Learning to ride one-footed
This entry was originally posted at https://pchengi.com/bicycling/2020/08/02/Learning_to_ride_one-footed, and cross-posted here.
I wished to document the progress while attempting to learn to ride one-footed, like I did with learning to ride backwards, so here it is. This post will be updated to have the latest updates on top, so if you wish to read it in the correct chronology, it'll be bottom to top.
Session 3 2020-08-04: duration 1 hour
Putting more weight onto the saddle is now working better, and I focused on riding straight and leaning forward a bit more, to overcome getting down from the rear. This resulted in greater stability. Staying on the saddle longer means getting down from the front, instead of sliding off from the back, so this is what I'm trying to do more often. I read on a reddit post that we also need to focus on not slowing the stroke on the driving leg when it is at the bottom, as that's what we are used to doing, when we pedal with both legs. The target is a smooth piston-like firing at the top, and a fluid travel down and up again. If the pedal stroke is strong enough, it will result in the leg traveling down and up again, without the need for application of a pull, but if the pedal stroke is too strong, it causes a strong disturbance which requires correction which messes up the smooth motion. The trick is to ensure that neither the removal of the non-drive foot nor the application of the downward push results in imbalance. Smoothness is the key, and this might require hundreds of repetitions, perhaps even thousands, to nail down. This is going to require a lot of patience is what I realize.
Session 2 2020-08-02: duration 30 minutes
Video
Tried practicing riding, but consciously driving only with my right foot, without any overt inputs from the left leg. This became easy after a bit of practice, and I found that I could now lift off my foot without suffering an immediate UPD. However, I couldn't do more than a quarter rev, without getting off/putting my foot on the ground. Friends recommend either putting the foot back on the pedal and riding on, or attempting to place the foot onto the frame.
Session 1 2020-08-01: duration 30 minutes
Tried to try and lift my left foot off the pedal, as the left foot neared the top. Lifting off resulted in immediate UPD. Tried repeatedly without making progress. Spoke to a couple of friends who recommended riding faster, putting more weight into the saddle, and practicing one-footed idling, using a fence or a wall.
I wished to document the progress while attempting to learn to ride one-footed, like I did with learning to ride backwards, so here it is. This post will be updated to have the latest updates on top, so if you wish to read it in the correct chronology, it'll be bottom to top.
Session 3 2020-08-04: duration 1 hour
Putting more weight onto the saddle is now working better, and I focused on riding straight and leaning forward a bit more, to overcome getting down from the rear. This resulted in greater stability. Staying on the saddle longer means getting down from the front, instead of sliding off from the back, so this is what I'm trying to do more often. I read on a reddit post that we also need to focus on not slowing the stroke on the driving leg when it is at the bottom, as that's what we are used to doing, when we pedal with both legs. The target is a smooth piston-like firing at the top, and a fluid travel down and up again. If the pedal stroke is strong enough, it will result in the leg traveling down and up again, without the need for application of a pull, but if the pedal stroke is too strong, it causes a strong disturbance which requires correction which messes up the smooth motion. The trick is to ensure that neither the removal of the non-drive foot nor the application of the downward push results in imbalance. Smoothness is the key, and this might require hundreds of repetitions, perhaps even thousands, to nail down. This is going to require a lot of patience is what I realize.
Session 2 2020-08-02: duration 30 minutes
Video
Tried practicing riding, but consciously driving only with my right foot, without any overt inputs from the left leg. This became easy after a bit of practice, and I found that I could now lift off my foot without suffering an immediate UPD. However, I couldn't do more than a quarter rev, without getting off/putting my foot on the ground. Friends recommend either putting the foot back on the pedal and riding on, or attempting to place the foot onto the frame.
Session 1 2020-08-01: duration 30 minutes
Tried to try and lift my left foot off the pedal, as the left foot neared the top. Lifting off resulted in immediate UPD. Tried repeatedly without making progress. Spoke to a couple of friends who recommended riding faster, putting more weight into the saddle, and practicing one-footed idling, using a fence or a wall.