Radbal
Radbal (also known as cycloball or fietsvoetbal) is football on a bicycle.
The sport has been discovered by accident. More than hundred years ago, art cyclist Otto Luders from Germany was practicing next to a tennis field. When a ball came his way he shot it back with his front wheel. And so Radbal was born.
Radbal game
A game is played on an indoor field of 11 to 14 metres. A team consists of two players, who are both defender and striker. Normally the ball is kicked with the front weel, but every part of the bike or body can be used as long as your feet stay on the pedals and your hands on the grips. It is not allowed to touch the ground; if a player does, he needs to drive past the goal line before they can join the game again. A game takes 14 minutes.
Radbal bike
There are three very striking adaptions to a Radbal bike compared to a normal bike:
- The steering wheel is straight up in the air, to give the player more control over the ball.
- The bottom bracket is solid and stiff, so the player can cycle backwards and stand still for a long time.
- The seat post is a special horizontal long seat post, to heighten the freedom to move and the balance of the player.