tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post8459186453169106899..comments2024-03-27T05:14:23.738-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Bikes, Balance, and Riding No HandsVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-9493832085474563362015-11-21T18:27:12.846-05:002015-11-21T18:27:12.846-05:00I always used to ride no-handed, but then 50 years...I always used to ride no-handed, but then 50 years came and went without me riding a bike at all. As a boy, it took me a long time to master the art. I bought an old-fashioned one-speed bike a month ago, and inside of three weeks I was riding no-handed--even making turns. I guess it's true: you really don't forget how to ride a bicycle.leeduigonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07389731841731466254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-60987437374320638182012-11-05T11:45:13.313-05:002012-11-05T11:45:13.313-05:00I have always been able to ride without hands, but...I have always been able to ride without hands, but on my current/new bike I am not able as the front end feels very unstable. I suspect its the geometry, since I have never ever not been able. Any thoughts?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-55081645829361187232012-03-13T15:08:42.429-04:002012-03-13T15:08:42.429-04:00any health individual can learn how to trackstand ...any health individual can learn how to trackstand or ride their bike with no hands. these simple balancing skills have saved me from injury on multiple occasions. <br /><br />anonymous "04:57 AM" is exactly right. spinning is a basic skill and 110 rpm is not all that fast. moreover, once you learn how to spin, riding clipless is like a freaking revelation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-56171977407081775062012-02-03T10:14:52.722-05:002012-02-03T10:14:52.722-05:00Late to the party here but from a comment left on ...Late to the party here but from a comment left on my Paper bike review by the designer, being able to ride it no handed & in flip flops was part of the design spec (the other part was being able to carry it upstairs one handed). Sorry if this has been said before, I didn't want to plough through nigh-on a hundred comments from self-appointed experts telling you your saddle was the wrong height.townmousehttp://cityexile.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-42793204294327197712012-02-01T02:29:11.068-05:002012-02-01T02:29:11.068-05:00Another great and funny inspiring "riding no ...Another great and funny inspiring "riding no hands" video with this time a happy end (the first end...) : <br />http://vimeo.com/35927275actuvelo.frhttp://actuvelo.frnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-89355026619791394492012-01-29T16:14:04.166-05:002012-01-29T16:14:04.166-05:00RE Wheels of Justice's comments about headset ...RE Wheels of Justice's comments about headset adjustment, That makes a huge difference when trying to ride no hands. I doubt that anything on any of V's bikes is out of whack so it doesn't apply here, but on a bike with a notchy headset riding without hands is about impossible. I have one of the old Raleigh folding 20s that came with a nylon bushing instead of an upper headset bearing and while it feels perfectly natural when you have a hand on the bars you CANNOT ride it without.<br /><br />And while I'm old and slow and don't understand half of what I think I know, I can ride every bike I own without hands except for that Raleigh 20 and my swingbike. On a good day I can still trackstand my fixie no hands. I have to be careful when I show that off though because my friend Kurt and some other local guys can ride their fixies BACKWARDS, in a circle with no hands.<br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-63566971089461796272012-01-29T12:05:32.795-05:002012-01-29T12:05:32.795-05:00And now ... back to CyclesEXIF. In addition to th...And now ... back to CyclesEXIF. In addition to the beautiful Vendetta shown a few days ago there was also a F Moser time trial bike shown recently - beautiful bike:<br /><br />http://www.cycleexif.com/francesco-moser-tt#more-8237<br /><br />In the writeup it says he now has a vineyard in Italy. For the sake of chill I recommend that, since Veloria rides a F Moser, that she should get the winery as a sponsor here. The sponsorship should include a case (or two) of wine that, in the interest of harmony we can partake together. We, of course, will open the bottles with a red Campagnolo corkscrew as does F Moser himself in the photos of him in his bike shed:<br /><br />http://www.eroicacicli.com/blog/at-mosers/<br /><br />After the wine is finished, we can get on some rollers and practice our spin technique on his 1984 Hour Record bike also shown in the link above - HUGE gear - and a record at the time of 31.88 miles in one hour.<br /><br />Finally, the last link has a couple further links "here and here" to some nice video of the Giro.<br /><br />It's supposed to be 80F here in SoCal today - think I'll go for a spin ;)Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165535253085791545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-22100329450732086542012-01-29T07:57:12.959-05:002012-01-29T07:57:12.959-05:00The ordinary and usual fix for bouncing is a few r...The ordinary and usual fix for bouncing is a few rides on fixed gear. A few runouts on moderate downhills and you're done. Well, you've tried that.