The boss sent a load of us home early from our staff conference yesterday afternoon. The sun was shining, what else to do but a Bonus Bike Ride! As you do, in idle conversation, I mentioned to the BMX coach (single, suntanned, my age ...) just one of my many missing skillsets.
It does bug me that I can't on the new this year Boardman bike manage to get my front wheel off the ground. The old decathlon bike was balanced differently and I could do it. Most of my problem, though, is that I'm scared. Scared that if I take my weight too far back on the bike then it will pirouette, dumping me unceremoniously on the ground. It was time to tackle this.
The plan, therefore was to go about conquering the front wheel lift. Better descriptions than I could possibly come up with here:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/skillstipmanualfrontwheelliftsMTB.pdf/$FILE/skillstipmanualfrontwheelliftsMTB.pdf
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/skillstippoweredfrontwheelliftsMTB.pdf/$FILE/skillstippoweredfrontwheelliftsMTB.pdf
The BMX coach sadly didn't offer me any one to one time, but did offer me a wee exercise. Suggestion was I lowered the saddle, put on flat pedals and went about the lifts as described but moving my body weight all the way back, and as the bike lifted up the plan was to step back with the low / rear foot onto the ground, all safe and non spontaneous in contact with the floor with other body parts.
My fear of pirouetting was completely unfounded due to the lack of ability to get the front wheel off the floor other than by the manual wheel lift when I might just be able to bump up a kerb. Still, lots of trying it reassured me that maybe one day I will manage it, and until then will keep practicing; right up to the point where my back twinges (as it did yesterday).
At least the fear is now a lot less.
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