No Hands riding..

babyshambles

... welcome to essex cycle paths !!

CrookedCucumber

neeb wrote:

On the other hand, I've also been in plenty situations that don't feel particularly risky but in fact are. Scottish winter hillwalking on my own, for example, where a simple slip on frozen snow is likely to leave you unconscious or with a broken leg in sub-zero temperatures in the middle of nowhere towards nightfall...

Yeah. I don't want to give the impression that I a walking actuarial calculator. I have made some horrendous miscalculations of risk in my time. And sometime, as you say, the risk is insidious and not at all obvious until it smacks you around the face.

And I'm sure there are people who say the same about (say) rock climbing as I say about riding no-handed: that the benefits cannot possibly outweigh the risks. Actually, I have some sympathy for that point of view. I think that rock climbing is intrinsically more dangerous than crossing the road, despite the usual safety precautions, because it requires sustained periods of good judgment and good sense in situations which do not favour these things -- it's difficult to be sensible and exercise good judgment when you've spent the last thirty minutes dangling from an exposed edge in a freezing blizzard, for example. And the weather, in the UK, is a relentless risk factor for the climber or hiker than does not seriously endanger the road-crosser.

In the face of this, I can quite easily see why a person would think that climbing is more risky than it's rewards merit. My wife, for a start

But the rewards are, well, it's good exercise in the fresh air; you get to meet interesting people; you get good stories to tell in the pub (but nobody ever listens, because they're all rehearsing their own stories); you develop strength and coordination; you get to see some amazing sights that you can't see any other way; etc.

And what are the benefits of riding a bike no-handed? Um.... you can put your jacket on without stopping? Doesn't seem worth it to me.

Anyway, the point of my aimless ramblings is that I'm trying to point out that we shouldn't be giving the impression to novice road riders that cycling downhill no-handed at 50mph is something they ought to aspire to. Or worse, that if they don't aspire to this, it shows a lack of confidence.

term1te

When I was about 15 I was stopped by the police and given a stern talking to about the dangers of not holding onto the handlebars whilst cycling. I was whizzing down a hill eating an apple. I remember the talking to, but I'm afraid it hasn't stopped me doing it, the occasional hands free cycle that is. I'd probably have to give a DNA sample nowadays.

biondino

oldwelshman wrote:

Anyway if you have a jacket on the chances are its too windy to ride no handed
Thats what nearly brought off Valkverde.

He finds it that exciting, huh?

appleand

I find that if I am going at speed I can control the bike easily without any hands (going round corners, up and down hill etc) but when going slowly I cannot control the bike at all! Going all over the place and almost come off the bike.

I have to say I do take risks when cycling like texting whilst riding so I'm not concentrating on the road which is probably quite foolish.

Although I've never had a serious accident yet thankfully =D

CrookedCucumber

appleand wrote:

I have to say I do take risks when cycling like texting whilst riding so I'm not concentrating on the road which is probably quite foolish.

Probably? You do carry a donor card, don't you?

on the road

Iain C wrote:

I am rubbish at it. Don't have the confidence to risk trashing a bike if I get it wrong.

What really annoys me is people who insist on riding no handed towards me on cyclepaths...if they were on a serious looking bike with a helmet on and somehow exuded an air of "I really know what I'm doing" then I might be more comfortable, however when they come pedalling towards me, iPod on, cranium protected by a hoodie, and the front Vbrake not even connected properly I get very, very nervous.

What you should do is to pretend to swerve towards them and then ride off

boybiker

You should try taking your jersey off while riding, it takes some nerve but I have done it on a quiet road when It was far too hot.

stevec205gti

Contary to some of the previous posts I do believe a lot of it is down to confidence. If you are confident you can do it you are more relaxed and more likely to be travelling faster than someone without any confidence. These two factors help - the faster you're travelling the faster the wheels rotate (obviously) and therefore they will continue on along their given course. Also the more relaxed you are the more you let the bike flow and take it's natural course - if you're tense and uptight the more you fight the bike and the more you wobble.

As for when it's useful - just being able to pull your top back down and readjust your pockets without getting off the bike, I don't want to have to stop every few miles just my jersey has moved!!!

John C.

Get a set of rollers, they will inprove your balance, even riding is an art, then try changing gear then try and take a drink then swerve to miss the cat :oops:
rollers will improve your balance and riding no hands will become easy, as will taking clothing on and off whilst riding.
I've got riding eyes closed ( on rollers) up to about 10 seconds, then I panic