Wobbly on my new roadbike

[referencerocks]

Thank you all for your ideas and encouragment! I'll put it to good (and consistent) use!

[spokewench]

Riding in a straight line is all about relaxing on your bike. Here are some tips. First, put your hands on the top of your hoods (not in your drops) at first. Bend your elbows, relax your arms, and support your upper body weight with your abdomen not your arms. Of course, you will rest on your arms, but they need to be relaxed, and bent. Above all, keep them bent.

If your arms are stiff and straight, every movement of your body and weight changes will be transferred directly down into the bike and you will go from side to side. If you are relaxed and have bent arms and loose shoulders, let your shoulders drop!, then your bike will not react to every movement that the rest of your body does. I've been riding for years and even I when I get tired start to tighten my shoulder up on one side. All I have to do is drop the shoulder and I am more comfortable and the bike is easy to ride!

I ride on the drops a lot. You can brake from the drops so don't worry, just go out and practice a bit. If you are riding in a pace line you can feather your brakes from the drops, keeping your pedals moving and control the bike better than if you just brake. Feathering the brakes means, just lightly applying the brake. Try it, your bike will instantly be more stable when you need it to be in close quarters. But, practice this before you get in a tight situation!

So, bend elbows, drop shoulders, relax, and look where you are going. That's all there is to it.

[referencerocks]

Thank you, ladies, for all of the great advice!!!

Adelaide (my bicycle) and I are getting along so much better. Straighter lines, sharper turns, confidence in the clip ins. I'm now able to take one hand off the handlebar to itch my nose and/or grab my water bottle. It's a christmas miracle!

Spokewench: reminding me to drop my shoulders and bend my arms changed the way I feel during and after a ride.

[KatzPajamas]

Thank you, ladies, for all of the great advice!!!

Adelaide (my bicycle) and I are getting along so much better. Straighter lines, sharper turns, confidence in the clip ins. I'm now able to take one hand off the handlebar to itch my nose and/or grab my water bottle. It's a christmas miracle!

Spokewench: reminding me to drop my shoulders and bend my arms changed the way I feel during and after a ride.

WOW! In one weeks time you have changed alot! TE fam is the best with the encouragement and advice. I began in early May for the first time on a road bike and am 56 years young. This forum helped me stay at it and I now have 300 miles logged on the bike with an average speed of 11.8! Would have never gotten here without their help!

[colorisnt]

Yes, glad to hear you are better. My shop (run by a bunch of gnarly bike bros) put me on a brand new road bike with clips and I fell two times and was scared to death of my bike for days. I eventually got back on and sucked it up, but I wish I would have waited!

I am glad you are doing great! It takes time, but you'll figure it out. I've only ever had road bikes since I started to "get into" cycling, but my previous road ride was a 35 year old steel hulk of a bike. Big adjustment. Glad you haven't fallen. You are a super star! Keep it up!

[zoom-zoom]

It's a christmas miracle!.

Totally laughing at this...I'm always hollering "It's a Christmahanukkahkwanza miracle" after those Virgin mobile ads from a few years back.

My first few rides on my first road bike felt SCARY! Then my first few rides on my newer, more aggressive, lighter road bike felt scary, all over agin. My most recent bike is a cyclocross bike...wow, that thing feels heavy and numb, by comparison.

You'll adapt. Then you will get FAST!

[Trek420]

Spokewench: reminding me to drop my shoulders and bend my arms changed the way I feel during and after a ride.

Also ... relax, d@mn it! Sounds counter intuitive but the death grip on the bars makes you less stable. Fluttering your fingers or playing piano on the bars may keep your hands relaxed.

[zoom-zoom]

Also ... relax, d@mn it! Sounds counter intuitive but the death grip on the bars makes you less stable. Fluttering your fingers or playing piano on the bars may keep your hands relaxed.

Yup. And making sure that your elbows are not locked. DH drilled this concept into my brain early-on. Think of your arms as shock-absorbers. Your upper body will thank you.

[TrekTheKaty]

Alos, Look down the road instead of staring in front of your wheel.