Ascending 400 m on big gravel at 10%. Oh wait, I did that once on 22mm tires on carbon wheels on my TCR. Never again. I had to keep going all the way to the end (and the escape) because there was no way I could ride down. A long way out of the saddle over 10%. And people say Okinawa has no mountains
I remember that feeling from the first time doing a decent drop off (maybe a meter or so?) as a 9 year old kid. I kept the bike nice and flat as I went off the edge, landing squarely on both wheels. Very quickly learnt not to do that while seated.
There is a corner right by my house that I get a little sideways on my TCR (I shouldn’t but it’s brand new road and slides out so easily) and it’s such a good feeling.
Weight well forward, head over your inside handlebar, Inside elbow down, slight push on the inside bar to initiate the counter steer and the back wheel lift and drift.
Such a great feeling.
Also works on motorcycles with wide handlebars. Gear down to help initiate by breaking back wheel adhesion as the revs snap up
I had a very nice roadbike once gifted to me by a school principle whos son moved away. Smooth, fast, sleek etc. I went down some big steps once. Threw it outside that evening and bought a $25 (cdn) POS mountain bike and never looked back.
In my opinion, if i want to ride on extremely smooth concrete and cover large distances fast, i buy a scooter/motorcycle. Thanks, but no thanks. And if excercise is actually the goal, fat tires and comfortable seats are WAY better…just saying.