Skill test..

[Si]

Pointless skill test for no other reason than it's nearly Friday.

Can you, on your normal road going bicycle...

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds?

2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground?

3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds?

4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once?

5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up (i.e. hop with out the use of clipless pedals)?

6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds?

7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor?

8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)?

9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)?

10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)?

11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along?

Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed

13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem

14/ ride a unicycle?

[Polar Bear]

I don't think I'd ever be able to ride a unicycle, a tandem or a fixed whilst on my normal road going bicycle     

[mrcharly-YHT]

I thought that a proper endo required the bike to be at at least 45degrees to the ground?

[David Martin]

Hmm.. 9/14. Could try harder.

[Charlotte]

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds?  Yes

2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground?  Yes

3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds?  No

4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once?  Yes

5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up (i.e. hop with out the use of clipless pedals)?  No

6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds?  No

7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor?  No

8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)?  Never tried

9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)?  Yes

10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)?  Yes - but only onna Trice

11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along?  Yes

Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed  Yes

13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem  Yes

14/ ride a unicycle?  No

Charlotte's Special Skill:

15/ Ride at least six pedal revolutions on a fixed wheel bike, out of the saddle with only one foot clipped in.

[David Martin]

Can I add - 'bunny hop a tandem' to the list? (with or without clipless)

[Charlotte]

Is that solo, or with a stoker on board?

[chris]

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds? Yes

2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground? Yes

3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds? No

4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once? Yes

5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up (i.e. hop with out the use of clipless pedals)? No

6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds? No

7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor? No

8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)? No

9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)? Yes

10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)? No

11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along? Yes

Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed Never tried

13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem Yes, and on the triplet!

14/ ride a unicycle? No

[Jurek]

Charlotte's Special Skill:

15/ Ride at least six pedal revolutions on a fixed wheel bike, out of the saddle with only one foot clipped in.

I have witnessed this.
The sight of it disturbs. 

[Basil]

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds? YES

2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground? 4"?

3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds? NO

4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once? NO

5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up (i.e. hop with out the use of clipless pedals)? NO

6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds?  Sometimes (or Almost)

7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor? No

8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)?  Good Heavens! NO!

9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)? Yes
10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)? No

11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along? Have done it once but almost a disaster.  I'll not be trying again.
Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed Yes (Icckle skid)

13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem ?
14/ ride a unicycle?  NO and I've been trying for ages 

[Biggsy]

I haven't tried doing all those things.  And I'm not going to!

[Greenbank]

8/14

Special skill: Changing GPS batteries on the move: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vng2S7gnKC0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Vng2S7gnKC0&rel=1</a> (0:18 onwards)

Notes:

My GPS wobbles in the mount so it's secured with a (non-reusable) ziptie.
The fresher batteries came from inside one of my B&M Ixons, I had to open up the light and remove them on the move.
Batteries replaced and GPS replaced in mount and ziptie wiggled back on again.

[The Seldom Killer]

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds?  Yes

2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground?  Yes

3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds?  No

4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once?  Yes

5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up (i.e. hop with out the use of clipless pedals)?  Yes and I can do it clipless as well.

6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds?  Yes

7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor?  Yes, depending on the bike

8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)?  I plan to learn

9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)?  Yes

10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)?  No

11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along?  Yes

Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed  Yes

13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem  Yes

14/ ride a unicycle?  No

Charlotte's Special Skill:

15/ Ride at least six pedal revolutions on a fixed wheel bike, out of the saddle with only one foot clipped in. Yes and even with wrong foot in the clips

Greenbank's Special skill:

16/Changing GPS batteries on the move: Not quite, but I can pull the map out of the trap, remove the pages from the sandwich bag, unfold, refold, repack and retrap routesheets on the move.

The Seldom Killer's Special Skill:

17/ Moving dismount to off the back of the bike to end up stationary and holding the saddle?

