Many novice cyclists are attracted by the handsome riding postures of senior cyclists, and always want to imitate the scene of big guys struggling to shake their bikes and rush to the finish line. But during the practice, always worry about the state and posture of the rocking bike.
What is a “rocking bike”
The rocking bike is also called standing riding, which is a riding posture of riding a bicycle. Primarily by increasing the force of gravity on the pedal, a higher output is achieved in a short amount of time. When rocking the car, the center of gravity is in front of the main body of the car, and the person is basically in a semi-upright position.
When exerting force, in addition to the force of the hips and legs, the core of the body and the strength of the upper limbs are also required to coordinate forces. Rocking a car can be said to be a riding action that requires the mobilization of the whole body. Riders choose to ride in the rocking mode, which is mainly used for fast and high-power output and is usually used when riding starts, steep slopes, sprints, etc. when more vigorous pedaling output is required.
Rocking bike pose
The basic posture of the crankshaft requires both hands to hold the outer end of the handlebar tightly so that the handlebar and the center of gravity can be firmly controlled, the shoulders move forward to be basically parallel to the stem, and the hips move forward with the body to facilitate pedaling with great force. When shaking the bike, the bike is basically in a state where the bike is shaking and the person is not shaking.
The vehicle is controlled by the strength of the upper body. The bicycle shakes from side to side with the help of the upper body when pedaling. The core strength such as the waist and abdomen is coordinated to stabilize the body, and the force output of the lower body is used to drive the car forward.
When you first experience the rocking bike, lower the speed and don’t pull the handlebar with your hands hard. When you step on your right foot, the car will tilt to the left, and when you step on your left foot, the car will tilt to the right.
Many people move their shoulders and arms together when shaking the car in the early stage, which will not only consume a lot of physical energy, but also cause the vehicle to be unstable, and the pedaling force will not be concentrated.
When performing shaking car exercises at ordinary times, it is best to choose a gentle long uphill road for practice, and secondly, you can choose a flat road for practice. The center of gravity of many novice hand bikes is often relatively forward, which will cause the center of gravity to be on the front wheels, which will affect the flexibility of handling. In fact, the center of gravity should be kept above the cushion, and the upper body should be relaxed to maintain the flexibility of the vehicle.
Shake the bike to exert force
Usually, when standing and pedaling a rocking bike, the force is applied to one side. At this time, the bike tends to fall on one side. In order to overcome this tendency, the bike needs to be tilted in the opposite direction. You can lift the handlebar at the first few feet of the rocking car at the same time, and increase the pedaling force so that you can quickly increase the speed. You can also use the method of lifting the handlebar when sprinting, but it is easy to fatigue. How long this way of lifting the handlebar can last depends on the individual’s riding state and physical fitness.
Everyone knows that the greater the cycling output, the greater the physical energy consumption. Rocking the car will allow more muscles of the body to participate in doing work to increase output, so when rocking the car, the power output is increased, and the heart rate will also increase accordingly.
Shake gear ratio
Usually, a larger gear ratio is used when the car is sprinting, and a smaller gear ratio is used when climbing a car. Often, when climbing a car, it is necessary to increase the gear ratio by 1-2 gears compared to normal sitting. Often, the crankshaft will increase the output even more. If the original small gear ratio is maintained, there will be a feeling of stepping on the air. As for the specific amount, it will vary from person to person. No matter what gear ratio is used, it is more appropriate to keep the cycling cadence between 60-70.
Stop rocking
When climbing a steep slope or due to physical reasons, it is necessary to consider stopping the car. If it is due to physical fatigue, it is necessary to immediately increase the gear ratio and reduce the cadence, otherwise, it will easily lead to “breaking power”. If you continue to insist on rocking the bike, you will have to stop the bike to stop riding due to physical exhaustion, and the loss outweighs the gain. When and to what extent such problems will occur, we need to continue training to feel and experience the critical point of this rocking car. Keep increasing the practice until you can continuously shake the car for more than 200 meters to achieve practical results.