What the puck? Knee puck that is. If you ever wondered when road racers started dragging a knee on the tarmac, here is a brief look at the history of the technique.
The Early Years:
From the origin of two-wheeled racing through the early 1960s, racers kept their butts on the seat and their knees pressed tightly to (or near) the tank. Racers took a very conventional inline riding position even through the tightest of corners. This was probably a very good thing considering the low technology and high profile of the tube mounted rubber of the time, not to mention the flexible frames and archaic suspensions. The early pioneers of racing did amazing things on their prehistoric mounts. They often scraped engine cases, exhausts, and pegs through every corner – but their knees only met the pavement by accident.
The Transitional Period:
The period of rapid and significant change in road racing posture and technique took place from the mid 1960s through the early 1980s. Butts moved off the seats and knees finally touched pavement. Maybe it was the fact that suspensions and tires were getting a bit better, or maybe the racers were just feeling the need for more speed. What ever the case, pioneers like Mike Hailwood, Eddie Lawson and Freddie Spencer all contributed greatly in the progression to the modern style. Each one took the evolution road racing body positioning to a new level. However, Kenny Roberts Sr. is credited with the true introduction of the knee dragging technique. In the late 1970s King Kenny used duct tape as his knee sliders! One of the coolest things about this transitional period in road racing was that the riders displayed very divergent styles within the same race.
The Modern Age:
The modern cornering style, with its extreme angles and high speeds is achievable in great measure due to the refinement of the technology of the bikes. Progressive tire compounds and profiles, suspension magic, and amazing brakes have made cornering speeds possible that old-time riders could only dream of. However, it is also true that modern riders have become true students of physics. The lower center of gravity of the modern knee-down, semi-contorted style has taken the sport into a new stratosphere. There is nowhere near the variation of cornering styles that there was in the transitional period; however the raw speed and athleticism of the modern riders is staggering. Plant yourself near a corner of a modern professional road race and be amazed!
