Bike commuting gives you skillz

[Kimmyt]

Today on my ride in I was feeling fine. Riding through the heavy traffic at the start of my ride, I realized how confident I had gotten with my bike in traffic. (note, that is not to say I've gotten careless... I am super-vigilant always). But as I was riding down a tight shoulder carefully next to cars lined up to get on the freeway, and when I picked up an insane amount of speed and sped past the gridlocked traffic with a huge grin on my face, I realized just how much commuting has added to my cycling skillset.

I guess it all boils down to this. I ride a sort-of squirrely triathlon/road bike (it's a 'multisport' bike with a compact frame, but set up to use as a road bike... however it still retains it's lively spirit partially from being a compact frame and partially from being a tri bike) and have never in my life been able to ride any bike without my hands.

Today as I was doing my normal commute things on the trail, fishing around in my backpack, drinking out of my waterbottle, I realized how often when I'm riding that I feel like I've got little if any weight on my hands. Essentially, wasn't I just riding without hands, except like a baby learning to walk while trailing a hand on the wall for mental support, my hands were still gently touching my handlebars? So I took a deep breath, and let go.

I did three strokes with my pedals and didn't fall over. I put my hands back on the bars and smiled, took a look before and after me on the trail to make sure I wouldn't be 1) knocking into folks or 2) embarassing myself and then did it again.

This time I pedaled for several minutes and at the end whooped and hollered for happiness. A cyclist passed me going the other way, but it didn't matter, because then the thought came to me that I'm a cyclist now, one of those people that are so relaxed and comfortable on their bikes that they can take their hands off the bars, spin their backpacks around to the front and fish around for things in them, drink coffee while riding.

And then I smiled because I realized, I'm not a cyclist, I'm a commuter!

w00t!

[KnottedYet]

Congratulations!

[RoadRaven]

LOL

I read this and thought immediately about that scene from Napolean Dynamite...


I got skills.... nunchuk skills.... etc etc....


Seriously, you do have serious skillz, and I think I need to work on my skillz! - coz I havn't mastered those ones!!!

[tjf9]

I look forward to the day I feel that confident on my bike! I'm a newly minted bike commuter (about a month now) and just getting to the point where I'm not completely nervous in traffic.

I used to love riding "no-hands" when I was a kid. I can't wait to experience that again!

[Kimmyt]

I'm sure you'll get back there soon tjf! I never was able (it never even occurred to me) to do it as a kid, so you've already got that to draw from. The traffic thing comes the more you ride, and the only reason it occurred to me to try and ride without hands was that I noticed I really wasn't weighting them that much in between getting my water bottle and switiching positions on the bars, etc. Doing abwork helps the situation, I think my core is pretty strong, and it makes taking my hands off to move from the hoods to the drops alot easier, I can take both hands off and put them on the drops and theres a few seconds in between where I'm not touching anything. That was what really made me think, hmmm what if i just extend that couple seconds?

K.

p.s. RoadRaven, I definitely had that scene in mind when I came up with this thread title!

[RoadRaven]

p.s. RoadRaven, I definitely had that scene in mind when I came up with this thread title!

Ssssso funny (I still don't know whether I like that movie or not - I mean, I've only seen it about 3 times!)

Great minds think (or is that bike?) alike...

[coyote]

I feel the same way on my bike. We have become one. I'm getting ready to replace it....I want to do more riding and it is too small for me but I love my bike. When I first started riding to work I was smoking over a pack a day and 25 lbs heavier. There were times I thought I wasn't going to make it. I don't smoke anymore, I've ridden my bike 20 miles at once, and I prefer riding to driving a car. I too can ride without my hands on....if I concentrate really hard. I would never have pictured myself this way. I've gotten bit by the cycling bug...I'm going to get a bonified rode bike and I'm going to go out on those weekend rides and one of these days in the not too distant future I'm going to do a century ride for fun. Well ok maybe more for adventure

[Kimmyt]

oh coyote, your line under your name just cracks me up!!