Riding no hands. Who does it and why?

Started with a non-scientific observation; we're on a typical walk to the store and see at least 4 men riding on the MUT hands free. It's a beautiful day and a great skill so why not? Today's unusually busy on the trail so I question the safety but still if you got it, flaunt it.

Then Knott and I were talking about this and both observed; we never see women riding hands free. Why is that?

So do you ride no-hands, if not why not and do you wish you could?

If so when and why?

Talk amongst yourselves. :cool:

I am primarily a road rider on Texas chip seal however there are stretches of certain roads that I will ride hands free from time to time,. mostly to check my balance and coordination but also to prove myself that I can do it. So far my longest distance isn't much more than 1/2 mile but it's on a road with no traffic or other riders. As for hand free on a MUT, I question whether its safe. Maybe guys feel more of a need to prove that they are good at ridi8ng hands free. trail

Never. I'd kill mydelf I think. Lol barely can leave one hand for few seconds. On flat bar I can ride a longer time. But never on road bike.

I could probably my teach myself to ride with no hands, but I see no reason to. I guess it would come in handy for things like eating or taking off a jacket while riding, but it's easier and safer to just stop when I need to do something that requires two hands.

(Plenty of people have no concept of how to ride safely on a MUT. I've turned into that crazy lady who yells at people who pass when it's not safe.)

Greetings to Knott!!

It’s a useful skill and I'll ride with no hands for a number of reasons. Showing off isn’t one of them though. If someone is comfortable doing it and doing it safely why not do it. If someone isn't comfortable and needs to stop then they need to stop.

Now on a bike path when someone is riding towards me with no hands, listening to an iPod, cranium protected by a hoodie at most and front Vbrake not even connected properly I do get a little nervous :)....but then I'm also good at quickly unclipping and using my leg/foot to protect myself from someone riding into me.

eta 'if so when and why'......when i feel it's safe and for food/drink, clothing, stretching, relaxing, get some deep breaths, helping get into or just feeling a smooth pedaling motion, balance and hip/body control etc.

Never. I can barely manage the water bottle, and only with my left hand. I can barely signal with my right.
I stop if I need to do something like make a clothing change.

I never have been able to ride hands free, although I haven't ever been interested enough to try to work out how to do it.
Of course I can do it on the tandem, but that doesn't really count.

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Originally Posted by malkin

I never have been able to ride hands free, although I haven't ever been interested enough to try to work out how to do it.
Of course I can do it on the tandem, but that doesn't really count.

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:D

I don't see young girls when they bike, do no handlebar hold either. I think part of this is a risk thing /difference....what we're willing to try when we were younger.

I can hang on well, when I'm holding on handlebar with right hand, but I'm not good the other way. So I'm even more limited.

Oh well.

I see people riding without hands on a crowded MUT. It's not safe. I can't do it, but I don't want to, so it's not a problem.

What I've learned after riding lots of bikes:

Not all bikes are created equal.

I found certain celeste colored bike (Bianchi) which was designed specifically for Crit racing was next to impossible to ride hand free for me.
My all time favorite road bike was actually a tri bike from litespeed. It was not only really comfortable, it was very stable enough that I could ride hands free for miles. And everything in between.

I rode hand free to give my back some break. I also rode hand free to relieve pressure in my wrists. When riding 100+ mile events everything gets really sore and you need to move around on your bike to relieve pressure and pain. I still don't know why I participated in those rides where you are on your bike for 7-20 hours non-stop. I do have some fond memories of the rides though. Not so much at the time though.

And no I didn't ride hand free to show off. It never occured to me until someone mentioned here.

I ride with at least one hand firmly on the bar these days. One of my major crash happened from inattention and riding hands free.

There are several really good reasons to learn to and practice riding without hands. Obviously it has to be done in a safe manner and I'd say on a heavily trafficked trail is not one of them.

Riding without hands allows you to learn to control your bike with your trunk/core and legs, this makes you more stable on the bike in all situations and allows you to control your bike with less input to the front end from your arms. The latter comes in very handy if you hit something with your front wheel, you're less likely to crash. It also helps you develop the skill needed to correct your bike if you've done a quick evasive maneuver.

It allows you to explore the stability of your bike. The more you intuitively know your bike, the better you are at other skills like descending.

It builds frontal plane stability skills that in turn will translate into better balance with other activities including walking on uneven surfaces. As we age our balance/stability in the frontal plane (side to side motion) deteriorates and is one of the contributing factors to falling, not just while riding but also walking and hiking.

