Stupid bike tricks
August 26, 2005 3:33 PM Subscribe
Try this with your recumbent bike. Big (~40mb) mpg.
This one still works.
(Assuming it's the same thing, not liable if it's not.)
posted by smackfu at 4:05 PM on August 26, 2005
(Assuming it's the same thing, not liable if it's not.)
posted by smackfu at 4:05 PM on August 26, 2005
I can see this getting deleted
posted by Joeforking at 4:06 PM on August 26, 2005
posted by Joeforking at 4:06 PM on August 26, 2005
(downloading)
I changed the link since the original is dead, hopefully it's the same file, fixie.
posted by mathowie at 4:11 PM on August 26, 2005
I changed the link since the original is dead, hopefully it's the same file, fixie.
posted by mathowie at 4:11 PM on August 26, 2005
Why doesn't the front tire constantly flop around -- is the front steering fixed? Why don't they just use unicycles? How can they pedal backwards? This has to be in Germany, right?
So many questions.
posted by smackfu at 4:24 PM on August 26, 2005
So many questions.
posted by smackfu at 4:24 PM on August 26, 2005
OK, figured out the pedal backwards one. I thought "fixed-gear" meant single-gear, like a BMX bike. Not that they couldn't free-wheel. Live and learn.
posted by smackfu at 4:27 PM on August 26, 2005
posted by smackfu at 4:27 PM on August 26, 2005
Awesome though a bit long. I remember back in the 80s there was an amazing french guy that did fixed gear/small ring stuff. I've never seen it synchronized which must be tough, but kind of surprised that they didn't do any of the more impressive spins while sitting on the head tube with the bike vertical. That's a fixed/small gear classic move.
posted by mathowie at 4:27 PM on August 26, 2005
posted by mathowie at 4:27 PM on August 26, 2005
Why doesn't the front tire constantly flop around -- is the front steering fixed?
You run a tight headset which lets the forks kind of stick in the middle position but still remain usable for some turns. At the 5:00 point they do a quick spin that shows everyone's bars spin slowly.
Why don't they just use unicycles?
No clue. They love the wheelie though.
How can they pedal backwards?
A fixed gear means fixed completely. Every time a wheel moves, the cog moves and the cranks move, which includes forward and backward motion. There's no freewheeling of any kind.
posted by mathowie at 4:30 PM on August 26, 2005
You run a tight headset which lets the forks kind of stick in the middle position but still remain usable for some turns. At the 5:00 point they do a quick spin that shows everyone's bars spin slowly.
Why don't they just use unicycles?
No clue. They love the wheelie though.
How can they pedal backwards?
A fixed gear means fixed completely. Every time a wheel moves, the cog moves and the cranks move, which includes forward and backward motion. There's no freewheeling of any kind.
posted by mathowie at 4:30 PM on August 26, 2005
I'm skeptical of clicking on a movie titled erl4men.mpg. Too many bad internet catastrophes (including one recent one involving an "elderly care center").
I'll click anyway.. here goes.
posted by socratic at 4:31 PM on August 26, 2005
I'll click anyway.. here goes.
posted by socratic at 4:31 PM on August 26, 2005
Thanks, Matt (and smackfu). They are geared really low, like 20 tooth chainring x 20 tooth cog. I've seen 'acrobatic cycling' which is one person, but this synchronized stuff is something else. I can't even do a trackstand.
posted by fixedgear at 4:35 PM on August 26, 2005
posted by fixedgear at 4:35 PM on August 26, 2005
That had a chance of being a little cheesy, but at least they weren't playing the theme song to Chariots of Fire.
Oh wait.
posted by gwint at 4:53 PM on August 26, 2005
Oh wait.
posted by gwint at 4:53 PM on August 26, 2005
Pretty cool. Looks pretty much exactly like riding a unicycle, though. Just with a counterbalance in front.
posted by scarabic at 5:34 PM on August 26, 2005
posted by scarabic at 5:34 PM on August 26, 2005
2005's 'Poster With The Most Appropriate Username' Award goes to ... fixedgear!!
