I’ve been riding my fixie quite a bit lately. I’m reminded of an idea I had a few years ago about how presure control is used in riding a fixie and how it is used in ski turns. If you could hook up a machine that could measure the pressure under your feet as you ski or as you ride a bicycle I think you would find some interesting comparisons between the two, especially if your bicycle is a fixed-gear. They say the most efficient peddlers are those that can pedal in circles, that is apply a more equal amount of pressure to the pedals throughout the peddling stroke. This is especially evident on a fixed-gear because you can be thrown off the bike if you forget you’re on a fixie and try to coast. In other words, if you try to stop peddling you will be surprised at how much force your momentum has when one of the pedals comes up the back side and literally lifts you off the bike. My thought a few years ago was that if the most efficient peddlers are those with the most consistent pressure, that same idea be applied to skiers. The idea is that if a skier could maintain the most consistent pressure under foot he would be most efficient in descending a slope. In races he would be the fastest, in bumps he would be the smoothest, he would have an eaiser time staying in balance throughout the run and throughout all his changes of direction.

More on this later.