Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Skills Day

The day after intense work is a great opportunity to take some time to work on skills. These are light days. Nothing heavy, but if needed to test your skill, go for it. I choose one *specific* thing to work on. Set a goal and go for it.




Today's choice... front brake use. I recently read Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist. He mentions that most bikers when presented with a panic stop almost always grab the rear brake. Why? Because that's what they learned first. And most children when learning to ride are taught not to use the front brake too much. Part of reprogramming yourself is going out an using the front brake, and becoming OK with what happens around the edges of its envelope of use. That was my goal today.

Off to Spotts Park. I dove down the hill and practiced braking all the way to the limit of traction... and a bit beyond. Unlike the childhood stories we all heard... nothing really bad happens when the front wheel locks up. As long as you keep your weight back... the wheel slides long before a trip over the bars occurs.

A bit over an hour of efforts and I'm feeling a new sense of confidence braking heavily. Tomorrow... threshold crossovers and crosstraining.

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