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Can you ride with no hands?

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Old 06-22-10, 02:06 PM
  #26  
kamtsa
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Good question.

No, but I can safely ride with one hand while pedaling.

When I started with 20", I could not even ride one hand without pedaling. Even scratching my nose was challenge. It takes some time to get to 20".

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Old 06-22-10, 03:03 PM
  #27  
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No on any of my bikes, full-sized or foldie.
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Old 06-22-10, 05:17 PM
  #28  
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I remember being able to do this as a kid. I also remember being able to endo and land on patches of grass unscathed.

Can't say I have any desire to attempt either nowadays. I think it's much safer to ride with your hands even if you don't have to.
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Old 06-22-10, 08:45 PM
  #29  
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Not in any useful way but I can do it for 5 seconds or so on my Speed TR. Maybe as time goes on I might get better at it again. Until about a month ago, I haven't rode a bicycle for 25 years...
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Old 06-22-10, 08:52 PM
  #30  
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A little but haven't tried for long because as you say it's twitchy. Trackstanding on the 20" is much harder too compared to my geared 700c.
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Old 06-22-10, 09:56 PM
  #31  
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Depends very much on the bike:
R20, as per my setup: Yes.
Downtube Mini: For a few seconds.
Swift: For a few seconds.
Birdy: very dangerous, absolutely not, NO.
Moulton: sort of.
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Old 06-22-10, 11:03 PM
  #32  
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Curve: Yes
Birdy: Yes but harder, and only when it was new.
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Old 06-23-10, 01:19 AM
  #33  
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Is it possible to peel an orange while riding a fodling bicycle? This could come in handy on longer perigrinations.
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Old 06-23-10, 06:38 AM
  #34  
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I wish I could.
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Old 06-23-10, 06:59 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by snafu21
Is it possible to peel an orange while riding a fodling bicycle? This could come in handy on longer perigrinations.
ummm that is waaay more complex than riding with no hands! you'd have to watch the orange and the road and keeping your balance while doing all this like a circus act on a folder. I'd rather prepeel them and keep them in a handlebar bag so i can pick from then one handed enjoying my ride instead trying to not wipe out and peel skin instead. peeling the orange beforehand won't waste that much time for your own safety
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Old 06-23-10, 08:00 AM
  #36  
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No - not on my Brompton.

This reminds me of something really stupid I did when I was a kid. I was riding my bicycle (normal size) and a brilliant thought came into my head. I wonder what it would feel like to ride with no hands AND WITH MY EYES SHUT.

Seconds later my neighbor's mailbox was facing his house and I had a huge bump on my forehead.
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Old 06-24-10, 03:42 AM
  #37  
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Yes, on most of my bikes from Brompton to tandem (tell the stoker not to jiggle about first) but not on a high bicycle.
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Old 06-25-10, 05:39 AM
  #38  
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On my normal bike, I couldn't and was very frustrated.

Then I started on yoga and it really improved my balance.
I can go straight or on curves with no hands. I change my mp3's battery while pedaling, search thing on my bagpack, etc.

Let's see how it takes on a folder next week. Never really thought it could be diferent.
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Old 06-25-10, 05:49 AM
  #39  
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Not on my Downtube and certainly not on my Citizen.
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Old 06-25-10, 02:13 PM
  #40  
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Xootr is the easiest for me to ride no handed. Bike Friday and Dahon not so much. I feel like I'm about to fall over when I attempt it on those.
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Old 06-25-10, 09:31 PM
  #41  
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Yes on a full-size bike.
Only for a few seconds on the Birdy. And I am ready to re-grab the bars at any point.
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Old 06-26-10, 01:04 AM
  #42  
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This thread suggests that generally speaking small wheel bikes are less stable than normal size.

If I recall correctly, this used to be a controversial topic in the past.

Kam
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Old 06-26-10, 02:00 AM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by kamtsa
This thread suggests that generally speaking small wheel bikes are less stable than normal size.

If I recall correctly, this used to be a controversial topic in the past.

Kam
I can't ride with no hands (what?) on my other bikes either. I feel this suggests that small wheel bikes aren't much different. But who caares? Riding with no hands is merely a peacock display of braggadocio, unless the hands-off approach is being used to feed one's self, or perhaps guide migrating buzzards

In the video thread is a viddy of a deranged man singing, playing a guitar, flying a paper aeroplane, drive-by mugging a woman, and inflating a balloon, all while pedaling a Dahon.

I thus believe, Sir, your hypothesis may be flawed. Practice may be the solution.

Now, riding a 20" bike on training rollers is a definite skill, and I can do that.
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Old 06-26-10, 05:42 AM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by snafu21
Is it possible to peel an orange while riding a fodling bicycle? This could come in handy on longer perigrinations.
Tangelo = yes
Most juice oranges = no
Navel orange = yes, but only for about 5 seconds
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Old 06-26-10, 07:15 AM
  #45  
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A long time ago..................................................

Ocassionally on my BMX days I was able to do a no hands roll back and switch from backwards to forwards by a sharpe 180 decree turn followed by flicking the bars off my thighs and pedalling forwards again. So much for the instability of 20" bikes!

I discovered this trick my accident, near accident.

The older I get the better I was!

Last edited by bhkyte; 06-26-10 at 07:53 AM.
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Old 06-26-10, 07:48 AM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by snafu21
I can't ride with no hands (what?) on my other bikes either. I feel this suggests that small wheel bikes aren't much different.
De Nile ain't just a river in Egypt ;-)

Originally Posted by snafu21
Riding with no hands is merely a peacock display of braggadocio, unless the hands-off approach is being used to feed one's self, or perhaps guide migrating buzzards
It's a sure way to demonstrate one's mating suitability.

Kam
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Old 06-26-10, 08:12 AM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by kamtsa
De Nile ain't just a river in Egypt ;-)



It's a sure way to demonstrate one's mating suitability.

Kam
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Old 06-26-10, 03:58 PM
  #48  
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I can barely signal left! For some reason, I have no issue riding with only my left hand on the bars, but the opposite is very difficult for me. And I'm right-handed...
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Old 06-27-10, 11:51 AM
  #49  
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Old 06-27-10, 03:02 PM
  #50  
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^^^^

now we're going to have to kill him.
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