how do you do it like the pros? I can’t do it!
practice
its easier if you are moving faster
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how do you do it like the pros? I can’t do it!
Practice. Like anything, it takes time. Also, the slower you are going the harder it is to do.
John
A few things that may help with this:
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A totally straight and well aligned frame.
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A well built, balanced and aligned wheel-set
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A nice smooth pedal stroke
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works easier on a road bike but if you are well fit and balanced on your tri bike it should be doable there.
I can do it from 5 -100 on my motorcycle and it’s rock solid…no issues. On my mtn bike and past road bikes it’s no problem, either, but on my Cervelo Dual TT bike it gets REALLY sketchy. I think my setup and the seat to bar angle is just too aggressive…moving from being way leaned over to upright upsets the bike quite a bit. Geometry prob. has a lot to do with it, too. So if you’re having trouble, it might be the bike…
Is there such a thing as the ‘death wobble’ on tri bikes? I can do it fine on my road bike but I’m nervous to try on the tri bike.
Just more unbalanced weight farther from the axis of rotation. I find it much harder on the tri bike than the roadie.
Hi,
ALL bikes posess a point at which the natural harmonic will result in a sympathetic oscillation.
The factors of speed, weight dist and others will affect when it comes, but it is out there.
Luckiliy on most bikes it is at a speed or load that you rarely or never go.
Mostly.
tp
Just more unbalanced weight farther from the axis of rotation. I find it much harder on the tri bike than the roadie.
Yup - I can ride my road bike (SLC) all day, up hill and turn no handed. Tri bike only straight and I have to scoot way back on the saddle. No need to throw the hands up coming into T2 I guess … 
Easy to do on a road bike once you get over the initial fear. Harder on a tri bike.
Anyone ever see the video clip of a guy practicing his pedal stroke by going one-legged, no hands, on a set of rollers? I can take off a jacket going no-hands on a couple of my road bikes, but wouldn’t dare to try it on rollers.
Much easier on either bike with the shallowest wheels. Deeper rim wheels make it harder since the slightest wind puff will catch the front deep dish. I’ve gotten to the point of riding on the road bike even with a 404/Jet90rear with no hands. The tri bike is the same for me, its the wheels that make it harder for me.
Come on, I’m a triathlete. I can barely handle the bike with both hands on
the bars. No need to go get crazy.
-Jot
Last weekend I was riding with an Italian guy on our team who thought he’d broken a cleat, he managed to reach down, take off one shoe, check his cleat, put the shoe back on and keep riding…cool as fu(k but I decided to stay well clear of him just in case!!
come on really. Doesnt every kid learn this the day after learning to ride.
come on really. Doesnt every kid learn this the day after learning to ride.
Yes, they do, and at least half of them have the scars to prove it. 
John
Like others have said, I can do it without thinking on my road bike from a few mph up to 20+. I can open gels and power bars, eat, put on or take off wind breakers etc…all without losing on the road bike.
But my tri bike is much sketchier. I can go a little ways no handed, but I find I have to concentrate a lot harder and if I start doing tasks like I can do on my road bike it is harder to hold a straight line.
Balance, both laterally and front to back you have to shift your weight back smoothly. I was a little twitchy on my dual at first. Practice on your rollers in a door way to figure out how to control the front end.
Haha, the title of this thread brought this song to mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuK2A1ZqoWs
I’ve been trying to work on doing this for the past couple of weeks. What I’ve discovered is that, on a road bike at least, it’s really not that hard to do. The main thing is just getting over my fear of not holding the bars. Really, the bike will keep going on it’s own as long as you have decent balance and enough speed.
Unless you need to ride with no hands to do things like change in and out of jackets, take off leg warmers etc, riding with no hands is just a trick.
If you really want to learn, practice on a well fitted and balanced road bike.