<br /><br />I'm thinking of a rider who's fundamentally out of balance because one leg is carbon fiber. Does 200 rpm downhill. I'm thinking of a rider who has one leg short and withered from polio. Does 200 rpm downhill. And then I'm thinking of a rider who used to spin merrily down the hills. She had to give it up because she's dying of MS.<br /><br />If you don't have an excuse substantially better than MS or polio or amputation there's no good reason you can't spin. Spinning is ordinary and basic. It's not a special skill or gift or talent that only some people have.<br /><br />110rpm is not something unusual. That's every warmup. That's comfortably sitting in the paceline relaxing. That's just keeping your legs loose when not at the front. If you were sustaining it continuously for an hour it might be considered slightly high. If you were doing it uphill it would be high. Actually for someone who gives her weight as 125 it's not high at all. Small riders turn the pedals faster.<br /><br />If you've come this far and haven't figured out basic spinning yes there is a problem. Something is getting in the way. It is most likely something very simple. A simple explanation is more likely than anything convoluted. The photos show a very high saddle. <br /><br />I spent a bit of time looking for photos of riders with legs as straight as your photos show. Exclude those who corner with one leg planted down. Anyone who would get their photo taken riding, I can't find it. Yes, photos can be misleading. It's also likely readers will offer advice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-47511021739796548842012-01-29T02:22:57.410-05:002012-01-29T02:22:57.410-05:00I have 2 bikes that I ride regularly, both 1980...I have 2 bikes that I ride regularly, both 1980's lugged steel frames. I'm a 55 year old female. I can ride "no hands" on one, but not the other. The "no hands" bike is a aTrek 950 MTB from the late 1980's, with 1.5" street tires (Schwalbe Marathons). The bike I can't ride no hands is a Terry Chrom road bike (predescssor to the Terry Symmetry) with 25c tires. Thinking about trading it for a Terry Classic 1980's touring frame that takes some somewhat widers tires.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-72265426522338721422012-01-28T23:32:20.729-05:002012-01-28T23:32:20.729-05:00Get some rollers - you'll soon be riding no ha...Get some rollers - you'll soon be riding no hands on the rollers and smoother than ever. When I rode rollers a lot I could close my eyes and even take my t shirt off when I got warmed up. Some people claim they can even take their sweats off while riding rollers but I can't quite picture it. I like to ride my fixie no hands up hill to work on my pedaling - you've got to be really round (pedal stroke wise) or it won't work. I suspect any of your bikes will allow you to ride no hands if your headsets are adjusted right. With drop bars it's just a question of transitioning your weight from the bars to the saddle. Start with your hands on the center section, relax, then extend your fingers until you are just touching the bars with your middle fingers, then straighten up and let go - you're there!Wheels of Justicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00882437389761648013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-29434704580476643022012-01-28T23:01:52.836-05:002012-01-28T23:01:52.836-05:00Doug, My comments were not aimed at you personally...Doug, My comments were not aimed at you personally; sorry if I contributed to any rancorous tone in this thread by using the term patronizing. I do think you may be on to something in your observation that some (most?) men enjoy assuming the role of problem solver or advice giver (i.e., patron, in the good sense), especially when the object of their aid is a younger woman. I have observed that tendency in myself as well.<br /><br />As you noted, many formulas have been proposed for determining saddle height and other aspects of fit based on anatomic measurements. There was the Hinault/Lemond formula, Eddy B's formula, all kinds of formulae. My point in providing the links to photos of Sean Kelly, who as you know was one of the greatest bike racers of all time but who had quite an unconventional position on the bike, is that these formulas don't apply to everyone, and should best be thought of as a starting point for individual experimentation, a point that you yourself made earlier. <br /><br />For readers of this blog to persist in trying to convince Velouria that her saddle is "too high" on the basis of their analyses of Flickr photos, after she assured them that it is not, based on her own careful observations and those of experienced riders and fitters like Rob V of Seven who have actually watched her ride a bike, is... interesting.DYGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14707103260355711202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-7425170197842833102012-01-28T21:54:02.513-05:002012-01-28T21:54:02.513-05:00I think I'll just empathetically nod my head a...I think I'll just empathetically nod my head and say "I understand."<br /><br />Just kidding - thanks Velouria. I don't think most of the crticisim was directed at me anyway. I'll admit I tend to be more left brained and analytical which is probably why I like the artistic bent you bring to this site.<br /><br />Plus, the motorcycling forums can be much, much worse.