can you ride no hands?

pedalrog

The highway code says to keep both hands on the bars and both feet on the pedals so be careful where you try it.
The ultimate in no-handed control however must be to do a no-handed track stand!

Felix-da-house-mouse

its easy when you know how. just look straight and dont worry about the front wheel motion keeps it straight

blorg

Yes, but it definately depends on the bike, the headset in particular as has been mentioned. One of my bikes does currently have a veer if I take my hands off which probably suggests it needs adjusting.

You just want to avoid situations like this.

in the wire

OMG, that is sad

The rider who pips him does a hands-off celebration himself, and you almost feel him thinking 'is this wise?'

Mark Alexander

It depends on the bike as to how easy it is. I just sat up on day on my road bike and was ok. my other road bike is a little twichy anyway so takes a little more care.

I vaguely remmber doing it as a kid but that was a LONG time ago

lukesaddy

lol, its like the easiest thing to do

Lbaguley

Couldn't believe it - last night saw a guy coming down the pavement on Tower Bridge towards the city arms half crossed talking on his mobile. :shock:

Certain amount of respect for his bike control which is completely overshadowed by him acting like a complete tool.

twowheeledwriter

I guess I learnt to do this when I was about 10 years old and don't really think too much about doing it on my road bike now, albeit at a reasonable speed (10-15 mph) and not whilst removing/putting on clothing.

This reminds me of a comment in "Richard's Bicycle Book" where he says that you should be able to ride a bike no-handed for miles on the flat - assuming that the bike is properly set up. That would suggest that you need a headset, wheels and frame all correctly aligned and adjusted.

SteveR_100Milers

No hands?? You want to try no legs, now thats a challenge.

As for riding "no handed", I think the additional friction from the STI cables on modern bikes takes away some of the feel required to ride no handed with confidence that I recall from childhood days.

Clever Pun

try riding no hands with a pannier on one side... it's not easy

pneumatic

Look no hands!

Look no teeth!

That's what I was told when I was a bairn.

didn't stop me trying though!

Melpro

I do it all the time, it's a good way to warm up your hands on a cold day - stuff your hands under your armpits for a while.

CarlosFerreiro

No hands and then some
http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/123350/Swish_Bike_Trick.html

ddraver

start by just lifting ur hands an inch off the bars - then 6, then 12.........

fossyant

Grrrrr stop showing off you lot .......... - I've never been able to do it despite having some well balanced road bikes - one is a custom built one...... Grrrr (only jealous !)

frenchfighter

Riding no handed like most things take time to learn but when you actually do learn you will always know how to do it.

That being said, there isn't a lot to learn really. If I was you I would try and do it on some grass somewhere so that if you do fall off, it wont hurt : )

In terms of practical tips, there is a tendancy to lean forward, but try and keep your torso straight as it makes it much easier. Another thing is that the faster you are going the easier it will be. This is simply to do with momentum and the slower you go the harder it is to control your bike. This is hard to do when learning as, instinctively, you want to go slower as you think you will be safer.

I agree with nolf with all the practical benefits that it brings, especially on long rides.

Definitely keep at it and it will come eventually. Good luck!!

JustRidecp

I reckon the bike must play a big part. (or maybe i'm in denial!!) cause I remember peddling for ages in my mtb and being able to negotiate corners. In my road bike, as soon as the hands come off the handlebars, the bars are all over the place!! :oops:

weyayeman

I can cape up or take my cape off whilst riding.But what does it prove.Im mad and its daft
there's really no need.


oh and dangerous

nolf

Bike makes v little difference, can do it on the Focus Cayo which has very light steerig

Tyres make more difference, but then I got 20mm's on it so....


FEEL INFERIOR!

rrsodl

My road bike is 16 years old and it's very easy to ride it with no hands, however, my MTB is only a year old and I find it harder to ride it with no hands - I tried only once but I will keep trying

Is it possible that is harder with newer bikes?

Rick

oldwelshman

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

No hands?? You want to try no legs, now thats a challenge.

As for riding "no handed", I think the additional friction from the STI cables on modern bikes takes away some of the feel required to ride no handed with confidence that I recall from childhood days.

I sometimes do one legged up climbs for practise That teaches you to pedal whole revolution.

Some one posted about no handed track stands. I can do that on a fixed but havent tried on road and dont intend to

I only do no handed on road for a quick stretch and some times to add or remove gillet or cape, but if you cannot do it then not worth falling off for is it?

sejackans

I had a go tonight, with an old MTB, its easy and i probably have not done it for since i was about 10 and when i knew no fear.
I was cycling with my daughter on a country cycling path and must have lasted for about 2 miutes. I may sound bigheaded but that same 10 year old kid could never do wheelies

rrsodl

This morning I saw a guy riding his bike sitting on the handlebar and facing backwards his hands were by his side, no were near the handlebar


I don't see myself trying that one


Rick

starling

Hi. I'm new here. Just wanted to comment on this thread. It seems to me that riding no hands on a road bike requires two things:

One, you have to be riding fast enough for the bike to be stable, since many road bikes are only really stable at higher speeds (and it helps to be pedaling too), and

Two, you have to be sitting with more weight farther back. Your saddle either has to be farther back to begin with, or you have to slide further back on it and sort of sit up straight with all your body weight back.

This is the only way a good road bike can be stable no hands. Older 10-speeds and the like, as well as old English racers, etc. were easy to ride no hands because they all had pretty slack head tubes compared to a modern road bike.