And of course there is the argument about the functional aspects of being able to take a vest or jacket off, reach in your pockets for something, stretch... The better you are at riding without hands, the better you are at doing other functional activities on the bike one handed, like reaching and replacing a water bottle.

Having said all that, it's a good idea to explore your balance standing on one leg first before trying to ride no hands. For eg this and this.

Doing front plank, side plank and bridging exercises are also a really great way to build strength that can help with finding better stability on the bike.

I never learned as a kid, but have always wished I could. Thanks for the learning tips, Wahine.

I also wish I could...it would help if I could get up the nerve to try but that just hasn't happened. I have no trouble holding a straight line while one hand is off the bars to grab or replace a water bottle etc. but feel like I would swerve and crash if I tried to take them both off (despite being on a bike that should be easy to ride no handed...touring bikes are known for being very stable).

I have tried it several times over the last couple of years. My husband does it quite easily. I have to work at it and it depends on the bike. Today on my cross check, I found I could ride no hands while pedalling if I flail my arms around for balance. I was on a pretty empty rail trail so I felt safe. I wouldn't do that on my road bike on the side of a road. I have managed on my mountain bike on a rail trail but no pedalling. I only ever tried out of curiosity. I see them doing it in the TDF. But it hurts my girly parts to sit in that podition on my saddle for any length of time.

I just like my front teeth too much to even try it. (and that's not sayin' that handsfree riders don't, just a measure of my confidence in my own ability to do it)

I think the one mistake people do while learning to ride no hands is just removing their hands off the handlebars slightly and then panicking upon losing control. The thing is, in that position your back is arched and it's super difficult to maintain balance that way.

However, if you move away enough to sit upright and straighten your back, you will realise how much easier it suddenly becomes! It sounds daunting, I know, but it becomes so much easier to control your bike and remain in balance that way. It also helps, imo, to keep pedaling at a steady pace, maintaining a nice speed of, say, 15 km/h.

It is perfectly natural to be scared at first and for learning to be a gradual process, so go somewhere where the pavement is smooth and the road is straight and traffic free. Don't start by removing one hand off the bars and then the other because you will throw yourself off balance like that. Just keep pedaling at a steady pace and get comfortable doing so.

When you end up letting go of the handlebars, try to sit up straight, even if just for a brief moment before you plant your hands on the handlebars again. When you get there, just keep doing so until you overcome the initial fear of letting go.

Of course, don't overdo it. This step can take days, but I find it goes quite fast once you achieve this and it comes down to pedaling steadily and maintaining that momentum from there onwards. It takes effort and may seem impossible at first, but it's worth sticking through it. It's a bit like learning to ride the bike - once you get the hang of it, you just keep getting better.

So keep at it, and do let me know if you decide to give this technique a try! I really hope it will help those of you who want to learn :)

I ride hands free at times, usually near the end of a ride, especially when cooling down, to stretch a bit. I also do it to demonstrate to people that turning a bike is something you accomplish with your hips and core, not your handlebars (I can ride figure 8's hands free) and of course it comes in handy for removing jackets/arm warmers etc.

I recently crossed the 10,000 mi. threshold on my road bike and still can't do this, in spite of planking at least 2 min. every day. Is it a geometry/fit thing? My SuperSix is fairly aggressive and maybe a hair long through the top tube.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

A caveat to this is my current road bike, a Pinarello racing set-up. It turns very fast, handles great, but hands-free is dangerous for me because the wheel turns unexpectely.

Hands free is convenient. It allows you to sit up and rest on long rides, or if you are not feeling well, etc. Also allows you to eat, etc., more easily. (But not, repeat NOT! on my current bike).

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So maybe it is my bike...it's twitchy. I should try it on my CX bike when riding on the road, sometime. That's far less nimble.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

Riding without hands allows you to learn to control your bike with your trunk/core and legs, this makes you more stable on the bike in all situations and allows you to control your bike with less input to the front end from your arms. The latter comes in very handy if you hit something with your front wheel, you're less likely to crash. It also helps you develop the skill needed to correct your bike if you've done a quick evasive maneuver. .

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Thanks for the information on balance. I probably won't ride without hands, but what you said is interesting.

I am aware that it helps balance, but since it's fairly amazing I can even ride a bike, this is not something high on my list. I can plank for a minute and have much improved balance on one leg, but no amount of practice with certain bike skills has helped. Considering where I started, I'm good.