<br /><br />Having said that, I think we're nearing the end of this trajectory. Perhaps we can move on to high speed cornering techniques such as countersteering.<br /><br />As a photographer, you have probably seen this site (from down under) but, if not, you (or others here can) check it out:<br /><br />http://www.cycleexif.com/<br /><br />It's updated daily. The Vendetta from a couple of days ago was especially nice.<br /><br />And for those of us who like HP - it's sister:<br /><br />http://www.bikeexif.com/<br /><br />Have fun and, as they used to say on Hill Street Blues, be careful out there.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165535253085791545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-91929768990979117442012-01-28T21:26:30.187-05:002012-01-28T21:26:30.187-05:00Doug - I am not offended by any of the comments re...Doug - I am not offended by any of the comments re saddle height, pedaling technique, etc., but I do think the comments are funny given that those making them have never seen me ride a bike in person. <br /><br />Also, I think my writing sometimes gets interpreted as if I am soliciting help and advice, whereas what I am actually doing is using personal experience as a trajectory to explore these issues in a more general sense. This blog is not really a confessional diary and should perhaps not be taken so literally. <br /><br />All that said, I appreciate that people take the time to think about all of this stuff and give their feedback. The concept of "patronizing" is subjective. Some of my own posts can probably be described that way as well. In the end it's all good, and people just want to communicate, to find like-minded bicycling enthusiasts.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-81994339474479581942012-01-28T21:07:28.494-05:002012-01-28T21:07:28.494-05:00Continued -
I would beg to differ that my comments...Continued -<br />I would beg to differ that my comments have been a critique. In fact, I especially disagree with DYG's comments above that they are patronizing. Yesterday's comments were my first on this or any blog. I wanted to contribute and jumped through about 10 minutes of hoops so that I could long in so that I could comment. My comment was that I felt that generally when a cyclist leg is fully extended to the extent of a straight knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke it indicates a too high of a saddle height. I stand by this while at the same time knowing that one photo can be misleading and doesn't tell the whole story. My comments were made in order to contribute and were made with kindness and consideration and were never intended to be condescending or patronizing. As the thread continued, it did seem to take a darker tone and I decided not to contribute further.<br /><br />Then, when Veloria added "Here's something: On my roadbike, when my cadence is too fast I bounce up and down on the saddle" I decided to contribute once more. These comments were again made in good faith and based on my own experience and understanding - nothing more. It seems to me that these comments regarding pedaling technique were invited by Velouria and not "attempts to critique Velouria's ... pedaling technique by studying Flickr pics" as DYG stated above.<br /><br />Speaking of which, the first photo cited by DYG above only confirms the comments made on seat height. That is that the cyclist's left leg is very close to the bottom of the pedal stroke and has considerable bend in the knee at that point. The other comment by DYG above that "There is no valid formula or method based solely on body part dimensions or angles (which are all that can be discerned from a photograph) to determine a rider's "correct" saddle height" is also incorrect. I think that almost all frame sizing and bike fitting starts with body measurements and formulas. Of course they can be fine tuned from there. I can remember an Italian book call "Cycling" that was an in depth analysis of bicycle sizing and fitting written prior to the 1972 Rome Olympic games.<br /> http://www.flickr.com/photos/stronglight/3635549452/ <br /> <br />And Serotta has been developing sizing and fitting methods for over 20 years. And the knowledge base has only grown exponentially since then.<br /><br />Perhaps the problem lies in the differences between how men and women think and behave. Even Velouria's subsequent blog post "The 'Psychic Spouse' Fallacy" bears witness to this though it seems to be more about communication than anything. Men tend to want to fix things or be problems solvers even when a solution is not being sought. Perhaps we should just not our heads with empathy and mutter "I understand." Ok, that may have been a patronizing :)Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165535253085791545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-10957456272003904312012-01-28T21:02:53.046-05:002012-01-28T21:02:53.046-05:00I've been following this blog for only about a...I've been following this blog for only about a month or so. I'm not sure how I discovered it but I think it was a link from Dottie's blog over at Let's Go Ride a Bike. I've liked both as they were a window into a whole side of cycling I was unfamiliar with. I've been riding almost 40 years now but it's mostly been high performance road and mountain bikes. A couple of years ago, I was looking for a bike for my daughter for college and came upon a (free) single speed Schwinn Collegiate. I rebuilt it and gave it to her a couple of years ago and she has been using it since. The bike had been sitting outside and was a great lesson in rust removal but that's another story. She is up at UC-Davis, a great cycling community, and I have forwarded to her links to both both of these wonderful blogs as she uses her Schwinn for transportation and also has an interest in photography. In fact, for Christmas I gave her a nice camera - her first. Since then, I have acquired a few more old Schwinns - mostly three speeds including one for myself and one that had never been built up and in it's in original packaging. What I like about these is that they were more elemental and fun.