I did it for the first time!

[Dayvo]

Riding a bike again last week after a badly fractured spine. Easier than walking !!!!

And glad to see that you're back in the saddle, fossy! Little and often and you'll soon be back to full strength, fitness and confidence, hopefully.

 

[*Dusty*]

Congrats to Pat and everyone else on their achievements. Some might seem easy but it's only easy when you've done anything for a while!

Rode no handed on my first road cycle of more than 30 miles. Or 20 miles. Or 10 miles in a long many a year. Anyway, managed to put on my gloves on the move, and velcro them up only to take them off 15 minutes later when my hands got a bit sweaty!!

I have done 18 milers on the MTB round trails etc though......

 

[guitarpete247]

Though I can, and usually do, drink whilst riding I often use it as an excuse to stop part way up a tough hill. Anyone going past will just think 'he's only stopped for a drink'. That's what I hope anyway.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

e


The cleats are far more easier than replacing the bottle to it's cage, it can be feel quite hazardous. Receiving a bottle from another rider now that's quite a different story.

On a very quite road quite near summer home, in rural Aberlady, I foolishly decided to receive a drinks bottle from John at a heady speed of say roughly 5mph . Having watched such heroics on the previous day of racing in the TfF I thought, stupidly, whats so hard?

Wrong move. I ended up on the ground with my head in a hedgerow.
At the time my thumb was gouping and I thought I must of just staved it. After 8 weeks it set in the most peculiar angle and even now neatly 9 months later it still has limit use. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.

Aww!! Can't like that!
I'm very cautious of taking risks on the bike, conscious that if I can't work due to injury I won't get paid.
Your thumb may need medical attention, probably needs reset

 

[NorthernDave]

I used to be able to ride no handed, even a fully laden paper bike. But don't feel confident on road bike. That's what 40+ years experience does for you (or me at least).

Me too! I could go for ages "no hands" as a kid, but i simply can't do it now.

 

[Sim2003]

Im quite confident at picking the bottle up providing its my right hand . I did use my left hand once , no idea why and i regretted every moment of it . Was a good struggle getting it back in cage.

Cant do no handed, wish i could. Not through lack of trying either

Congrats on your first Pat

 

[tfg71]

Well done. We were talking about similar things at work. What you could do and used to do on your bike when you were a kid. No hands , see who could brake the latest on a steep hill, drink from a bottle , longest rear wheel skid. All possible on my old racer . Tried to go no handed the other day on my mtb on a flat cycle path , managed for a small bit, got cocky tried again and front wheel decided it was turning right . By end of that ride was hoping the large lump in my shorts was just the padding.. I hate getting older and out of practice

 

[YahudaMoon]

Riding a bike again last week after a badly fractured spine. Easier than walking !!!!

Nice your out on the bike and getting into recovery, well done

 

[hobbitonabike]

I can ride no hands on the rollers, hell I even got cocky and did the hand movements to YMCA at the same time...but on the road I just can't master it!

 

[ozboz]

I tried riding over these mud bumbs for the first time , came off even with two hands on the bars , I got a good response from the youths who witnessed my attempts when I took my helmet off and revealed my aged white hair !

 

[summerdays]

View attachment 122684 I tried riding over these mud bumbs for the first time , came off even with two hands on the bars , I got a good response from the youths who witnessed my attempts when I took my helmet off and revealed my aged white hair !

I'd go round the side.... I've obviously got more sense (though less sense of adventure)

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I'd go round the side.... I've obviously got more sense (though less sense of adventure)

Same here!
There's a narrow cobbled bit under a bridge at the canal, thankfully with railings. The other day I was riding with a young bike acrobat, he was doing it all: wheelies, kerb hopping, back wheel skids.
Feeling a bit inadequate I tried riding over the cobbled bit, instead of doing my usual prudent dismount.
Of course I fell sideways with the bike between bridge wall and railings
Further along there is similar, but with no railings: I walked it

 

[hobbitonabike]

Update...I managed three seconds no hands out on a ride yesterday!! I have no proof so you will have to trust me on this one. But then if I was going to lie I would have gone with something more impressive than 3 seconds! Like two minutes up a 25% gradient

 

[DaveReading]

Me too! I could go for ages "no hands" as a kid, but i simply can't do it now.

Same here, I can manage a few seconds, whereas I could ride hands off for ages as a kid.

I console myself with the thought that bike geometry has a lot to do with how hard or easy it is to balance with no hands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_and_motorcycle_geometry#Mechanical_trail

 

[Dirk]

Riding no handed is a skill that seems to get lost quite easily. I used to ride everywhere no handed as a lad. Tried it again last year and could only manage about 5 yds before the hands were firmly back in place. Not good! I decided to practice again and, within a relatively short time, could ride no handed for long distances in a straight line. Going round corners took a while longer to relearn - but I did it eventually. I can now ride no handed just like when I was 14!
It's a very useful skill to learn.
The old adage is true - 'Use it or lose it'.