I’m seeing more and more references to this on STW and in the MTB world in general.

I don’t do it. Never have.

What am I missing? (Apart from drivetrain problems, it seems)

You can’t ride backwards without pedalling backwards. hth

Seems reasonable. Why would I want to ride backwards?

To impress the chicks, natch.

Or as a prelude to your Danny Mac beating video that will have red Bull throwing money at you.

Ahh. Now we’re getting somewhere. Chicks. I think I understand.

Some techy climbs require a quick 1/4 back pedal to get moving again without dabbing/stopping.
Some rooty/rutted/twisty descents may require a quick flick to get back on it without grounding a pedal, depending on what great you’ve chosen and how fast/slow you are travelling.

It’s not something i make a habit of. But it does happen.

But my chain doesn’t make a habit of climbing back down the cassette. Infact, I’ve no recollection of it ever doing it. Even cross chained on 3×9.

As above. When I stall horribly on some steep thing, pulling the pedal back for a proper go is the last desperate act before dabbing.

People say that when approaching walkers, the sound of a freewheeling hope pro2 hub will alert them. I backpedal for even more noise.

They lied, It doesn’t work! It is noisy though.
. Shouldn’t cause mechanical issues, if it’s designed to free wheel then back pedaling is just like free wheeling at a higher speed no?

I suppose the only time it’s of any practical use is when going really slow over techy stuff and you need to ratchet a bit to keep the pedals where you want themm

I don’t do it. Never have.

So you don’t do techy climbs then.
Rock steps on steep bits are a prime example of having to back pedal to lift the front and not pedal strike the step.

. Shouldn’t cause mechanical issues, if it’s designed to free wheel then back pedaling is just like free wheeling at a higher speed no?

No. When you freewheel you’re not feeding the chain through the rear mech the “wrong” way.

I sometimes pedal backwards just coz.

Try singlespeeding a techy climb without the odd quarter or half back pedal .

I do it, always have. No reason for it but if I’m just rolling along sometimes I pedal backwards. Not sure why, sometimes I don’t want to pedal forwards as I’m happy with the speed I’m rolling at , probably knackered rolling down a hill, and to keep the legs moving I sometimes pedal backwards.

I like the noise as well…..

So you don’t do techy climbs then.
Rock steps on steep bits are a prime example of having to back pedal to lift the front and not pedal strike the step.

“Ratcheting”

Indeed it is Matt.

So you don’t do techy climbs then.

Sometimes. There’s not much I can’t get up with sheer power, but I’m not particularly rad or enduro though.

. Shouldn’t cause mechanical issues,

I must have seen it mentioned 4-5 times this week that they have issues with the chain coming off, with 11sp, or with Shimano XT or whatever when back-pedalling to which my answer is STOP PEDALLING BACKARDS every time. Hence this thread…., 8)

Bunch of backtards!

Me too on a few climbs that I’ve not tried on my XT 1×11.yet…

I was once asked to make a prototype bicycle drive system – it involved complex pushrods, some helical-bored gears, pretty complex bearings, and a specially modified hub gear. Plus a custom frame as it wouldn’t fit a normal frame. Maintenance would’ve been a PITA too.

The only advantage the inventor could think of?

When you pedalled forwards it went forwards, and when you pedalled backwards it still went forwards.

That idea didn’t get anywhere, surprisingly.

There’s not much I can’t get up with sheer power

😆

Re adjusting pedal during techy climbs like what they said up there ^^^^.

Getting pedals back into position to restart when I fail on the techy climb.

Riding across steep slopes where you catch your pedal if you drop your upslope pedal.

I must have seen it mentioned 4-5 times this week that they have issues with the chain coming off, with 11sp, or with Shimano XT or whatever when back-pedalling to which my answer is STOP PEDALLING BACKARDS every time. Hence this thread

or get a decent mechanic to set it up properly.

Back pedalling here since I had a 5 speed road bike in the 70’s

I kick the pedal backwards evertime I get on my bike as I like the left pedal at the bottom when I mount.

^I do this too! I like the pedal for my right foot to be at about 2’oclock, so I kick it round, it’s practical and satisfying!

There’s nothing wrong with the odd bitch crank

I like ratcheting. But it’s not really the same as “pedalling backwards” because it’s only part turns- turning hte cranks a quarter turn forward isn’t really pedalling either.

