Backward steering bike

yes I tried that at some bikefest and i could steer*

*but not in the correct direction

I watched a guy ride one once and thought – “I can do that, just need to think before steering”.

Well, I gave it a go and lasted all of 2 seconds 🙁

Saw a bloke making some money out of one of those in London a couple of years ago. Was a couple of quid to have a go, and if you could ride it between 2 lines, (only a couple of meters apart) you got 10x you money back. Didn’t see him return any cash.

nooo

I tried searching for one of those a while back. One turned up a at motorcycle show when i was a kid. I think it was called a Bruckle or something. Same as tthew, cost a pound a go and if you could ride between the lines you got a tenner. Me a an couple of bmx bandit buddies cleaned the guy out 😀

tthew – Member

Saw a bloke making some money out of one of those in London a couple of years ago. Was a couple of quid to have a go, and if you could ride it between 2 lines, (only a couple of meters apart) you got 10x you money back. Didn’t see him return any cash.

When we were growing up, we used to go on holiday to Brean in somerset.
There was a bloke there with one of these bikes and he used to do just that. God knows how much it cost to have a go (it was probably about 30 years ago), but I rode it about 2 metres before putting a foot down and I didn’t see anyone else manage it.

One of those things that probably fairly simple once you’ve reprogrammed your brain.

Me a an couple of bmx bandit buddies cleaned the guy out

There’s always someone…

*goes outside to practice wheelies

There’s always someone

On a similar note, I’ve always thought it’d be worth making my own pivoting rope ladder to practice on, so I can be that someone. Should pay for itself on the first go out!

Plus I can fleece my friends and family when they come to visit.

*goes outside to practice wheelies

That’s what i did on my first go. Guy protested but i argued he didn’t say you couldn’t wheelie. So he suggested double or quits. £20 back then was a few months pocket money (which went into the White Skyway Tuff Wheels fund).

I used to work with a guy who made one of these plus you had to pedal backwards as well. He could ride it, but it did take him 6 months to learn.

It sounds crazy, but I couldn’t even fall off it properly. Usually if you lose your balance to the right, you lean to the right and turn to the right. However when you turn to the right, the bike turns left and you end up sort of high-siding off it. Very disorientating!

so I can be that someone

the one that makes stuff up on the internet?

Local fire station had one at their open day, I was hopeless, one of the firemen rode it ok, I’m guessing he’d had hours of practice.. 🙂

I couldn’t even steer a quad bike first time out! 😀 First few seconds, I was just wrestling the bars, accelerating in a straight line towards an ever more concerned instructor dude, conscious brain trying to work out why I was having a problem, unconscious brain struggling to put together handlebar steering without countersteering and flop.

And I had the same problem on the back of tandem (same holiday, as it happens!) slow speed, pulling away, me on the back, off the saddle, wrestling the bars trying to steer into the lean. I made us crash. Had to make serious efforts to control myself after that!

The last time I had a go at one I could do it no problem. Just got on it and rode it. The go cart track where I used to help out had a reverse steering go cart which I was one of only a few who could successfully drive round the track at any kind of speed. Maybe my brain is just wired up wrong because I’m crap at stuff usually. 😀

My Dad made one for a school fete. Nice earner that was 🙂 it was even diffficult to wheelie because one tends to rely on the movement of the wheel for some balance.

That’s what i did on my first go.

we are in the presence of a bona fide hustler!

A friend of mine spent all day learning to ride one of these and then had to push his real bike home (which was several miles). Says he couldn’t ride it at all until the following day.

DezB – Member
the one that makes stuff up on the internet?

Yeah Dezb, i made it up as it’s clearly impossible to do it in real life and i so want to impress you.

If it makes you feel better i’m really crap at wheelies. Anyone who says they can do them is lying too. WAB!

I made one 20 odd years ago,learnt to ride it by brushing along side a lwb sprinter van with my elbow to get used to balancing on it.In the end I could ride it no probs.