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Thread: Survival reactions - Tightening on the bars

  1. #1
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    Survival reactions - Tightening on the bars

    Well, The weather in Wellington was abyssmal yesterday and I had to ride home.

    As I was coming along Aotea key I got hit with a hell of a crosswind 100 knots gusts.
    Well I got a little tense and held to tight to the bars and put too much negative input into the bars. This resulted in me getting blown across 2 lanes of traffic.

    Remebering what is in twist of the wrist 2 flapping your elbows is a good indicator that you are not too tight on the bars. Using this technique I was able to get the rest of the way home without another scare.

    Has anyone else come across this or used this technique??
    White Trash Pearls of Wisdom #2654 - Refering to yourself in the 3rd person: The only thing gayer, would be being caught handcuffed around a public toilet bowl, an apple stuffed in your mouth and George Michael administering an epic caneing to your exposed cheeks while Boy George documents the event on a handicam.

  2. #2
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    I used to have a lot of problems with holding on too tight (still do ocassionally when I feel challenged).

    I think I mostly fixed it with improving my posture on the bike (like learning to grip with the knees more).

  3. #3
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    holly shit dude, 2 lanes is a long way, best get that technique sorted asap!

    I find the best way is to let the bike get blown under, ie, you stay in center of lane, and the bike leans into wind; never tried it in 100knot gusts though. There are times when the best option isn't riding, few and far between though they are.
    "A shark on whiskey is mighty risky, but a shark on beer is a beer engineer" - Tad Ghostal

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eyegasm View Post
    Has anyone else come across this or used this technique?
    One understands that the grip is the difference between pink and purple.
    "Standing on your mother's corpse you told me that you'd wait forever." [Bryan Adams: Summer of 69]

  5. #5
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    Appreciate what you're saying about trying to keep relaxed in that situation. Found that leaning forward more and elbows out has helped slightly. On a tangent, that area of the motorway near the ferry terminal can be wicked. When winds are strong, I tend to use Tinakori Road - Old Hutt road route to avoid the worst of the wind.

  6. #6
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    tighten on the bar is a very common error in more than a situation.
    and in any of those situations it could become the first of a chain of errors leading to very unpleasant results.

    in strong lateral wind the simplest thing to do is pushing the upwind bar, so riding a little "tilted" in the wind.
    and, even if it could seems stupid, remember that in cross wind the faster is the best. just think at the vector components...

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by p.dath View Post
    I think I mostly fixed it with improving my posture on the bike (like learning to grip with the knees more).
    I was gripping the bike with the legs as I normally do, it was more of a fright reaction to the wind that cause me to grab the bars.

    Quote Originally Posted by Viking01 View Post
    When winds are strong, I tend to use Tinakori Road - Old Hutt road route to avoid the worst of the wind.
    Hmmm might have to do that on the next windy as hell day.

    Quote Originally Posted by Urano View Post
    tighten on the bar is a very common error in more than a situation.
    and in any of those situations it could become the first of a chain of errors leading to very unpleasant results.
    Thankfully I was able to realise my mistake and correct, but was extremely lucky to be the only one on the road at that time. As for pushing on the upwind bar, next time i'll give it a try.

    Cheers all
    White Trash Pearls of Wisdom #2654 - Refering to yourself in the 3rd person: The only thing gayer, would be being caught handcuffed around a public toilet bowl, an apple stuffed in your mouth and George Michael administering an epic caneing to your exposed cheeks while Boy George documents the event on a handicam.

  8. #8
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    It's a fecker when you suddenly get blasted like that. I used to do huge mileages in the UK, all weathers & found the only way to stay in lane when it was blowing a hoolie was to relax & lean into the wind when it gusted. Most unpleasant & potentially trouser staining. Doe's not work on snow.
    When the gust drops you have to quickly pick the bike back up. If you are passing a van or lorry & leaning into the wind you end diving towards the vehicle when you get in the lee & the wind suddenly drops.
    It can be catch 22 though, sometimes you gotta hang on to the bars like an ape to just stay in the saddle.
    Take the bus.....

  9. #9
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    What gets blown around more, naked bikes or fully faired?

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    Quote Originally Posted by SMOKEU View Post
    What gets blown around more, naked bikes or fully faired?
    Oooh, that will get the eggheads going. Cross sectional area, mass, coefficient of somethingortheother.
    The perversity of the universe tends towards a maximum

  11. #11
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    SMOKEU
    What gets blown around more, naked bikes or fully faired?

    not much difference

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eyegasm View Post
    Well, The weather in Wellington was abyssmal yesterday and I had to ride home.

    As I was coming along Aotea key I got hit with a hell of a crosswind 100 knots gusts.
    Well I got a little tense and held to tight to the bars and put too much negative input into the bars. This resulted in me getting blown across 2 lanes of traffic.

    Remebering what is in twist of the wrist 2 flapping your elbows is a good indicator that you are not too tight on the bars. Using this technique I was able to get the rest of the way home without another scare.

    Has anyone else come across this or used this technique??

    Have had a few experiences.. 2 bad ones on the taka's.. game over nearly twice for me... It is kinda vital to keep your arms relaxed when ya lent over in a turn in those conditions.. dont let your speed drop too low or it will chuck you around even more. Stay on positive throttle. Get your body low to minimise what the wind can hit ya with, grip the tank with ya knees and relax ...relax... and if you win you may actually be able to stay in your lines when the wind stands you up mid turn cranked over.

    Sometimes you can anticipate the gusts... surrounding bushes on the corners.. debris.. noise..
    I have had to push it down 3 times to try and get back on my side of the road.. new undies and felt very lucky
    holding the line...

  13. #13
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    I was told by a dude who rode the world on a motorbike when he got divorced the best way to deal with cross winds is lean forward because your body and helmet act like a sail, and most importantly look straight ahead. Your body will do the rest naturally.

  14. #14
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    2 whole lanes? Fark! I imagine that your arse tightened a fair bit too

  15. #15
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    If I was riding a slow bike I may flap my elbows in hoping of going faster...... otherwise, no haven't yet to use the flap technique

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