When I watched the Tour de France on OLN, every rider gave a hands in the air victory salute when winning a stage, and I often see them ride with no hands when eating or zipping up a jersey. When I try to ride no-handed on my bikes, even for a second, the front end feels like it wants to go left or right. Is it technique that makes a difference or is it something about the bike set-up? When I was a kid it seemed easy to ride no-handed on our clunky 30 lb. bikes.
Richard
Shift to a harder gear–Sit back (way back)–make it a fairly quick move–relax–apply even pedal pressure and you will go straight.
I find that I can ride no handed easily on my road bike and commuter bike, but the tri bike tends to wobble quite a bit. I figured it was the aero bars on the front.
Mark
I’d think it would mostly be the more forward weight distribution of a tri-bike…but the aero bar can’t help either.
Your headset might need to be adjusted. I couldn’t ride no-handed on my old road bike, but it was because my headset was nearly pitted.
I find that it’s a little tougher to do on my tribike than on my roadbike, but still not that hard.
me too, something with the geometry of the tri bike
jaretj
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I echo some of the other comments, it seems largely to do with the bicycle involved, more than the rider. My “tri” bikes will not allow “look ma, no hands” riding, but my main training/road bike does easily. In fact, I can climb no handed down to about 10mph. However, put aero bars on that bike and forget about it, no way.
I have ridden no hands on two TT bikes and every road bike with clip-ons i have ever had. I think its just practice you need.
The trick is to lean back and have an upright posture as well as going fast. I can ride no hand on any TT or road bike I tried. The only bike I can’t ride with no hand is my Brompton.
I have wrote a review of the Brompton some time ago:
Bike geometry does make a difference, however I only strugle on my XC bike due to the short wheelbase and twichy steering.
The trick is to steer with your legs/bum and lean the bike into corners.
When I was learning I would hold the back of my saddle for extra control.
Tri bars don’t make a difference.
The only bike I can’t ride no-hands on is my Unicycle. That one I have to use the handlebars. Just too squirly otherwise.
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