dhat wrote:An update...
I've not been able to ride a lot the last few weeks - only a couple of runs. I can see a lot of improvement already, but still a few things are difficult.
- Clipping in made 500% difference.
- Starting on uphill fine except very steep uphills where it may take a couple of false starts.
- Travelling over the Gladesville bridge is still scary when passing other communters/pedestrians. Same with any other steep and narrow sections. I find it difficult to stay on my side.
Glad to hear you're getting the hang of it Dirk. I'm not surprised about you feeling a little uncomfortable passing on the Gladesville Bridge path, it's barely wider than two bikes. I'm not entirely relaxed passing another bike on it whether I'm on the DF or the 'bent.
- Small sections of my commute entirely impossible (Hotdog will know these sections - underpass of Gladesville bridge on west side (not the steps), crossing Victoria road in Balmain using the overpass when coming from Lillyfield, getting onto Gladesville bridge at the East end (involves a sharp turn into a steep uphill section of the bridge), section of path connecting 2 roads near the first hill in Drummoyne from the west side - ?do you ride all these sections by now?).
I think I know most of the spots you mean. I have ridden pretty much all of them, but some of them remain awkard enough that I still chose not to.
The footbridge over Victoria Road is extremely hard, the ramp on the Anzac Bridge side in particular has an very narrow switchback which definitely requires you to unclip the inside foot to avoid heel strike and when you're heading westward it's a steep uphill so you need to keep pedalling one footed round the corner. Fortunately it's such a tight space you can easily grab the railings with your hand to steady yourself. I've sort of done it a few times, but I don't very often use that bridge and unless I'm in the mood for a challenge I'll usually just dismount. If you get to the point when you can reliably ride over that bridge in either direction without help from the railings then you'll truly be a master of 'bent riding
The section of path joining two roads in Drummoyne and the uphill turn onto Gladeville Bridge from the direction of Gladesville I do routinely ride, but it took a while before I could. The path bit in Drummoyne is one of the few places where I still sit up off the seat for extra balance as it requires very low speed riding and turning. The uphill left turn onto the Gladesville Bridge needs you to unclip the inside foot and pedal one footed round the bend if you want to do it 'properly' (staying on your own side at all times) though I'll admit that if no one is coming the other way I get lazy and go wide on the approach and exit of the corner so I don't have to turn so tight that I have to unclip.
- Going faster than 40kph can feel a bit loose especially when pedalling.
That's interesting, one of the things I've always liked about my Giro 26 is how solid it feels at speed. Try using lower gears, pedalling a higher cadence/lower torque should reduce pedalling induced wobble.
Okay, it's no Bacchetta but Graeme rode it and wasn't overly terrified.
. 2. My speed on a DF is slower than I remember.