these question I wold drop the height to 2 ft and width to 8 inches or 10 inches...see the pattern
5 - look far enough ahead to know what is coming up YET keep your front wheel in peripheral vision.
6 - Startsmaller. 3 ft and 6 inches is damn tall/hard. At 3 feet if you are asking these question I wold drop the height to 2 ft and width to 8 inches or 10 inches...see the pattern
08-20-04, 08:06 PM
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a good way to practice is to try riding curbs too. if you can find a nice curb where you can fall off both sides (as opposed to only being able to fall of one side) it'd be a lot better. they're nice and skinny and not to high off the ground, so if you fall off or lose balance, you aren't going to be plummeting to your doom.
i also found that wider bars and fatter tires helped me balance a bit better.
i also found that wider bars and fatter tires helped me balance a bit better.
08-20-04, 08:46 PM
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See...hmmm...I don't agree. Skinnies have nothing on either side. I tried this and it didnt do much for real world skills. Just like riding the yellow lines....doesn't seem to work. I need a skinny to practice skinnies.
To really work on balance practice trackstands...that translates well onto skinnies
To really work on balance practice trackstands...that translates well onto skinnies
08-20-04, 08:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Maelstrom
See...hmmm...I don't agree. Skinnies have nothing on either side.
08-21-04, 02:08 AM
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Thats it. A curb. I was trying to remember the name so i put "top of the gutter" instead.
08-21-04, 07:50 AM
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Well, I can't find any curbs like that. Maybe it's just my problem+ my crappy leg disease (the bone is stretched on one side, I don't know wtf happened it it, but I've lost some balance ever since.).
And the only skinnies that I can find here which aren't hard to get to is the tall one. OH yea, it's like 2 feet. ****, sorry. Not to mention I'm 5'3 on a 20'' bike. Ouch!
And the only skinnies that I can find here which aren't hard to get to is the tall one. OH yea, it's like 2 feet. ****, sorry. Not to mention I'm 5'3 on a 20'' bike. Ouch!
Last edited by hooligan; 08-21-04 at 10:00 AM.
08-21-04, 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by hooligan
Well, I can't find any curbs like that. Maybe it's just my problem+ my crappy leg disease (the bone is stretched on one side, I don't know wtf happened it it, but I've lost some balance ever since.).
And the only skinnies that I can find here which aren't THAT hard to get to are ...well that tall one, which hurts. OH yea, it's like 2 feet. ****, sorry.
And the only skinnies that I can find here which aren't THAT hard to get to are ...well that tall one, which hurts. OH yea, it's like 2 feet. ****, sorry.
08-21-04, 09:33 AM
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Originally Posted by hooligan
Well, I can't find any curbs like that. Maybe it's just my problem+ my crappy leg disease (the bone is stretched on one side, I don't know wtf happened it it, but I've lost some balance ever since.).
And the only skinnies that I can find here which aren't THAT hard to get to are ...well that tall one, which hurts. OH yea, it's like 2 feet. ****, sorry.
And the only skinnies that I can find here which aren't THAT hard to get to are ...well that tall one, which hurts. OH yea, it's like 2 feet. ****, sorry.
08-21-04, 09:35 AM
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NO *****ING! Have you guys seen that guy in one of the movies in the NSX Series. He has no left arm. It is some special thing created for him. It has multipul air shocks that act as joints. And this guy does all the north shore stuff. Props to him, shame on you.
08-21-04, 09:59 AM
#13
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Rasheed, I don't run anymore because Im selling my bike.
When I do get to ride again, maybe we'll meet as long as we gots some contact. I ride around taylor creek park/DVP/ Sunnybrook area. For my skinnies, it's in a local schoolyard.
To Mael: How'd you lose most of your left hand?
When I do get to ride again, maybe we'll meet as long as we gots some contact. I ride around taylor creek park/DVP/ Sunnybrook area. For my skinnies, it's in a local schoolyard.
To Mael: How'd you lose most of your left hand?
Last edited by hooligan; 08-21-04 at 10:04 AM.
08-21-04, 10:07 AM
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I didn't loose it. I was born without the middle and third finger as well as both my pinky and first finger have only one knuckle (making them essentially thumbs)...so I have three thumbs and no fingers...makes it interesting braking at high speeds
08-21-04, 10:20 AM
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Isn't it hard to type? 
Sometimes I get 2 coolers, put a board across the top, and one going up to the first, and sometimes one going down from the second, so it's like 4 feet of riding on a 10' wide board. Not too hard, and about a foot off the ground.
Sometimes I get 2 coolers, put a board across the top, and one going up to the first, and sometimes one going down from the second, so it's like 4 feet of riding on a 10' wide board. Not too hard, and about a foot off the ground.
08-21-04, 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by MadMan2k
Isn't it hard to type?
Sometimes I get 2 coolers, put a board across the top, and one going up to the first, and sometimes one going down from the second, so it's like 4 feet of riding on a 10' wide board. Not too hard, and about a foot off the ground.
Sometimes I get 2 coolers, put a board across the top, and one going up to the first, and sometimes one going down from the second, so it's like 4 feet of riding on a 10' wide board. Not too hard, and about a foot off the ground.
08-21-04, 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by MadMan2k
Isn't it hard to type?
08-21-04, 12:21 PM
#18
Just give'er.
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Jeez, a comp speed maniac AND a coolio biker. Some people are just born with gifts.
08-21-04, 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by FoX Rider
A ten foot wide board?
08-21-04, 04:55 PM
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Correction it's a very intinimdating sand+rocks on oneside and cement+rocks on t he other side, 1 foot, 10-11 cm board. Thats about 3-4 inches. Yes, Im serious. And yes, I suck.