<br /><br />So for the last couple of months I've been just following along. I liked it that Velouria had an old Moser and that she has the same frame size as my old Alan - that is a 52 x 53 - though now I ride a 53 x 53. I read with a touch of humor the need to stop for water and not being able to ride with no hands as the skills necessary to do this are second nature to me. Both have impled to me a beginner to intermediate skill level though I know that not to be true.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165535253085791545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-56546228877135256432012-01-28T20:09:22.715-05:002012-01-28T20:09:22.715-05:00Velouria may have said 110, but I am pretty sure h...Velouria may have said 110, but I am pretty sure her actual cattence was twice that.Peppy (my cattance, let me show it to you)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-90698858411211945902012-01-28T19:38:52.148-05:002012-01-28T19:38:52.148-05:00The basket on your (Workcycles) omafiets sits on a...The basket on your (Workcycles) omafiets sits on a rack that's cantilevered off the frame, so it doesn't add mass that moves when the front wheel turns, like a basket that's attached to the handlebars. It does have a spring that keeps the front wheel more-or-less (but not necessarily exactly) centered, which might actually make it harder to ride hands-free. If you wanted to try it, I'd unhook the steering damper spring and give it a try on Oma. Just remember to hook it back up again before you park it with weight on the back end...Merlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13350335129704993638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-11601801907466274302012-01-28T18:32:46.154-05:002012-01-28T18:32:46.154-05:00DYG,
"I'm also surprised that any experie...DYG,<br />"I'm also surprised that any experienced cyclist would contend that the ability to pedal at an extremely high cadence without bouncing is independent of saddle height and leg extension."<br /><br />Of course it isn't independent. The point is your saddle has to be in the right spot. <br /><br />Hence...<br />"I need to really dial in saddle position before I can hit high cadences like 200 RPM."<br /><br />"Velouria says raising her saddle cures the bouncing problem"<br /><br />Did she say she was spinning 200 rpm or 110? The issue is technique improvement, not a patch to make 110 the rev limiter. If you were training a junior like this you'd be limiting his/her ability. A junior who can't spin can't win. Two words: junior gears. <br /><br />Nice picture of Sean. No one here is a genetic freak like he was, but nice try.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-87939080227237652692012-01-28T18:32:10.230-05:002012-01-28T18:32:10.230-05:00Flickr fit expertise is a force to be reckoned wit...Flickr fit expertise is a force to be reckoned with for sure. A marketable skill perhaps?Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-8593461872023436992012-01-28T18:22:51.589-05:002012-01-28T18:22:51.589-05:00I'm so proud of you!!! CONGRADULATIONS,I knew ...I'm so proud of you!!! CONGRADULATIONS,I knew you could do it,my friend! :) And yes,what bike you're on does matter-but ultimately you will be able to do it soon on most any bike. Some are easier than others,but now you got it! :)<br /><br />The Disabled CyclistAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-88497262702903203952012-01-28T16:37:39.609-05:002012-01-28T16:37:39.609-05:00I find these attempts to critique Velouria's p...I find these attempts to critique Velouria's position on the bike and pedaling technique by studying Flickr pics laughable and more than a little patronizing. There is no valid formula or method based solely on body part dimensions or angles (which are all that can be discerned from a photograph) to determine a rider's "correct" saddle height. What do you Flickr fit experts think of this guy's saddle position? <br />http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3644/3437853542_1307e52b19.jpg<br />http://spinwell.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/picture-25.png?w=450&h=213<br /><br />I'm also surprised that any experienced cyclist would contend that the ability to pedal at an extremely high cadence without bouncing is independent of saddle height and leg extension. I know that for me small changes in saddle height can make a significant difference in this regard, and I need to really dial in saddle position before I can hit high cadences like 200 RPM. For me, bouncing at very high cadence is usually a sign that my saddle is too high, but I don't think that is a universal rule. Velouria says raising her saddle cures the bouncing problem, and I believe her.DYGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14707103260355711202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-42748050539005207072012-01-28T15:51:34.645-05:002012-01-28T15:51:34.645-05:00You have to be very careful about doing what your ...You have to be very careful about doing what your bicycles tell you to do... I woke up in the woods once and I THINK it was because the vicious thing had been urging me to let go of the bars and close my eyes on a nice smooth bit. I seem to have punched out for about a 1/2 hour so can't be sure...