Quote Originally Posted by Velocivixen View Post
Oh thanks for the replies. Okay, I will practice in mini steps and will do so in a safe place.

When I had my 1975 Schwinn Le Tour I could literally ride for miles with no hands, as long as the road was flat and relatively straight! I wouldn't dare try that now.
Mini-steps and getting the guts to do it is what helped me. I think I held a bottle for a 1/4 mile before I could get it put back. It didn't help that I was laughing because I was embarrassed.

What helped the most was just practicing placing my hand down on the bottle for a moment or two. In the very beginning I could only reach halfway for the bottle. It was a very gradual process.

Glance down to where the bottle needs to be returned to. If you can't find it, reset (sit back up, pedal with the bottle in hand) and try again. Having straight stretches of road/trail to practice on helps a lot.

Baby steps and smile.