What's Under Your Foot When You Put It Down?
Chris Hatfield, Canadian Astronaut and one time Commander of the International Space Station (ISS), in his book An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth had a chapter on Sweat The Small Stuff. Sometimes it can be the little things that you don’t think about that can cause an embarrassing or disastrous situation.
Sand and gravel underfoot in times of snow and ice is a great way to keep traction between the rubber or soul of your footwear and the surface you are walking on so you don’t fall. However, that same sand and gravel can also reduce the friction between your footwear and the surface when the snow and ice is gone. This is even more exasperated if you are trying to push your bike into place while you are sitting on it, which is a popular way to do so when, say, backing the bike into a parking space from a stop.
You require good traction between your feet and the road to allow you to use muscle power to move the weight of both you and the bike. If you push off and sand or gravel or grit is under your foot, there is a very good chance that your foot will slip out, and if the bike is leaning in that direction, it can easily fall over. At the same time, because you are in an awkward position, chances are it will fall over with parts of you under it. Not a glamorous way to come in contact with the ground!
Care has to be taken before you decide to move your bike under muscle power while you are still sitting on it. What can you do to lessen the chances of slippage?
By paying attention to the little things, such as what is on the ground or under your feet, helps to make your ride a much better overall experience, as part of your Ride Skilled, Ride Smart, and Ride Safe mantra.
Sand and gravel underfoot in times of snow and ice is a great way to keep traction between the rubber or soul of your footwear and the surface you are walking on so you don’t fall. However, that same sand and gravel can also reduce the friction between your footwear and the surface when the snow and ice is gone. This is even more exasperated if you are trying to push your bike into place while you are sitting on it, which is a popular way to do so when, say, backing the bike into a parking space from a stop.
You require good traction between your feet and the road to allow you to use muscle power to move the weight of both you and the bike. If you push off and sand or gravel or grit is under your foot, there is a very good chance that your foot will slip out, and if the bike is leaning in that direction, it can easily fall over. At the same time, because you are in an awkward position, chances are it will fall over with parts of you under it. Not a glamorous way to come in contact with the ground!
Care has to be taken before you decide to move your bike under muscle power while you are still sitting on it. What can you do to lessen the chances of slippage?
- As you approach an area that you are going to stop at and move the bike, survey the ground as you approach, and especially after you stop and have put your foot down.
- Foot wear- while we wear different types of boots, etc (we don’t wear flip flops, right?) boots with a thicker tread seems to work better and gets a grip faster. Boots without a heel or with little tread tend to be more slippery and slide out faster.
- If in doubt, dismount the bike and push it where you want, still being careful of what is under your feet. By dismounting, you remove your weight from the combined amount, making the bike easier to move.
By paying attention to the little things, such as what is on the ground or under your feet, helps to make your ride a much better overall experience, as part of your Ride Skilled, Ride Smart, and Ride Safe mantra.