Looking Behind

feno46

Does anybody else besides me have trouble looking behind before making a manoever?,

I have tried a few different ways but always end up with a bit of a wobble and moving offline.

The best way I have found is sitting up, or even better standing up on the pedals.

Its a bit worrying thinking I'm going to miss something coming up behind me a bit quick.

AndyChud

I find that sitting up with one hand on the bars(in the middle) and the other on my thigh on the side I want to turn round, this brings to an almost upright position. With your legs, the one on the turning side should be up / bent, and the other ,obviously, should be down / straight. I've never had any problems with this method.

Hope it helps

Andy

dudi

Ditto, do exactly the same as above and works perfectly. no wobble and very little movement off line.

ash68

agree with above comments.It's also an obvious movement to those behind that you intend to alter/change direction.I find that most cars backoff when I do this, which gives more time/space to indicate and alter road position.

duckiciao

Strangely enough, I find the easiest position to look behind me is when im in the sprint position, i.e. stood up on the pedals and crouched over. My bike barely wobbles.

nolf

Also don't try and turn your head in the conventional way, I find I usually kind of look down and behind - moving my head down and right with my chin resting on my shoulder.

Other than that out of the saddle can help, as can accelerating a bit, then freewheeling while you turn.

Panter

Does anybody else besides me have trouble looking behind before making a manoever?,

I have tried a few different ways but always end up with a bit of a wobble and moving offline.

Glad its not just me :oops:

i'll try the above tips too.....


cheers

Chris

phreak

I usually always take my right hand off because I usually look behind before turning right. As others have mentioned, your other hand roughly in the middle of the bars at a reasonable cruising speed seems to do the trick.

Now if only I could cycle with no hands I could do some nice Pantani style mountain top finishes (when no one else is looking )

Cunobelin

It is simply practice and patience - it will get easier.

NOT a replacement, but after using them on the recumbents I find a mirror such as the Mirrycle almost essential and miss them if I don't have one.




It enables you to maintain an awareness of the road behind you, but to stress that you need to use the mirror as an awareness tool and it is essential to take a proper look when making a manoeuvre and approaching a potential hazard.

Airfriday

Also don't try and turn your head in the conventional way, I find I usually kind of look down and behind - moving my head down and right with my chin resting on my shoulder

. . . that works well for me also, with hardly any wobble and without wandering off line. BUT I found this lovely little mirror. Most people cant see it until you point it out! The "Italian Roadbike Mirror". It just fits in the end of any drop bars. Scroll down the page a bit: http://www.microyacht.com/airfriday/af_004.htm

baudman

Put the hand you take off your bars on the back of your saddle, before you turn your head. I know this works for many, many people.

Ste_S

Came with practice and improved balance on the bike for me. I remember the first time I did it after a long time off the bike I ended up crashing into the curb :oops:

Jeremy Parker

feno46 wrote:

Does anybody else besides me have trouble looking behind before making a manoever?,

I have tried a few different ways but always end up with a bit of a wobble and moving offline.

The best way I have found is sitting up, or even better standing up on the pedals.

Its a bit worrying thinking I'm going to miss something coming up behind me a bit quick.

Never mind wobbling. That will make motorists nervous, and they will steer well clear of you. Preserve your wobble. it's the best signal there is

Jeremy Parker

jedster

I haven't tried a mirror but I look behind A LOT (e.g., when I see potholes, turnings, parked cars, pedestrians at the roadside) so that IF I need to manouvre I'm aware how much space I have AND to give drivers a prod that I might be about to manouvre. I worry that if I had a mirror I'd sacrifice some of the signalling value to following vehicles.

Most of the time I can get a glance behind with my hands on the bars - I also find that tucking my chin in and down allows my eyes a line just past my shoulder. If I really need a long look or more directly behind me the I tend to sit up with a hand on my thigh - I'd tend to leave my other hand on the hood though - don't like having both hands away from the brakes when I'm in traffic.

top_bhoy

I'm sure many drivers would see a wobble as a sure sign to get closer to see how nervous they can make the cyclist feel!!!.

Jeremy Parker wrote:

feno46 wrote:

Does anybody else besides me have trouble looking behind before making a manoever?,

I have tried a few different ways but always end up with a bit of a wobble and moving offline.

The best way I have found is sitting up, or even better standing up on the pedals.

Its a bit worrying thinking I'm going to miss something coming up behind me a bit quick.

Never mind wobbling. That will make motorists nervous, and they will steer well clear of you. Preserve your wobble. it's the best signal there is

Jeremy Parker

feno46

Thanks for the advice,

as soon as I get my lever back from Wiggle I'll be out giving that and my new Aldi gear a try out.

Three weeks now, all my early effort gone to pot .