I used to freeze up on steps, then one evening i spent an hour just doing a set of steps near my house. Bingo fear has gone. Although i still shit myself on the steps with a wooden lip. Slippy bastewards!
Bike Forum
anyone think this is bikeable?
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Posted 9 months ago #
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I'm far from gnarr but those steps look fairly tame (perhaps the photo doesn't do them justice but given they're newly built I can't see then being like some silly-steep health hazard steps of ye olde days). Still you could easily come off and break something so not sure I'd bother myself :p
Posted 9 months ago # -
You have a fs bike and you're questioning steps????
Posted 9 months ago # -
Rode a lot of steps while I was at uni (there were a lot of steps) some of them were very narrow, steep and a decent length without a break. Probably not as narrow and steep at the lighthouse ones, though!
I found the scariest bit was rolling up to the top, the anticipation rising the closer you get, and the steeper the flight, the longer it takes to see down the flight. Then suddenly they're revealed, and you've got no time to get used to the view before your front wheel is rolling over the first step. So easy to jam on the brakes and refuse at that point.
Once you're in and rolling, you're fine. Never came a cropper on any once I was in. Although I did pinch my jangles climbing off the back when someone appeared at the bottom of a set just as I rolled in.
My approach: Yes. Hardtail, as it's what I've got. (I'd rather not be in the drops of a cx bike for this!) Unless the edge of the steps are rounded and slippery, it's easy to control the speed down to a crawl with judicious use of both brakes. Brakes off for the last section or so for celebratory speed!
Have a look at the angle from the side. It's often surprising how shallow the angle really is. They might only be 35 degrees, or maybe less.
Posted 9 months ago # -
yes they look quite easy really... done these when i used to live in cornwall.... sacred the shit out of me...
Posted 9 months ago # -
ilmg - those would be the rounded slippery edges I was on about! how was it? bit skippy?
Posted 9 months ago # -
Going down - easy. Going up - slow but doable.
Posted 9 months ago # -
ilmg - those would be the rounded slippery edges I was on about! how was it? bit skippy?
yea they are very skippy, slippy **** lethal when wet but ok when dry, hard not to build up to much speed, very important to get mate to stay at bottom and stop any one trying to walk up it
little old lady was very impressed
Posted 9 months ago # -
pah! those steps arent even moving
Posted 9 months ago # -
Totally agree with TJ. Steps are poo.
[edit] Unless you can do this
Posted 9 months ago # -
for extra points you have got to do it at the same time as some security guard is going mental at you...
Posted 9 months ago # -
I had to ride these down to the shops twice a week. Going back up with a pair of full shopping bags was a bit of a devil sometimes. Only in the rain though...
Posted 9 months ago # -
I had to ride these down to the shops twice a week
and back up again, I hope?
Posted 9 months ago # -
You think you have it bad?
It's a nightmare, keep getting lost in dimensions that I'm not sure even exist.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Theres a double stairway with long gap in the middle outside Harvey Nicks/Selfridges here in Manchester- I watched a BMX'er clear the lot and land to flat.
**** that was awesome.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Stairs? who needs stairs?
http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/sports/Huge_Bike_Drop/#4332
(finally found that vid again. Been looking for it for ages, first saw it years ago)
Posted 9 months ago # -
Posted 9 months ago #
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Centre-top of picture- doesnt look like theres many stairs but they are large ones and its a fair old distance to clear both (with a long run up and land it).
Posted 9 months ago # -
Sunnrider, I thought they looked familiar. Haven't been to San telmo since it opened so will have a look.
If you fancy a blat round Ulia or somewhere give me a shout. I'm home from work by half one during the week.Posted 9 months ago # -
hey bob,
I´ll be off this weekend til wednesday. So any day is fine, assuming I survive them steps Posted 9 months ago # -
Posted 9 months ago # -
aP.
Stop nicking Marks pictures.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Sunrider, have a go and let us see the results! Those ones from Ulia to Gros are great for getting your confidence first. The Steps of Death are just stupid.... stupid risk and it doesn't even feel nice when you're doing it. It's just putting your bum on the back tyre and keeping the bars straight. I did a video of me riding them somewhere.
Good luck with it and enjoy.
P.S. We've aready done step 1 of the Hebden exchange, Ed Oxley visited us here. In fact he's already quite famous around San Sebastian
Posted 9 months ago # -
Stu - can you dig out the one without the photoshopping?
Posted 9 months ago # -
This one.
2006_0402steps by singlespeedstu, on FlickrPosted 9 months ago # -
Christ, on a CX bike, ide be terrified of imploding wheels
as for the OP yes, no worries, on a street bike with 100mm forks.
at uni was just getting into gapping step sets with a single "mid way" flat bit: (off the top, skip out the first steps and the mid landing, and land on the second set as downlope)
except just as i was getting confident, i binned it big and was off the bike for a fair while. Haven't tried sincebut if just riding down them, no problems popping off the top a bit and buzzing down them (just cant commit to the flat out hoon)
the faster the better (up to point, actually, not at all, ignore that)
Posted 9 months ago # -
Posted 9 months ago # -
sunnrider, you're on my cancellation list dude ::
Posted 9 months ago # -
Just looks like some steps to me, easy enough. I spent my formative years riding down flights of steps
Posted 9 months ago # -
Posted 9 months ago #
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