People talking about the chain coming off mostly seem to be actually doing multiple rotations which does get a wtf from me. But also some folks backpedal to get their foot position right for turns, drops etc. Which seems weird- do a proper pedal!

You won’t always have time/space to switch your cranks 180deg by pedalling forwards while braking. it’s ALWAYS faster to switch by rotating the cranks backwards. Even in the air.

To anyone who disagrees. I’d suggest learning no-foot crank flips before arguing. They’re not difficult.

I do, sometimes to align the cranks, avoid a rock or to start. Sometimes I’ll spin them backwards to wake my legs up on a start line, last week I was doing it rolling into the Gondola stations to spin the legs and cause it sounded cool.

I have a properly set up 11sp 1x on the bike. It doesn’t fall off, it works really well despite all the SRAM hate.

When you pedalled forwards it went forwards, and when you pedalled backwards it still went forwards.

There’s a much easier way to skin that particular cat.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro-direct

Pedal backwards to brake

Getting pedals back into position to restart when I fail on the techy climb.

I do this as I prefer to kick off with my left pedal high. Even on my road bike if I stop at the traffic lights etc. Maybe it’s just a bad habit I’ve developed but it was never a problem until I switched to shimano 1×11 spd. I probably didn’t even realise I was doing it.

or get a decent mechanic to set it up properly.

There’s not much tolerance on the sweet spot for the set up on shimano 1×11 spd. A shimano mechanic’s solution was ‘don’t back pedal then’ saying that the chainline is slightly compromised.

I’ve just noticed this on my xx1. Never was a problem on 7,8,9 or 10speed. I’m going to change out the chainring and adjust chain line to see if there is a solution

I pedal backwards to keep my BB screwed in tight.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpTcj3djL2g[/video]

My old 5, an 08 one, with 3×9 was bad for the chain dropping down the cassette when back pedalling half a turn to get the cranks set up. Never really got to the bottom of it, although I think mech spring was a part of it, as when i popped a new mech on it was a bit better (XT everything)

I was told once, on steep switchbacks back peddling to swap from left foot down to right foot down, was better than putting in the extra peddle stroke when it’s not needed (the trail being too steep).

Also noticed the 11spd setups don’t like it. Especially when box fresh.

There’s a much easier way to skin that particular cat.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro-direct

Exactly 😀

I think he just liked reciprocating crankshafts. And who doesn’t?

I dunno, much as I try not to, it’s easier to back pedal through successive turns than it is to pedal forwards, especially if you’re in a higher gear for example to sprint out of sequence of corners or it’s a slow section before a steep bit that gives you speed anyway.

I actually find the chain stays in gear better with 1×10 than it ever did on 8 or 9 speed. I put it down to the ‘shadow+’ style mechs tucking the parallelogram under the cassette and keeping the chain on the cassette so even if it starts to detail those last few teeth at the bottom should stay engaged.

some folks backpedal to get their foot position right for turns, drops etc. Which seems weird- do a proper pedal!

if you’re in a too high a gear or you’ve locked the rear (intentionally or not) you’ll struggle. Sure both of those could rightly be classed as bad technique but if you’re in the habit of pedalling forwards it could catch you out some day.

I mostly back pedal anyway, but one day on an S bend with a big rock sticking up on inside of second bend, I tried to forward pedal to get my inside foot up away from the rock and couldn’t, fortunately i managed to narrowly avoid rock. Have made a conscious effort to back pedal since.
Haven’t tried 1×11 tho, doesn’t seem to be an issue on 2×9 or 1×10

+1 to moving cranks forward and back when off road, sometimes it’s just easier to spin the crank back a fraction to re-adjust position.

For the chain coming off, I’ve never had it on any standard cassette. I have had it after putting a 40T Hope Expander on. The chain drops pretty quickly, certainly within a single turn of the cranks.

It does seem to be a chainline thing, what I don’t get it whether it’s the bigger size of the 40T that brings the chain down or whether the ramps on the cassette normally help retain the chain and it’s the smooth teeth of the 40T that’s a problem.

It’s not that huge a problem as if I’m using the 40T it’s because I’m blowing out of my arse trying to struggle up a hill and moving the cranks backwards is the last thing on my mind, I’m normally 2 or 3 gears down the cassette when starting off.