45
votes
What happened to riding with no hands?
Nothing happened or changed. It's just your observational bias coupled with different demographics preferring different bike capabilities.
Many children's bikes have relatively relaxed geometry, ...
- 12.1k
29
votes
How to learn to ride a bike better?
The simple, short answer is practice. Simply riding around at moderate to slow speeds, practicing starting off, braking, stopping and negotiating tight turns will help build balance, confidence and ...
- 75.5k
15
votes
What happened to riding with no hands?
I think there's a large element of selection bias, combined with changes to roads and traffic rather than bikes.
When you were a kid you used to ride with kids who rode a lot, probably on fairly ...
- 57.3k
10
votes
How to learn to ride a bike better?
In the UK there is a national training scheme targeting child cyclists, often organized through schools. It claims to have trained about 2.5 million children to date. It has been running under ...
- 229
9
votes
How to learn to ride a bike better?
I agree with the advice to practice.
There's a book, Effective Cycling by John Forester, which covers everything--the physiology of cycling, bike maintenance, interacting with traffic, etc. Some of ...
- 29.2k
9
votes
How close do I have to be for effective drafting (while commuting)?
According to this research quoted by Cycling Weekly you get pretty good drafting effects at 5 metres, as does the person you are sitting behind. And you still get a significant drafting effect up to ...
- 191
7
votes
What happened to riding with no hands?
The biggest influence on how a bike steers is 'trail'. Trail is the distance that the contact area of the front tyre on the ground trails behind a line drawn through the steering axis to the ground. (...
- 179
7
votes
Accepted
What is the best technique to use when turning my bicycle?
Which foot should be down, if any?
The foot on the outside of the curve should be down and the foot on the inside curve should be up (exception: on uneven ground cranks should be horizontal so ...
- 18k
6
votes
Accepted
Should I learn to ride with either foot forward?
I can’t comment on specific moves - frankly, my skill level isn’t high enough for me to know about it either. When turning on flat ground, outside foot should go down, but that isn’t with cranks level ...
- 15.5k
4
votes
What happened to riding with no hands?
Look Ma, no hands!
Look Ma, no feet!
Look Ma, no teeth!
The point is, you cannot ride a bike without touching at least one more point than your saddle. When you ride without hands, that second point ...
4
votes
What advanced cycling skills are useful for a commuter or city rider?
Here is the list of skills I would say you should be good with:
Fundamental bike handling skills as in you know your bike well enough that you can ride with one hand off a bar. You know how it will ...
- 2,517
4
votes
How to learn to ride a bike better?
As others have mentioned, practicing in a safe environment without traffic will help you improve your skills.
I think learning the following skills is essential for riding around a city.
Pedalling ...
- 6,555
4
votes
What is the best technique to use when turning my bicycle?
It's an interesting question. I don't think either foot should be down, but the foot forwards for the direction of turn.
Standing with knees bent, heels down, weight over back of saddle.
Lean is ...
- 13.6k
3
votes
MUnicycling tips: Which tricks to practice to improve mountain unicycling performance
The most important skill would be just getting comfortable on tree unicyle. Ride daily, practice bunny hops. I am sure that there are pavements, try hopping off them and up them or you can build up to ...
- 31
3
votes
How to learn to ride a bike better?
For "moving about the city", nothing is as important as safety.
Study something like, Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling -- especially the later pages, which explain how to interact with traffic. Note ...
- 12k
3
votes
How close do I have to be for effective drafting (while commuting)?
To answer this part of your question specifically:
At what distance does drafting significantly reduce drag?
I think a well accepted rule of thumb is that riding right on someone's wheel (within a ...
- 131
3
votes
What advanced cycling skills are useful for a commuter or city rider?
Learn to see the Future
aka Situational Awareness
As a road user, you have to share the roadway with other road users. That's the collective group of drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, etc.
One of the ...
- 121k
3
votes
What advanced cycling skills are useful for a commuter or city rider?
When following close behind a car that is moving too slowly, stand up and watch what is going on ahead of the car, instead of watching the back of the car.
If you see a stationery vehicle in your path ...
- 172
3
votes
How To Improve?
Yes, stick to it and keep doing it, each time will get you that much closer to your goal. It is very possible, start slow and stay dedicated.
- 9,189
3
votes
How to learn to ride a bike better?
I'm not certain what you are asking?
Once you know how to ride your bike, it is just a question of getting more experienced.
Ride and ride more, go around your neighborhood, learn how cars and ...
- 1,691
3
votes
What is the best technique to use when turning my bicycle?
I watched a video on this a while ago and it showed some useful tips step by step. This and a few other videos on their channel might help you out. In this video they cover flat turns but other videos ...
- 31
2
votes
How To Improve?
I actually am jealous of where you are! At your stage of training, you will see enormous improvements in your fitness and athletic performance by any measure you like, in a short period of time and ...
- 316
2
votes
What advanced cycling skills are useful for a commuter or city rider?
Very important for your safety is to learn to take your lane.
This is mostly in the area of body communication. You need to get the message across to the motorists: "I am a vehicle, and I own ...
2
votes
What advanced cycling skills are useful for a commuter or city rider?
Some might consider this a bit on the extreme end, but I find myself needing to traverse stairsets all the time in the city. Granted, this is most relevant in a hilly place (I live in Bergen, Norway), ...
- 3,483
2
votes
How to do a track stand?
Look up! The key for me (on a freewheel bike) was to overcome my reflex to look down on the ground. As soon as I started to look at the horizon, or maybe even a bit higher than that, it was super easy....
- 341
2
votes
How to learn to ride a bike better?
The League of American Bicyclists certifies instructors for cycling. While it sounds like overkill, cycling instructors can be invaluable for teaching important cycling skills such as sudden braking, ...
2
votes
Ride a bike only using the pedals
If the only contact allowed is your feet on the pedals, I do not think it is possible to balance for any sustained amount of time. It only becomes possible when you allow a third point of contact to ...
- 692
2
votes
Ride a bike only using the pedals
It's possible, for those who can do the seemingly impossible, at least if you allow the rider to do a wheelie at the smae time.
Artistic cycling (YouTube link) seems to be a big thing in Slovakia, ...
- 57.3k
2
votes
Ride a bike only using the pedals
It’s possible to stand and roll, I’ve done it, but with knees touching saddle for stability, which is currently against the rules. See YouTube for similar.
I wouldn’t rule out someone more athletic ...
- 12.7k
2
votes
Ride a bike only using the pedals
I have seen that done with monocycles, but I am afraid that doing it with a bicycle is going to be more difficult if not impossible.
The reason I think so is that when you stand up and pedal you are ...
- 7,081
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