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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

rückwärts im Leerlauf tretend

English translation:

backpedaling freely

Added to glossary by Audrey Foster (X)
Jul 22, 2009 02:52
14 yrs ago
German term

rückwärts im Leerlauf tretend

German to English Tech/Engineering Automotive / Cars & Trucks road bicycle
This expression occurs in a screenplay, so I'm not sure how technically correct it is. A guy is sitting on his Rennrad, holding on to something (i.e. not driving), and doing this.

Backpedaling ..... ?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 backpedaling freely
5 -1 pedalling backwards while freewheeling
4 -2 pushing hi bike in neutral backwards
Change log

Jul 29, 2009 06:22: Audrey Foster (X) Created KOG entry

Proposed translations

+6
1 hr
Selected

backpedaling freely

(das Pedal) rückwärts treten (am Fahrrad) to backpedal
http://dict.tu-chemnitz.de/dings.cgi?query=r�ckw�rts treten



Bottom line is I don't want the coaster because: (a) don't need it (b) much better to be able to backpedal freely when using clips in traffic, at stop lights etc.
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-33973.html



Hating it when other kids would freewheel — backpedal freely — their way home and I’d have to either pedal “the ole fashion’d waye” or just coast.
http://batejemcho.wordpress.com/2007/09/08/
Peer comment(s):
agree hazmatgerman (X)
1 hr
Thank you, hazmatgerman
agree Tom Tyson : Just backpedaling for me, or backpedalling, though I see you're in the US.
1 hr
It's important to include the "im Leerlauf" (i.e., freely) part, IMO, 'coz in some bicycles "braking was accomplished by backpedaling" [http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1904-indian.htm/printable]
agree Richard Stephen : Sounds good to me; context will probably dictate whether or not to use 'freely' - I think 'freely' would fit well in many contexts and accurately renders the German original as specified by the asker - but it is only an excerpt.
1 hr
The 'freely' takes care of "im Leerlauf", doesn't it, Richard ?
agree Steffen Walter
4 hrs
Danke, Steffen
agree Michael Harris
17 hrs
Thank you, Michael
agree robin25
1 day 56 mins
Danke, robin25
neutral David Williams : freewheeling is another term for coasting, but I wouldn't agree with the use of 'freely' here either.
1 day 6 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-2
15 hrs

pushing hi bike in neutral backwards

.

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Note added at 23 hrs (2009-07-23 02:09:51 GMT)
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hi --> his ==> pushing his bike in neutral backwards (or pushing his bike backwards in neutral)
Peer comment(s):
disagree Richard Stephen : The asker says the rider is sitting on the bike and not 'driving' - by not 'driving' I believe the asker is trying to say that the bike is stationary - and as David pointed out there is no neutral gear on a bike.
11 hrs
since when was "pushing" driving - this is a biker's colloquialism
disagree David Williams : 'In neutral' implies that it isn't in gear (like a car rolling in neutral), but, unlike in a car, you can freewheel on a bike while in gear. In fact, I don't know of any bike that can be 'in neutral'.
12 hrs
do your research, then. Here is one simple way: http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navc...
Something went wrong...
-1
8 hrs

pedalling backwards while freewheeling

Stell dir jemand vor, der bergab rollt und die Pedale einfach rückwärts (also in der verkehrten Richtung) mit den Füßen dreht. Das mag für deutsche Verhältnisse seltsam anmuten, aber in England ist die Rücktrittsbremse so gut wie völlig umbekannt. Fährt man als Engländer ein deutsches fahrrad, kann man durch diese Gewohnheit relativ schnell die Rücktrittsbremse kaputt machen.

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2009-07-23 06:32:12 GMT)
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The rider could also do this while sitting stationary, e.g. at traffic lights.

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Note added at 1 day7 hrs (2009-07-23 10:36:15 GMT)
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The verb 'drive' could, I suppose, be used in connection with bicycles simply to refer to the transmission of driving force from the pedal to the gears, so that the cyclist could be 'not driving' even while freewheeling/rolling, since they are not delivering any drive via the pedals by pedalling backwards.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Richard Stephen : The asker says the rider is sitting on the bike and not 'driving' - But you start with 'Stell dir jemand vor, der bergab rollt' - doesn't sound very stationary - I know about 'riding' bikes, that's why I surrounded 'drive' [asker's word] with quotes.
19 hrs
It is, of course, also possible to pedal backwards and freewheel while stationary. It just means that the person isn't pedalling to exert force & move the bike forwards, but simply turning the pedals. In English we 'ride' a bike though, never 'drive' it.
Something went wrong...
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