[numbnuts]

oops 0/14  

[Charlotte]

Dammit, I really need to learn 17/.

[Gus]

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds?    yes

2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground? yes

3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds? yes

4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once? yes

5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up  ? yes

6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds? yes

7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor? no

8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)? no

9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)?  no

10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)? no

11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along?  yes

Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed yes

13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem  never tried, so proberly no

14/ ride a unicycle? no

[Woofage]

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds? Probably not. I used to be able to though (when I was about 13)

2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground? On my MTB, yes.

3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds? No

4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once? Dunno, never tried.

5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up (i.e. hop with out the use of clipless pedals)? No

6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds? No

7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor? Dunno, never tried.

8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)? NO!

9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)? Probably.

10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)? Might just have a go

11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along? Dunno, never tried.

Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed. No.

13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem. Yes

14/ ride a unicycle? No

So only 1 clear point plus 1 bonus point Must try harder...

[vorsprung]

Can you, on your normal road going bicycle...

1/ ride no handed for more than 10 seconds?
YES
2/ pull a wheelie getting the front wheel more than 6 inches off the ground?
NO
3/ pull a wheelie and keep it up for at least 20 yds?
NO
4/ hop both wheels off the ground at once?
YES
5/ do a proper bunny-hop: pull a wheelie then push down on the bars to bring the back up (i.e. hop with out the use of clipless pedals)?
NO
6/ track stand for more than 6 seconds?
NO
7/ while riding along, reach down and pick a tennis ball up off the floor?
NO
8/ bike surf (i.e. one foot on the centre of the handle bars, the other on the saddle, both hands off the bike)?
NO (what's more I think it is a stupid idea)
9/ endo (i.e. hit the front brake to lift the rear wheel more than 6 inches off the ground)?
NO
10/ endo-turn (as above but turn the bars so that you land with the bike pointing more than 90 degrees from the original direction)?
NO
11/ take off or put on a rain jacket while riding along?
NO
Bonus points:

12/ skid stop on a fixed
NO
13/ ride out the saddle on a tandem
NO
14/ ride a unicycle?
NO


Apparently I can barely ride a bike.  I am not working on any of these skillz except the rain jacket thing

[HTFB]

It's all about the bike. Wheelies are a lot easier on a racy thing with short backstays---there would be serious bonus points for wheelying a tandem. Picking something off the floor is easier on a compact frame. Riding no-handed is easier on a tourer frame with long backstays and stable geometry (HTFB's special skill: a complete urban journey of over 2 miles, with several turns and traffic lights, without touching the bars between mounting and dismounting. Best attempted in the small hours and when you know the timing of the lights well). Ect, ect.

4/14

[vorsprung]

Dammit, I really need to learn 17/.

Does he mean a cyclocross dismount?
I tried it one day, it wasn't difficult but my huge saddlebag* gets in the way


*I mean a 23 litre Carradice Super C, not what you are thinking

[David Martin]

Is that solo, or with a stoker on board?

Solo. Requires a very strong grip. never tried with a passengerstoker

..d

[The Seldom Killer]

Dammit, I really need to learn 17/.

Does he mean a cyclocross dismount?
I tried it one day, it wasn't difficult but my huge saddlebag* gets in the way


*I mean a 23 litre Carradice Super C, not what you are thinking

I think it's an old cyclocross manouver. As a pit monkey to a crosser I don't think I've ever seen this done in a race. They all come out to the side in order to keep running and grab a new bike.

It's something that I used to do as a kid with a Grifter and try it every now and again. Don't try it at high speed unless you're wearing heelys.

[The Seldom Killer]

Dammit, I really need to learn 17/.

Hold on a mo, I've already seen you do this you big dafty. With the Penny Farthing.

[chris]

Is that solo, or with a stoker on board?

Solo. Requires a very strong grip. never tried with a passengerstoker

..d

We can wheelie and bunny hop the Triplet

[clarion]

No.

Well, maybe one.