<br />Some bikes are so easy to ride no hands that you have to believe they like being in control and will do anything to get us to give back a little. <br /><br />For all the abuse we heap on old crappy coaster brake cruisers(think 60s and 70s Columbias, Huffys etc.)they are some of the nicest old things to spin around on sans hands. Last July we were in Michigan visiting some of my wife's aunts and uncles on their farms and the only bikes to ride were ancient old clunkers from the barn. I found a more or less intact 45 year old Huffy step-through and rode it around the farm whenever we weren't all off doing stuff. It was all pretty hard work, the seat was limited to 14 year old girl/little old Mennonite lady height and the tires would get short of breath if you got too far from the compressor but a bike is a bike, right? The lanes and field edges are all soft, tractor pulverized black dirt that just sort of grab the front wheel and yank it out from under you if you let it.<br /><br /> While riding back from a spin I looked at the wobbly, snake trails I had left and was instantly and completely dropped back into my 10 year old self on a similar bike on a similar farm while visiting some of my relatives in Indiana in 1975. I suddenly remembered a blazing hot afternoon spent trying to make perfectly strait tracks and how delighted I was to figure out how to stop wiggling and lay down ruler lines in the dirt. The deal was that you had to sort of scoot back on the saddle, lean back while staying as upright as you could and just barely touch the bottom of the grips with your fingertips. I tried it again and it was suddenly a completely different bike. Instead of wrestling with the cranky old thing, trying to pin her front wheel down and shove her through the turns and force a straight path, I just used the bars to help keep my self in touch with the proceedings and tried to just relax and enjoy it( I wonder if that's what dancing is like. Hard to tell, we Mennonites refuse sex standing up out of fear it will lead to dancing so I just wonder). You couldn't get in a hurry and when I tried long, skidding turns in deep dirt with the rear wheel locked up on the downhills it felt like shoplifting or something so I calmed myself down and just went along with it. One evening I rode from Uncle Stan's farm to Terri's Grandparent's old house on the farm beyond Uncle Kenny's. The roads are all laid out on a one mile grid and their farms pretty much fill up the squares. The evening sun was going down and I rode all the way on the paths between the fields, crossing a deserted road every mile or so and feeling like it was 1935 or something. The full moon was coming up and I saw a bunch of wild turkeys and deer in a field of soybeans about a half mile across. On the way back I might have been touching the grips 50% of the time and my tracks were, if not strait lines, than smooth ribbons following the currents of the fields and lanes. By the time I got back to Stan's the tires were just about flat but except for having to pedal a little harder(maybe much) the bike handled just as calmly and sweet as when I left. THAT was the best ride of 2011 and any bike that can do that is a certified magic freaking carpet. <br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-17249372304921897632012-01-28T15:19:30.080-05:002012-01-28T15:19:30.080-05:00I used to be able to ride hands free, but it was s...I used to be able to ride hands free, but it was so long ago and on very different bikes. I believe low trail bikes are supposed to be ideal for riding hands free, but that most modern bikes do not have the right trail or geometry for it. I miss riding hands free, but none of the bikes I currently own feel safe enough to do it. Any time I try I have to put my hands right back on the bars immediately to stop falling.<br />Congrats! fun isn't it?heathernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-48414232091658498992012-01-28T13:42:20.581-05:002012-01-28T13:42:20.581-05:00Google John Allis, then check this out: http://ww...Google John Allis, then check this out: http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/huca/about.htmlGround Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-698220712590070032012-01-28T13:37:18.312-05:002012-01-28T13:37:18.312-05:00Cool! I can't ride any of my bikes without ha...Cool! I can't ride any of my bikes without hands. Someone told me once that it's because they all have front baskets and without the front weight, it would be fine. I think there's something to that, plus the geometry of Dutch-style bikes, with the front wheel way out there, is not conducive to hands-free cycling. A diamond-frame seems like the key because you can clamp your knees on the top tube to stay steady, but I've never tried this.Dottiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03984050970208363927noreply@blogger.com