| Re: Does your bike track well?
"Badger_South" <Badger@South.net> wrote in message
news:1m7if0tc2cmrnlah0mav2t3o9i85hdaejo@4ax.com...
>
> I've ridden with no hands, pedalling and just coasting frequently on
> my last bike many, many years ago, cro-moly road bike, but on this
> Trek hybrid (7500FX), I'm having difficulty doing it at all. I'm
> barely able to coast with no hands, but if I pedal the front wheel
> wobbles like crazy - iow, none of that little bit of gyroscopic
> resistance to wobble to help you get going.
> Question is, what's the problem, or is it that some bikes just don't
> track straight, and you can't ride (momentarily) with no hand and
> pedalling.
It may be that your skills have atrophied. Saddles play a part, since you lean
a bike to steer it no-hands, and you lean it by shifting weight. If you shift
weight while pedaling, you'll wobble all over the place. Both the gyroscopic
effect and wheel flop steer the bike into the lean, but the gyro effect
dominates and gets stronger with speed (it's also much quicker). Too much flop
can really screw things up, you can see this if you use a bar bag. No-hands
becomes easier the faster you go.
> ISM you should definitely have that skill as part of bike
> handling 101, but use it sparingly, I guess.
No-hands riding is an essential skill. It also is really nice to sit up to
stretch or just admire the scenery. I use it generously, especially on a
gorgeous July day like this one.
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