Yay!
posted by dash_slot- at 6:53 PM on August 26, 2005
Yay!
posted by dash_slot- at 6:53 PM on August 26, 2005
The ads around the arena are for Buckler, a sub-brand of Heineken for a Non-alcoholic. In the Netherlands it literarily flopped because a famous comic attacked it during a live TV emission on New Years Eve (the Dutch equivalent of watching the ball at Times Square), with half the country watching. The sales just plummeted the next day and Heineken discontinued it soon thereafter.
It does still exist in other countries though.
posted by kika at 8:22 PM on August 26, 2005
It does still exist in other countries though.
posted by kika at 8:22 PM on August 26, 2005
More silly fixed gear bike tricks from the 2005 Cycle Messenger World Championships (New York).
Skids, ( just the 8 MB mov ), wherein a bike skids for 509 feet.
Track Stand, ( just the 21 MB mov ), wherein riders try and ballance on the spot, while slowly giving up control.
More bike movie fun at www.bikeTV.org.
posted by ecco at 9:03 PM on August 26, 2005
Skids, ( just the 8 MB mov ), wherein a bike skids for 509 feet.
Track Stand, ( just the 21 MB mov ), wherein riders try and ballance on the spot, while slowly giving up control.
More bike movie fun at www.bikeTV.org.
posted by ecco at 9:03 PM on August 26, 2005
Man, that was really pretty neat. I can't imagine how many hours of practice they must spend to make it look as effortless as they do. I almost cried *sniff*.
posted by mk1gti at 9:08 PM on August 26, 2005
posted by mk1gti at 9:08 PM on August 26, 2005
Holy crap! As a track bike rider, I'm so far beyond impressed. I can skid (not 300 feet, mind you) and track stand (two hands, two feet) but there is no chance that I could manual a damn track bike - BACKWARDS. Thanks a bunch. That was a lot of fun.
posted by leecifer at 9:32 PM on August 26, 2005
posted by leecifer at 9:32 PM on August 26, 2005
In case nobody mentioned this, those bikes aren't recumbents. Google on recumbent and you'll see.... Honestly, I think the fact that these are track bikes and _not_ unicycles makes what they're doing easier, not harder. The added mass on the bike creates stability, just as a tightrope walker uses a pole to steady themselves.
I just keep thinking that ten years from now, these guys will be asking themselves what happened to their youth -- they spent their every waking moment in gymnasiums doing backward wheelies on track bikes and never learned how to type or work a cash register.
BTW, way impressive.
posted by bicyclingfool at 9:30 AM on August 27, 2005
I just keep thinking that ten years from now, these guys will be asking themselves what happened to their youth -- they spent their every waking moment in gymnasiums doing backward wheelies on track bikes and never learned how to type or work a cash register.
BTW, way impressive.
posted by bicyclingfool at 9:30 AM on August 27, 2005
Uh, yeah, bicyclingfool, that was sort of a joke. Get it?
posted by fixedgear at 12:31 PM on August 27, 2005
posted by fixedgear at 12:31 PM on August 27, 2005
For those of you who are unable to download the movie, I'll summarize it for you: 4 guys pop wheelies, then ride around backwards for about an hour and a half.
posted by neuron at 10:40 AM on August 28, 2005
posted by neuron at 10:40 AM on August 28, 2005
Might as well just ride unicycles. Why pay for the front half of a bike if you're not going to use it?
posted by HiveMind at 10:00 PM on August 29, 2005
posted by HiveMind at 10:00 PM on August 29, 2005
Very awesome. Thanks for the post. I'm literally in awe.
posted by OmieWise at 1:16 PM on August 30, 2005
posted by OmieWise at 1:16 PM on August 30, 2005
and ecco, thanks for those links. The skids are crazy!
posted by OmieWise at 1:39 PM on August 30, 2005
posted by OmieWise at 1:39 PM on August 30, 2005
OK, now I've watched the track stand movie and that's even more insane. One footed trackstands? Call the medics.
posted by OmieWise at 1:50 PM on August 30, 2005
posted by OmieWise at 1:50 PM on August 30, 2005
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posted by geoff. at 3:34 PM on August 26, 2005