No handed

[Broughtonblue]

As a kid I could ride for ages without using my hands, turning corners was never a problem, infact the only time I remember using them was to brake. Now as a mid forties bloke sometimes I feel it would be good just to be able to sit up and stretch for a couple of seconds, or indeed do my jacket up if it gets cold, but as soon as I let go with both hands, myself and the bike instantly become a 'quivering' wreck after only a few feet. I know 'no hands' is not recommended but just a little stretch is surely acceptable on a quiet road? Will it come back with practice or am I now confined to be bent over for the duration of my cycling life?

 

[abo]

+1 could ride with both hands in my jacket pockets when it was cold and steer by shifting my weight. I keep having a little try at even a small no-hander and failing miserably, maybe I'm thinking too much about it.

Likewise proper wheelies, and my bunnyhops are crap though my saddle position won't be helping there, and I guess I could cheat on the latter with SPDs

 

[Hacienda71]

I quite often sit up and have a no handed stretch towards the end of a longer ride. What I have noticed is my two road bikes have totally different handling characteristics when riding no handed and you have to get used to their idiosyncrasies. The first time I tried taking both hands off when I got my Ribble I nearly went straight into a ditch. Now I can balance it perfectly go round corners etc without returning to the bars. Caveat I would not do it in heavy traffic

 

[Bman]

I've never had a problem riding slowly on MTB's

As soon as I got on my road bike however, I had to learn it all over again.

Yesterday I tried doing a button up on my t-shirt (I'm not fully roadie yet, I dont do lycra) I immediately aborted the attempt due to the wind!

 

[spacecat]

maybe I'm thinking too much about it.

+1

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Get your speed up, gentle descent, and when you take your hands off the bars, lean back in the saddle, with your hands at your sides.

 

[jdtate101]

It helps doing it with a good turn of speed. The slower you are the more unstable. It's good to get up and have a stretch especially after a long climb. Took me ages to learn to do it again, and like you, as a kid I found it very easy.

 

[Willo]

Was having the exact same discussion with a mate in the pub a few weeks back and a couple of weeks later while on holiday I had few attempts on a straight, smooth, traffic-free stretch during one of my morning rides. After a couple of goes it wasn't too difficult but didn't feel secure enough to go any distance. I think my confidence/fearlessness as a 42 y.o. is nothing like it was when riding round on my raleigh grifter. Ironically my 8 y.o. son is really into cycling everywhere as he discovers the freedom it gives him and I've noticed him practicising one-handed so will prob be only a matter of time until he shows me how it's done!

 

[2Loose]

Get your speed up, gentle descent, and when you take your hands off the bars, lean back in the saddle, with your hands at your sides.

+1, it always seems very unstable when positioned somewhere in between the bars and an upright position.

 

[Nick Salt]

It's more down to the amount of trail on your forks than your skill IMO.

I can do it for ages on most of our bikes, and often do, but I always get a shock when I try it on one particular bike with really quick steering, a Giant CFM. I've nearly fallen off it a couple of times and don't even try it now.

I think that's why the teenagers round here on the tesco specials with the forks on backwards always seem to be riding no-handie, extrrreeeeeme trail.

 

[biggs682]

out of all my bike the only 1 that does not wobble when free handed is an elderley phillips , which stays nice and straight with no waver all the others i dont even try

 

[BikeLiker]

Used to be able to do it effortlessly - as a reckless 20 something I won a bet riding 5 miles home from work without touching the bars, braking by pulling up the exposed cable on the TT . I've recently shortened my stem by 10mm and find it much harder so it's a lot to do with steering geometry.

 

[palinurus]

Used to be able to do it effortlessly - as a reckless 20 something I won a bet riding 5 miles home from work without touching the bars, braking by pulling up the exposed cable on the TT . I've recently shortened my stem by 10mm and find it much harder so it's a lot to do with steering geometry.

20 plus years ago I used to often do overtime on Saturday, really early*. I could ride a lot of the way without touching the bars (practically no traffic), although I never actually did the whole thing. Every Friday was the same, I'd think- work tomorrow, no pub. Next morning I'd be riding along no-handed, feeling great. The hangover would kick in at about 10 am.

I still ride no-handed for a stretch most mornings. Just feels nice.

*god knows why. I could've just stayed in bed and gone to the pub/ Our Price less.

 

[palinurus]

Never managed it on my Brompton though.

 

[apollo179]

[QUOTE 1537741"]
Keep at it. Riding no handed whilst stupid is a good skill to have when you want to do something on the move. For example sending a text message on a mobile phone.

I learned in my teens and luckily the skill has not gone.
[/quote]

Also handy for map reading.