Riding with no hands

[dav1d]

When I was a kid, I could ride with no hands fine, could even turn with no hands. I have done it as an adult, but only when nobody was around and not on roads, so the only danger was to myself! And it's a long time since I did that anyway.

 

[Cubist]

I used to be able to ride no-hands for long distances on my old road bikes, but find that the MTBs are too twitchy. I'll try the lean-back thing and see how I get on!

 

[bigjim]

14stone, 6'2". It just takes practice. But your bikes steering must be right. I had a bike that I just could not ride no hands so went to LBS who found out that the bearings were jammed. So it's good for something. Always did it as a kid so it must stay with you.

 

[Young Un]

Riding non-handed is a brillaint skill to have IMO

Just make sure you sit bolt upright and juxt relax - if you tense up and start worrying it just won't work!

I do admit to riding non-handed in quite heavy traffic - it's even better when you scalp someone non-handed whilst giving them a little wave

 

[buggi]

can be handy for when you want to zip up your jacket etc. sit up, shoulders back, straight back. find a nice quiet smooth tarmac road to practice on. you might find it helps at first to put your arms out as if you are an aeroplane. helps with the balance.

 

[brianward62]

Must admit for a quick stretch it's a great "skill" to have. Also very useful the other day when I found I could still remove my waterproof from the back pocket of my jersey and put it on without having to stop. Made sure the road behind was clear though at first in case of any wheel wobble!

 

[Stig-OT-Dump]

Mostly, it's the overwhelming urge I get... ... to raise my arms victorious as if I just won a stage of the TdF.

On my ride this morning I thought I'd try riding hands free (haven't done it since I was a kid). Waited till I was on a quiet stretch of road with no-one around. Took my hands of the bars - no bother. Tried unzipping a pocket, taking something out, putting it back in and zipping up again - easy, and enjoying myself now. Went for the hands aloft style celebration... and then spotted the guy walking next to the hedge and coming towards. My hands were back on bars quicker than you could say "Knob!" His grin was ear to ear, mine was distinctly sheepish, but I guess I made someone laugh.

 

[lukesdad]

Where youre looking is also of some consequence you tend to go where your looking guess where youll end up looking down, head and shoulders back look ahead untill your competent .once you get the knack youll wonder what all the fuss was about.

 

[Adrian_K]

...use a low gear, the spinning will help with stability.

I rode into my cycling proficiency test no handed thinking a wasn't being watched and got a right royal rollocking. I see to remember being no handed most of the time - eating sweets, etc.

 

[Bodhbh]

I was touring the Isle of Wight earlier this year, was a bit lost and some chap pulled up along side and riding no-handed, pulled a map out his backpack and read it and gave us directions. I was quite impressed.

Bit sad, but I've been practicing since, not so bad myself now and it's a useful skill tbh. Like has been said for wiping glasses, ajusting backpack, just to relax and take in the view. I'm not up to reading maps on the move however. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I get the impression it uses slightly different muscles to pedal when bolt upright, seems to give legs a bit fo a breather or feels like it anyhow.

Just do it whenever someplace quiet, gradually gets easier and easier and should be able to turn and manuver a bit eventually.

 

[Matty]

This thread brings back memories of me plus pals approaching some police persons as a 'youth' who were directing traffic around Farnborough Airshow. We thought we were smart being on bikes and thus not sitting in the queue.

The nice police lady thought we needed reminding that cycling with no hands on the handlebar is not a good idea. Lots of comments about control. Oops.

 

[Joe24]

You just need to be confident, sit up, takes your hands away from the handlebars and relax.
You should find that you can actually do it pretty easy, you wont have much weight on the bars anyway, and you just need to be supported on the saddle right, not over to one side.
Its a useful thing to have for when you need to eat on the move, sort out your helmet, jersey, sorting out bottles, air guitar, air drumming, texing, calling, texting and drinking, calling and drinking

 

[HLaB]

I can sit back on the saddle takes my hands of the bar no problem but for some reason I have to keep a pinky on the stem

 

[Woz!]

riding with no hands can have it's uses, like wiping your glasses or opening your food etc, anyone who disagrees is just trying to be whiter than white, as usual.

Or broke their elbow, face and Raybans while changing a tape on their Walkman!
Wheel gently touched the kerb, jackknifed, I went over the bars but as I was clipped in my bike followed me. Crunch! Ouch!

I actually carried the bike home quite a distance with the broken arm because the hand on the other arm was so grazed (must have landed with one hand out and the other one bent). I realised it was broken when I couldn't actually let go of the bike!

I don't tend to ride no-handed now

Incidentally, I own and ride a unicycle! It doesn't have clips though

 

[MacB]

could do it as a kid no problem, have thought about it since coming back to riding but my lack of 'bottle' doesn't seem to allow me to let go of the bars. I know how easy it is etc, but there's also the idea of having to explain a crash coz I wasn't holding on.

If I need to do anything then I'll stop, I don't currently participate in any type of riding that would cause me to avoid stopping.