the secret to riding no-handed is commitment. you can't lift your hands and hover over the bar -- your weight will be too far forward on the bike. over the years we've taught this skill to 100s of men and women. many of them say they'll never be able to do it. but in all these years, no one has failed this skill.

here's how I teach this skills:

1. put your hands on the tops
2. sit very upright on the saddle -- really up on your sitbones (not forward on your soft tissue). this centers your weight over the bottom bracket.
3. release one hand from the bar and place it on your thigh. I don't recommend holding your hands to the side or above your head (changes balance -- more advanced skills).
4. release the second hand and place it on your other thigh.
5. keep looking up. never look down at your bike.
6. try this pedalling (in a variety of gearing choices) and coasting. my experience has been that when folks are just learning this skill, they feel more stable slightly overgeared, pushing a lower cadence.
7. smile (it keeps you relaxed).
8. use your hips to steer. for more agressive steering, you can push your thigh agains the nose of the saddle.