--- In kickbiking@yahoogro ups.com, "probonosemper"
<roberta.mueller@ ...> wrote:
>
> so, after absorbing the collective wisdom (and enthusiasm for the
> sport) of this group, I got a used millenium racer to ease into the
> sport. I'm having a great time with it- (snip)

>If the bike /is/ oldish, the brake pads may have hardened from age.
>You should be able to find new ones in your local bike shop (Take one
>with you when you go). I replace my brake pads about once a year.

> Also, and I apologize for a dumb question in advance - it's been a
> long time since I didn't have quick release brakes to go along with my
> quick release hubs - am I right that the technique for getting the
> wheel off is just kind of push/pull gently - that's kind of what I
> remember from some of my older bikes and it seems to be what the
> kickbike manual suggests. It's worked thus far (took the tire off to
> get the fender off) but I thought better to ask.

>Sure. The idea on quick-release brakes is just to be able to get the
>tire, which is sometimes wider than the rim, through the brake
>calipers when removing a wheel. Usually when you want to get a wheel
>off, it's because the tire is flat. And when you replace it, you would
>pump it just enough to seat the bead on the tire before you remount
>the wheel. Then you would finish pumping it up.

Yeah, I concur with Peter on the brake blocks.  A new pair of the basic Shimano brake shoes should fit okay.  Maybe a trip to your trusted LBS is in order to have the cables lubed and adjusted.  They could also set the little finger adjusters at the brake handles to allow you to manually spread the brake shoes, which facilitate removal/reinstall of the front wheel.  Granted, the brakes aren't the high-z00t variety found on today's (or even earlier) roadbikes.  Nevertheless, you can trust them to do the job when set and adjusted properly.

> Okay - so technique question - I seem to be doing pretty well with the
> kicking and footchanges and using my upper body. On the other hand, I
> keep whacking my supporting knee - (snip)

>That's never happened to me, but I'm only 5'8". Are you tall? Or do
>you have to bend your knee a lot to strike the ground with your other
>foot? How high is your deck? A knee pad doesn't sound like a bad idea,
>but it is a bit of a kludge to me. Better would be to keep your knee
>from bonking somehow.

I'm assuming you've checked out all the great Youtube vids that demonstrate the very most efficient way to propel yourself on one of these things.   One very good one is called, "Kickbike Introduction 1."  It's a copy of the free video cassette that came with the KBs.  My guess is that your standing leg is bending too deeply during the kick.  You would have to be driving off the heel to get down that far.  One of my first mistakes was thinking that kicking should resemble the way people walk or run.  But we don't do either of those activities with one foot three inches higher than the other.  You should only flex the standing knee enough to reach down to drive off the ball of the kicking foot.  That's only about 10% of total flexion of the standing leg.  The only time my knee comes anywhere near the frame tube is to rest on it during long descents.

> It's great to have this forum to get info and feel a bit less odd in
> my enthusiasm for kicking - I'm already getting used to some odd looks
> from adults although kids seem to like it just fine.

>Yeah, "from the mouths of babes" come comments like "How cool is
>that!" Some adults will dig it, too, and some will express their
>diggage. More conventional adults might stare, but they'll usually
>stay quiet. I haven't gotten any negative comments yet, except from
>one snotty bike racer wannabe, who said sarcastically, "/I'm/ impressed!"

>~Pete HUMMERS | <http://www.scooter- sport.com>
>==
>New on Scooter-Sport: "On a performance scooter, a lower deck means
>more efficiency, although this is traded off against less exercise and
>ground clearance that's too low." Read more in "Deck-lowering
>rationales and strategies" on <http://www.scooter- sport.com>

I seem to get the best responses from those in sports-medicine that are out on their skates or bikes (very rare.)  Most folks out here regard it as just another weird, short-lived fad with little practical application.  They might be right.  It's just hard to describe how much fun it is without sounding like a shill or salesman.  I must warn you:  Kickbiking can make you totally oblivious to the opinions of sane society.  Total addiction  is quite easy and can become a form of social suicide. 

Just kick and glide, enjoy the ride!

Bob Dymond