It probably helps to acquire these skills as a kid because you have no fear at that age hindering you. I learned most of those skills when I was a kid, but I never learned how to do decent wheelies so I still struggle with it now :/

I do it quite often, to stretch my back, warm a cold hand, open my lungs up a bit and just for fun. I haven't always been able to, but I taught myself about ten years ago, and was surprised at how easy it was. I had to tuck my tailbone well in and sit really upright, to "get" it. Now I enjoy feeling how I can move around, look over my shoulder, remove my pack and jacket and put my pack back on (on a good day), and in general steer my bike well no hands. I will usually put a hand on the bars if I see someone approaching, mostly to be polite so that they won't worry that I'm about to ride into them.

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Originally Posted by lph

I will usually put a hand on the bars if I see someone approaching, mostly to be polite so that they won't worry that I'm about to ride into them.

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This should really be basic riding-no-hands etiquette. I really don't like seeing parents with kids fret over someone who can't be bothered to stop riding no hands for a few seconds until the kids are in the clear.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

I recently crossed the 10,000 mi. threshold on my road bike and still can't do this, in spite of planking at least 2 min. every day. Is it a geometry/fit thing? My SuperSix is fairly aggressive and maybe a hair long through the top tube.

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If your bike has a more aggressive headtube angle or the front end is heavy for some reason, it will make it more difficult to balance. Tire width plays into it, wheelbase length all kinds of stuff. But too much weight on the front end (like clamp on tri bars or a handle bar bag) will make it nearly impossible.

When I mentioned planking, front plank is only a small part of the picture, a strong side plank is much more important and so is low back strength like bridging. So if you can do a front plank for 90 sec, that's great. but if you can only side plank for 30 sec, you don't have muscle balance or functional stability.

I'm even better at side planks and bridges than front plank.
My balance issues are very specific to direction and movement, totally based on my crappy spatial orientation and visual perception.
The comments about learning to do stuff as a kid is so true. I was such a timid kid about this stuff, and it was reinforced by my family. By the time I wanted to do certain things, the learning curve was really steep.
So, if you have kids, encourage them to be daring.

Only on the back of the tandem (I am not captaining so it will not cause an accident).

I do it to open food packets for my captain, scratch his back, stretch my back, help another cyclist tuck something back in their pocket etc.

Otherwise there is no way I would do that on a single.

what is a front plank?

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I'm even better at side planks and bridges than front plank.

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Me too. I do front and sides one day and bridges the next -- alternating days. And I don't have anything extra on the front end of my bike, aside from a little bento box. Huh...?

I tried it yesterday, in the parking lot of the community center...only a few seconds, but better than I have done before. Keeping up a certain speed seems to be key. I do have a handlebar bag that I carry repair kit etc. in so that probably isn't making it any easier, but when I was using a rack bag it was a PITA when I needed to attach panniers. Might be interesting to try with it off and see how much easier it is.

Jolt, I find that keeping up a certain effort is more important than speed. Pushing harder on the pedals engages me more with the bike. I can coast no hands too, but spin-pedalling is the hardest as there's a lot of movement but little "push".

I never even attempted to ride handless, but there is this woman who I saw all of the time in my favorite park. I NEVER saw her ride with even ONE hand on the bike! Regardless of where she was, conditions, she was always sitting straight up, phone in one ear and the other hand on her hip. Great skill, yes, but I was always afraid for her.

I've never been able to, though I often have wished I could. I've come closest since switching to deeply curved SMP saddles, but still feel like I'm going to pitch forward over the handlebars. Perhaps men's pelvises are shaped differently enough to make it easier for them?

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Originally Posted by nuliajuk

I've never been able to, though I often have wished I could. I've come closest since switching to deeply curved SMP saddles, but still feel like I'm going to pitch forward over the handlebars. Perhaps men's pelvises are shaped differently enough to make it easier for them?

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THIS! Also, I have a pretty severe case of spinal lordosis, so even standing my entire pelvis is sorta pitched forward (it's a BIG reason I love my SMPs -- everything else was like a torture rack to some degree. I no longer draw blood on rides).

Likewise. I feel I'm at my most stable when riding no hands that way.

Let's see... I am vertically challenged.... Have zero core strength.... Lack coordination..... Nope. Safe to say I am not one who can ride hands free. If I did? Well, let's just say there is not enough band aids in SC that could patch me up LOL