New to polo, start here: a guide for beginners

What's the point of risers? Why not just have flats and raise the stem a couple of cm?

(by the way, I have risers on my currently not functioning polo bike!)
Fine if you run a quill stem but for those of us using an ahead system it's a little more difficult to add material to a steerer which is too short.

Or those with a quill stem on a bike that's much too small. Positive rise stem + risers.

What's the point of risers? Why not just have flats and raise the stem a couple of cm?

(by the way, I have risers on my currently not functioning polo bike!)

quill stem or not, you change the centre of gravity on the control point when you raise a stem. It's like door handles, various shapes all serving the same purpose, but lots of different shapes. personal taste, i guess.

What's the point of risers? Why not just have flats and raise the stem a couple of cm?

depend, some riser have a sweep which make it nice to hold.

What's the point of risers? Why not just have flats and raise the stem a couple of cm?

Looks better innit?

have you guys got a pic what these risers and new stems look like

ta very much guys, do you hold on on the right bar side or left bar side, does it just depend on wgere your front brake is iof any at all!!, or just what you feel comfortable about.

want to satrat a bike pole club in Cape Town South Africa, our local site
http://www.thedailyfix.co.za

we just get chased bz the cops all the time for drinking in public, not allowed in our neck of the woods!&&$§!!!!, so we shall have to find suitable bike polo site. Anyway am coming along to London and want to see a match, when is the next one in Brick Lane shall be there from the 22nd May till 30th May09

Soul, currently there's a game every night except for fridays, but don't know if people have been playing at brick lane for a while... think mostly sunday games have been at mitcheson or downham... you'll need to check the thread really. (or look at the sticky thread which says "todays game:")...

As for break, traditionally on bikes generally the right hand side is front break side, which is great for left handed players as we hold on to the bike with our right, I think a lot of right handed fixed players move the break over to the left.

Basically it's what you feel comfotable with.

ta very much, unfortunately my bike is in the mother city!!! otherwise I would join in

ta very much, unfortunately my bike is in the mother city!!! otherwise I would join in

If you come along, you'll be able to jump on someone's bike and get stuck in.

We're nice like that !

cheers!!

By the way, rik, can you change the first post... think the bit about brick lane isn't really true any more! :-)

Anyone know of the most south based bike polo? I went a few times to Hurlingham park on wednesdays last year. They have fixed and BMX bikes stored there for anyone to use when you turn up, it was great, but I now have Wednesday evenings booked with a class so want to find somewhere else. I loved it!!

After Ed made a comment along the lines of "I might start playing polo" I was wondering if maybe there would be enough interest to start a SW polo? Say inwimbledon or something?

On a day when there's no west or south, so tuesday?

Anyone know of the most south based bike polo? I went a few times to Hurlingham park on wednesdays last year. They have fixed and BMX bikes stored there for anyone to use when you turn up, ...

Really? That's just around the corner from West's polo. Why didn't anybody know about this? Do they still do it in Hurlingham pk? Is it grass or hardcourt?

'tis true

http://www.thelondonpaper.com/manuallyreassign/bike-polo-the-wheel-deal

but slightly different

Haven't those pictures been up here before? I recognise them?

When's that article from?

Shall we ask Tomasito ????

Didnt know where else to post this question.

There is a debate about the rules between me and my friends. Are you allowed to rip your opponents mallet from their hand using your mallet?

At times in the game where mallets meet, sometimes players will yank the mallet out of others hand. We are unsure if this is allowed or not.

What's the script?

Mallet on Mallet. It's all good.

^ and that game up in the picture was a one-off organised by Oxford Cycle Workshop in January 07. One of them had Todd's levitating mallet skills as seen in the photo. There's also a guy called Alan Price who plays grass polo at Hurlingham who Gabes and I met, and I have his email if you want Mike.

Didnt know where else to post this question.

There is a debate about the rules between me and my friends. Are you allowed to rip your opponents mallet from their hand using your mallet?

At times in the game where mallets meet, sometimes players will yank the mallet out of others hand. We are unsure if this is allowed or not.

What's the script?

Yep, mallet on mallet. There was a big discussion on bikepolo.ca about this, and it seems that the general conclusion was that wanton mallet hacking is highly frowned upon. But you can definitely take out mallets by sweeping, blocking, hitting, pulling, yanking, etc.

In practice, I think it is hard to distinguish "wanton" hacking from acceptable whacking. There is no actual rule against this, other than don't be a dick.

Didnt know where else to post this question.

There is a debate about the rules between me and my friends. Are you allowed to rip your opponents mallet from their hand using your mallet?

At times in the game where mallets meet, sometimes players will yank the mallet out of others hand. We are unsure if this is allowed or not.

What's the script?

Yep, mallet on mallet. There was a big discussion on bikepolo.ca about this, and it seems that the general conclusion was that wanton mallet hacking is highly frowned upon. But you can definitely take out mallets by sweeping, blocking, hitting, pulling, yanking, etc.

In practice, I think it is hard to distinguish "wanton" hacking from acceptable whacking. There is no actual rule against this, other than don't be a dick.

Glad thats cleared up!

As far as I am concerned, if mallets connect/tangle it is the strongest arm that wins. It shoulnt be done as a tactic or on purpose, but if they connect, it is fair game.

Just a quick note to say thanks to the guys who made me feel welcome(!) in Fulham yesterday evening. It was with some delight that I 'came across' a polo game while walking along the river from Hammersmith to Putney. Just entered the world of fixed wheel cycling and loving it - I figure the next step is the odd game of polo. Anyway, a little (alright, very) nervous about putting my regular ride in the game and wouldn't know where to start when it comes to getting a fixed wheel beater... Any help? I see the odd bike going on here every now and again... Just keep persevering?!

Thanks in advance...

C