Changing direction quickly on a two wheeled vehicle at a fairly constant speed?
The dreaded shimmy
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
And that translates to cycling how?
Changing direction quickly on a two wheeled vehicle.
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
Dirk, you and I have been through this before. Before I embark once again on explaining my point of view, let me know what I'm defending. What do you think I think about counter-steering?
OP
OP
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
I might not have stopped shimmying but am learning how to control it...
Today's ride, two shimmys , both as I gather speed. Brake, reduce speed and then pedal through it. Collecting it together before it gathers momentum seems to be better (of course...it's not rocket science)
Phhhh, it's annoying.
You never stop analysing it, it's a bit annoying and perhaps I'm over analysing but....
Pre TB, I'd be carrying a lot more speed into descents, I'd happily pedal along at 18-20mph and still accelerate downhill.
Now my fitness isn't there it's harder to achieve the speeds I used to, let alone accelerate and continue pedalling. Pedalling through the trigger speeds may well help...if only I could
Today's ride, two shimmys , both as I gather speed. Brake, reduce speed and then pedal through it. Collecting it together before it gathers momentum seems to be better (of course...it's not rocket science)
Phhhh, it's annoying.
You never stop analysing it, it's a bit annoying and perhaps I'm over analysing but....
Pre TB, I'd be carrying a lot more speed into descents, I'd happily pedal along at 18-20mph and still accelerate downhill.
Now my fitness isn't there it's harder to achieve the speeds I used to, let alone accelerate and continue pedalling. Pedalling through the trigger speeds may well help...if only I could
Counter steering can be used deliberately by a skillful rider to initiate a quick change of direction. The counter steering precedes the lean angle.
You said "Truth is, counter-steering happens automatically. This is easily proven by riding no-hands. Yes, when you lean into a corner, the steering briefly swivels to the opposite direction, the bike leans, the steering returns and overshoots (the centre) and leans in towards the corner. This all happens without you knowing that it even happens or without you even thinking about it.
That's why I say the whole lore of counter-steering is BS."
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
OK, I'll agree that's what we're defending then. Firstly, realise this is in the realm of cycling for now. Push-bikes. Bicycles.
Please point out what part of the above quoted sentence I have to defend?
Bicycles or motorcycles - the principle is the same.
Counter steering does not happen 'automatically' when making a quick change of direction - it is the result of rider input before the vehicle adopts a lean angle.
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
Dirk it does and the automatic is in the mind and body, not "in the system". You know it, we've discussed it before. Go down to your local pump track and ask the boys there how many of them countersteer. Ask Danny Macaskill (SP?) if he countersteers. Go ask the little kids in your street playing around on their little roller skate scooter things if they countersteer.
It is something that happens automatically and we don't have to know about it for it to take place. Look up the word automatic.
It is so automatic that no-one (other than our "advance riding graduate class of '99) even knows it happens. Like breathing. No cyclists benefits from being told to countersteer.
Don't forget to breathe.
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
What exact point in my phrase is that contradicting?
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
It is a relatively short paragraph, so it should be difficult to highlight the offending sentences. Do try.
OP
OP
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Please resist the urge to discuss countersteering....it should never have come into the discussion IMO 
