Am I the only person that can’t bike without hands? I constantly see people adjusting their helmets, or fixing their glasses….. both hands off the handlebars. I have to physically come to a stop or else I’d meet the asphalt.
I used to practice on Potomac Ave. in Arlington/Alexandria, before that road opened up to car traffic. For several months, the road was finished but not open to automobiles. That was an awesome place to ride and run. Well, it still is even with the occasional car on the road. But it’s not as good as it was when it was essentially a 40-ft. wide bike/run trail.
Great post!! I thought it was just me. I have a hard time riding with no hands due to an inner ear thing that screws with my balance. I’m gonna try some of the things that were recommended here to see if I can do it. Practice, practice!!
I used to practice on Potomac Ave. in Arlington/Alexandria, before that road opened up to car traffic. For several months, the road was finished but not open to automobiles. That was an awesome place to ride and run. Well, it still is even with the occasional car on the road. But it’s not as good as it was when it was essentially a 40-ft. wide bike/run trail.
I was thinking the same thing. The few times I biked back there pre-Potomac Ave opening were awesome. Runners tended to stay on that path for some reason and the road was that smooth fresh new asphalt with no cars.
As for riding without hands, I would do it for a few seconds to adjust something, but usually no more than that. I’ve found I can straddle the bike with my legs and perform slight turns and all handless. The flip side is I choose not to do it as I have taken a nice fall when I was a kid so the idea of the pavement and speed is not all too appealling to me.
Our toddler rides in a front bike seat and loves to help us signal — right arm out (sometimes up) for “Right Turn” and left arm for “Left Turn”. She loves it – in fact, her first phrase was “right turn”.
Every so often, I say “Right Turn” she puts out her left arm, and I correct her. Yesterday, when that happened, she just raised her second arm and said “Right Turn, both arms!” and rode with both arms out, almost Titanic-like. She thought that was HYSTERICAL and started doing it for every turn. It was awesome. Until she started asking Mommy and Daddy to put both arms out — too much weaving for having the toddler on the bike.
Ahh, toddlers. I swapped “yucky” <=> “yummy” half-way into bedtime reading last night and mine thought it was hilarious and insisted on keeping the swap for the rest of the book.
Anyway, back on topic… I can’t ride no-handed comfortably. I’ve found I use my right hand too much to control my balance, since I regularly use my left hand on my bell, reach into pockets, grabbing a water bottle, etc..
I read this morning that the big crash that ended up taking ~12 riders out of the TdF was apparently caused by a rider putting some overshoes in his pocket while they were going 70kph and not being able to brake in time. Not a wise choice to go no-handed or one-handed at that point in the course. One of the injured cyclists may lose a kidney. Scary stuff. http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/12339/Poels-in-danger-of-losing-a-kidney-as-a-result-of-Tour-de-France-crash.aspx
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