New to club riding - left hand signals balence issue

jamesu

Hello all,

First off cheers for all the advise I've picked up so far on here - very helpful posts.

Got a Trek 2.1 last summer and was riding regularly out form SE1 into Kent - gave it a break over the winter but now I'm picking it up more seriously so I headed along to the Dulwich Paragon club ride yesterday and had a good run.

Lots of new stuff to pick up riding with others - the one thing I found really hard was keeping balance when making signals - particularly with my left hand (I'm right handed). Anyone else have this problem? I can take my right of the bars no problem, but if I start reaching behind me with my left I feel very unbalanced. Would be glad to know if this is normal or just me.

I'd like to push on up into the faster groups but I don't feel good about it if I'm not doing this right.

James

Mike67

I think we've all got a dominant hand which likes to take over when the other isn't on the bars

I'm the same...much more stable with my left hand on the bars than with it off, no major wobbles or anything but the effect is there.
Strangely though I'm left handed :shock:

Could it be more to do with the camber of the road? Take your left hand off and there's nothing countering the natural drag towards the gutter apart from any adjustment you make with the right hand.

I'm sure either way the effect will be lessened the more miles you get in.

jamesu

Cheers Mike,

Guess I'll have to go out on my own a bit and practice (that's going to look cool eh?)

J

cougie

Never had this problem - but yes practice is what you need to do before you try it out on the club run again.

nakita222

I ride for Dulwich, hope you enjoyed it, I have this problem, I believe that it is quite common, however, it is mainly due to confidence, and after a while you will get used to it.

BTW which group did you set off with

emx

hang the opposite leg out at the same time - that'll balance you...

AndyD2574

practice, practice, practice......it'll come mate.

Get yourself out on your tod and practice your signals if you feel conscious in a group.......wont take long

jamesu

@emx - should I unclip or just bend the knee out?

@nakita222 Cheers, yep - was good fun - with Gary's second intermediate - will try one up next time.

Had errands to run today so was making signals to imaginary team mates around town on the commuter - will cary on on tomorrow...

Thanks for input.

paul64

emx wrote:

hang the opposite leg out at the same time - that'll balance you...

Had to laugh, I'm guessing Assos will help balance too?...

emx

paul64 wrote:

emx wrote:

hang the opposite leg out at the same time - that'll balance you...

Had to laugh, I'm guessing Assos will help balance too?...

it would be easier in Assos gear, on a £4.5k carbon bike, obviously.....

nakita222

I was in that group I think, I was the black kid on the white sepcialized, got a new bike though now, so goodbye sepcialized. I didnt see you. Odd

Surfr

It could be that you are too far forward on the bike, but I tend to agree that it's probably more an issue of confidence. When I was a kid I could ride around roundabouts and snaking paths no-handed for miles but this was on upright BMXs and the likes. When I came back to riding 15+ years later in my 30s I found getting both hands off the bars took a fair bit of getting used to, and I'm still nowhere near as confident as I was when I was a kid. Keep at it, and don't be afraid to try sitting bolt upright with just a finger touch on the bars to help you along. It's getting upright which puts you back in control.

rick_chasey

Learn to ride no handed - properly.