Riding with no hands !!!

[TheCyclingRooster]

Hi to you all out there. Yes,I am fully aware that it is not advised never mind it could be risky but in my younger years it was as easy as licking an ice cream.
I was able to achieve it on both fixed wheel and on my regular rode bike but I am blowed if I can these days albeit they are different bikes and I am pushing the door of 73 years young.
I have attached two profile images - one of each bike to see if anyone can see something that I am missing.

 

[steveindenmark]

Im 60 and wont attempt it. I came off last year and spent 4 days in hospital. I dont bounce as well as I once did.

 

[ianrauk]

Just need more practice

 

[Drago]

I think having a large ginger Tom attached to your rear wheel is upsetting the balance. Having a child's bucket attached to one pedal won't be helping either.

 

[Globalti]

I'm 62 and I often do it just to be able to sit up and shake out my hands. I have even removed a rain cape but I stopped doing that when I realised that for as long as you are taking to free one hand from the cuff, your hands are locked out of reach of the bars!

I think it's to do with speed and hence gyroscopic action keeping the front wheel on a steady line because I can't ride no-handed at slow speeds. Don't forget also that in olden days bikes had much heavier wheels, longer wheelbases and more caster, making them far more stable than today's finely-tuned machines.

 

[Buck]

I can’t master it. I have to stop to zip up my jacket sometimes when it would be great just to quickly sort it whilst still moving. I used to be able to do this when younger but I think my skills of youth have faded away in this regard.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm 62 and I often do it just to be able to sit up and shake out my hands. I have even removed a rain cape but I stopped doing that when I realised that for as long as you are taking to free one hand from the cuff, your hands are locked out of reach of the bars!

Andrei Kivilev died in 2003 after an accident in the Paris-Nice race. IIRC, he was riding no hands at the time, fiddling with the radio in his back pocket.

I have seen a rider remove his jacket when riding no-handed, and getting a sleeve caught in the rear wheel.

I am happy to ride one-handed but I'd rather not take the chance of riding with no hands on the bars.

 

[Milkfloat]

I am happy to remove clothing (my own) no handed, but have not managed putting things on, other than arm warmers. My main concern is not the balance and practice required, but the pot holes and potential traffic.

 

[Drago]

I like the giant sausage roll strapped under the seat.

 

[wonderloaf]

I like the giant sausage roll strapped under the seat.

Nah that's a burrito.

 

[Bollo]

I can do it reasonably confidently but don’t often try putting jackets on and off for the usual reasons - potholes, bunnies, deer, cars etc. I’ve heard of (but not seen) sleeves dangling in the wheels causing offs.

I think it's mostly about the bike, but having seen someone chin the road following an unplanned front-wheel/sleeve interface I'm not keen to test the changing clothes without stopping thing.

Bikes certainly make a difference, although I couldn’t give a single reason why - I suppose geometry, headsets and wheels all have some influence. My old Litespeed road bike is very twitchy and I don’t often take both hands off, but the vanity bike is fine despite being a full-on race geometry.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

The technique is to sit upright with a straight back and look ahead as you do when you are riding normally. Crouching forward with your hands hovering over the bars unbalances you, and looking down at the front wheel has you wandering all over the road.

I've never found any difference in riding hands off no matter what type of bike I've been on. A bicycle does not need a pair of hands on the bars to stay upright or go in a straight line, both of those are controlled by your body posture and balance.

 

[Vantage]

I've never been good at no handed riding but I can do it. The Dawes Vantage however was a pig to handle even with both hands on the bars and damn near impossible no handed.
The Raleigh had a head tube so steep that it followed the smallest contour in the road like it was on tram tracks.
The Spa was a refreshing surprise as on my very first test ride, I was able to let go of the bars and just coast along. I could even pedal no handed although I didn't feel brave enough to test for how far I could go.
Rider skill is an important factor but if the bike handles like a one legged drugged up pig, it ain't easy.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

I'm 62 and I often do it just to be able to sit up and shake out my hands. I have even removed a rain cape but I stopped doing that when I realised that for as long as you are taking to free one hand from the cuff, your hands are locked out of reach of the bars!

I think it's to do with speed and hence gyroscopic action keeping the front wheel on a steady line because I can't ride no-handed at slow speeds. Don't forget also that in olden days bikes had much heavier wheels, longer wheelbases and more caster, making them far more stable than today's finely-tuned machines.

Hi Globalti. I have a funny feeling that you are correct here and it is more about speed than anything else but I am not so sure about the longer wheelbases nor the heavier wheels either.

How do you account for the professional riders of today riding with apparent ease and performing gymnastis including the removal and refitting of their various items of gear. They are riding bikes that are so light that they often beggar belief.

I am relating back to the late 50's/early 60's when I had my 1937 Hetchins Curly track frame and rode fixed wheel for many years before having the rear stays widened and Campagnolo road dropouts inserted to take a a five speed block with a double Stronglight up front.
I also rode very lightweight wheels (Asp rims and Tubulars) with Aerolite large flange hubs.
The wheels on both my bikes are Mavic Aksium Race on Mavic Cartridge Hubs with bladed spokes - so in real terms little has change as far as weight goes.
I have even tried moving the saddles back a touch on their rails but that did not improve matters at all. Indeed the Hetchins complete with the oversize cape roll and spare tubular (of the period) rode perfectly balanced when being ridden with no hands.
.

 

[Jody]

I think it's mostly about the bike,

Agreed. My road bike is really twitchy riding no hands but the MTB is very stable. Seems the more slack your head angle the more stability you have.