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After more that 7 months of riding (some 5 - 6000 km), I can’t ride no handed. Many years ago I used to ride long on steel road bikes (the standard of that time) and also to race, but I had no problems to ride no handed.

What I clearly felt when I re-started cycling - months ago - on a modern geometry (carbon fiber) bike was that I was very tall comparing with the cars around me; I still feel this today, but I never felt it many years ago on an old style steel road bike.

Could this be a result of the modern geometry of the bike? Or a sign of wrong bike fit? Or simply psychological limit?

caloso

Or an improperly adjusted headset.

Rowan

The geometry of the fork can mean a bike is almost impossible to ride with no hands below a certain speed that can only be determined by experiment.

If you look at the guys who cross the finish line of big race with their hands in the air, they generally are moving quite fast, but if their speed drops, they can get the wobbles and have to get a hand at least back on the bars pronto.

TJKnight

Why do you want to ride no handed?

JohnnyCyclist

I can't ride no-handed on any of my bikes. So either I've adjusted all my headsets improperly, or my "two left feet" skill at dancing extends to cycling with no hands. Since I'm happy if I return from a ride having kept the rubber side down the whole time, I thinks it's the latter.

rpenmanparker 

Unless your body has changed that much, you should be in a very similar position now to what you were then. You shouldn't feel higher on the bike, because you you shouldn't be higher on the bike. Did someone sell you the wrong size and then fit you to it wrong?

PepeM

Zipper up the jersey before crossing the finish line of course.

elboGreaze

Now thats pretty funny ! To the OP, you should be able to ride just about any bike no-handed . As mentioned , your speed makes a difference .

caloso

I can't speak for the OP, but there are plenty of reasons to ride no handed:

put on or take off clothing
peel a banana or unwrap a bar
give the WTF gesture to a motorist who cut you off
stuff a copy of La Gazetta down the front of your jersey after summitting the Gavia
wave at your mom and yell "Look! No hands!"
it's fun

fietsbob

its over rated, pull over and stop. Not in a race.

DrIsotope

I ride no handed all the time, so often I don't even notice I'm doing it. The appropriate time to ride with no hands? Bee in the helmet, anyone?

It just takes practice. When I started, I absolutely could not go no handed below ~15mph. Now it doesn't get wobbly until 8-9mph. Just keep your weight back on the saddle.

indyfabz

Last Saturday afternoon I saw a Mennonite girl riding blissfully down the road with a smile on her face and no hands on her bars.

RoderWrench

Don't forget shooting the double-guns at all the girlies.

PepeM

But what if you are in one?

rfmarotti

It took me almost 12 mos of regular riding to do it comfortably after going 10+ years w/o riding a bike. Maybe just practice more?

rms13

Seriously... What does everyone have against using hanflebars?

Lazyass

Make sure your headset isn't too tight.

I <3 Robots

Riding no handed lets me browse Bike Forums.

bleui

when I wave to my fellow cyclists, I do it both hands

Rowan

What sort of bike was she on?

Machka caught a good sighting of a guy in Amsterdam who was riding along with a bird cage in one hand and (I think) a coffee in the other. This was on a traditional-style Dutch city bike with a completely different front-end geometry to a drop-bar road bike.

There is only one of my bikes that I can confidently ride with no hands at anything close to 10mph, and that is my old Shogun 400, butted steel-framed fixed gear. Carbon bike -- not really below 15mph. Ti bike -- same. English touring bike -- probably around 12mph. Old Fuji Touring with new Surly fork -- much better than it was when it had to be 16 to 18mph or faster with the standard unicrown fork. MTB -- about the same as the English touring bike.

Speed does play a role. Headset tightness will sure show up when trying to go around corners and there is notchiness and sluggishness in the steering.

Lazyass

Everyone is different. I can ride with no hands at any speed without thinking, it's a natural reflex. I pull over to the side in a paceline to remove a gilet or arm warmers and stick them in my jersey keeping pace with them. I can sit up with no hands and look behind me. I've never been able not to. I've seen some people post on this forum that they have trouble grabbing a water bottle with one hand.

Marcus_Ti

The cool kids at the university text and ride their bike these days

Homebrew01

Yup, plus sometimes it feels good to sit up & stretch.

I had a shoe come untied in a race, so coasted no hands with my foot on the top tube while I retied it.

Also texting while riding is best done no hands.

Homebrew01

Reminds me, I was thinking of a contest to see who can go the fastest no hands.

indyfabz

I have no idea. I was pitching my tent and didn't get a look at her bike.