Look Ma, no hands!

[Nibor]

You will probably find your wheels are significantly lighter than those on the bike of your Yoof providing less gyroscope effect too.

 

[EnPassant]

I reckon that older bikes had a more pronounced rake on the front forks, which for road bikes meant that they wanted to go in a straighter line to where gravity took them. (Probably less responsive though.) The other thing is the ''I dare'' bit: keeping just a finger on the bars keeps you slightly off balance. No handed is easier when you sit up properly, in my experience.

For me I suspect this has something to do with it, I've looked at some pictures of older steel framed bikes and largely there does seem to be a pronounced forward sweep at the bottom of the forks that is mostly absent on my new whizzy carbon efforts. It's harder to tell from a photo but I also suspect there is a greater angle on the headset tube (don't know the/any official name for this section of frame) in the first place.

If you really want to do it I find that getting my backside further back on the seat and making a point of sitting as bolt upright as I can with one finger barely touching the bars (literally you have no weight on your fingertips) then let go and sit up. Also keep the speed up a bit it's easier the faster you go. A good flat or ever so slight downhill section helps.

And this, is exactly how I remember doing it, but it just doesn't seem to want to do track in a straight line the way I recall. Doubtless my balance isn't what it once was, but I find it hard to believe that that and my lack of manly courage is entirely responsible.

There is also the difference that on this bike there is absolutely no way to sit bolt upright and be anywhere near putting a finger on the handlebars, they'd be a foot or more away from my fingertips. (and not as far as I am aware because the thing is badly fitted to me, Ive tested the fit as per some videos and sites, slight bend in leg at bottom dead centre, eyeline seeing the handlebars intersect/on the same plane as the centre of the front wheel and so on).

 

[123456789]

but it just doesn't seem to want to do track in a straight line the way I recall.

mmm... if you place you hands on the saddle and try and walk the bike (in the style of a triathlete in transition) does the bike track straight then? have you got any stuff on your handlebars as that can make it harder. When I have clip on aerobars it makes no handed feel a lot twitchier

I have a Giant TCR 1 which is probably more aggressive geometry than your tricross and ideally yes get your back dead straight but in reality just as straight as you can possibly can with really minimal touch on the bars, you need to take the weight through your core rather than anywhere near your arms/hands.

The key is weight back and sit up but it does take lots of practise and can feel very twitchy at first. Try getting up to speed and not pedalling no handed and then gradually introducing pedalling.

I remember being not able to do no hands this for some time and a big part of it was learning to weight through the core which you tend to do naturally as a kid but less so as an adult. It's really weird as for me I practised and practised and all of a sudden it just clicked.

 

[BikeCurious]

It's harder to tell from a photo but I also suspect there is a greater angle on the headset tube (don't know the/any official name for this section of frame) in the first place.

Head tube.

 

[EnPassant]

There is also the difference that on this bike there is absolutely no way to sit bolt upright and be anywhere near putting a finger on the handlebars, they'd be a foot or more away from my fingertips..

Please ignore, this is utter cods, make that more like half an inch, I knew I couldn't quite reach it sitting bang upright but my estimation of the distance in this instance is rubbish.

 

[EnPassant]

mmm... if you place you hands on the saddle and try and walk the bike (in the style of a triathlete in transition) does the bike track straight then?

Ah yes this!
So no, it doesn't track straight, I used to be able to do that way back when but this thing demands to be wheeled with a hand directly on the headset or its all over the place in very short order if you don't put a lot of effort into maintaining it.

have you got any stuff on your handlebars as that can make it harder. When I have clip on aerobars it makes no handed feel a lot twitchier

Not really, just a pair of lights (CR2032 battery operated so not heavy) and the brake extension doodads (largely unused by me) that you get with a cross bike. (Aerobars, ha, it'd take one of Mr Stobarts finest providing leadout to improve my times.....)

I have a Giant TCR 1 which is probably more aggressive geometry than your tricross and ideally yes get your back dead straight but in reality just as straight as you can possibly can with really minimal touch on the bars, you need to take the weight through your core rather than anywhere near your arms/hands.

The key is weight back and sit up but it does take lots of practise and can feel very twitchy at first. Try getting up to speed and not pedalling no handed and then gradually introducing pedalling.

I remember being not able to do no hands this for some time and a big part of it was learning to weight through the core which you tend to do naturally as a kid but less so as an adult. It's really weird as for me I practised and practised and all of a sudden it just clicked.

Thanks I'll give it a go, however the saddle pushing is a key point as I see it, proof that it's not just me being a doddery old fool, there is at least some component of the instability that is bike related and thus whilst still possible (you've done it , others have..) it requires more finesse now than in days of yore.

Thanks to all who took the time to reply.

 

[EnPassant]

Well stone me.
Taking the advice proffered here, theres a flat, wide, reasonably well surfaced slightly subterranean (no appreciable wind), ped-cum-cyclist path of a reasonable length that I was on today (between Waitrose and the train station in Cheltenham for anyone that knows the area). 15-18 mph which is reasonably quick for me, let go, sit right back and lo, the better part of maybe 1/4 of a mile with no touching the bars at all, pedalling and everything. Subjectively, it isn't as rock solid as I recall from years ago, but it's way better than I'd imagined lately and perfectly achievable.
The sitting right back is a lot easier than the 'crouched over the handlebars just in case' position I was trying previously. Clearly its mostly a case of man-up you pansy.
Thanks people.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Having read this thread, I had a go. I can still do it. I think as a youth there was a good reason to ride no handed (to look cool) so I practised it. Now that looking cool is a proven impossibility theres no reason to do it so I've lost much of the nack.

 

[EnPassant]

Now that looking cool is a proven impossibility

Check.

 

[Tanis8472]

If you really want to do it I find that getting my backside further back on the seat and making a point of sitting as bolt upright as I can with one finger barely touching the bars (literally you have no weight on your fingertips) then let go and sit up. Also keep the speed up a bit it's easier the faster you go. A good flat or ever so slight downhill section helps.

This ^^

 

[Katherine]

It's fun isn't it! I find it harder than I used to and try to practice every now and then. I think youth has an advantage. More reckless maybe? All the ones that I see are riding no handed and on their mobile, so not even looking where they're going!

 

[Paul139]

This is interesting. I could always ride hands free as a kid.I bought a Focus Cayo a couple of years ago and just could not let go of the bars because the bike would instantly start to wobble. Not nice when clipped in. Last year I bought a Quella single speed and could instantly ride hands free. I bought a new set of bars for the Focus recently, nothing special only short drop deda bars at £20 and not only can I get ide hands free but I can even stand and be hands free. (Not pedalling though) I just assume the bars weren't very well balanced.

 

[burndust]

as a kid i used to be able to do no hands standing up on my raleigh alaska, now comfortable with left hand off...hopeless with my right hand off, and def cannot do no handees

 

[Mugshot]

A couple of years ago I was tootling down the shared use path when I caught up with a police woman on a bicycle (only time I have ever seen one around here) She took her hands off the bars and held them a few inches in the air before grabbing back hold again, then emboldened by her success she sat a little more upright and hung her hands and arms at her sides and pedalled along. I didn't want to startle somebody riding no handed so just allowed myself to slowly close the gap, however after about 10 seconds at a guess she must have heard the clicking of my cassette as I free wheeled along and quickly grabbed back hold of the bars and shot a look behind her , I decided that that was probably as good a time as any to be getting past her and on my way but I did wish her good day and congratulated her on her cycling skills, she didn't say much

 

[Smithbat]

I used to be able to do no hands on my old blue shopper bike when I was a kid. I can just about do riding along with right hand on leg now but that is about it.