Tag: riding a bicycle

Riding No-Handed, Lesson 3: Turns

Posted By: leeduigonPosted On:

See how easy it is? And you don’t have to bother with the silly costume. I didn’t get where I am today by bothering with silly costumes.

By now you’re all out there riding your bikes without using your hands, right? Well, maybe not. But if any of you are doing it, you may have wondered, “How do I make a turn?”

It’s not that hard, once you’re able to ride no-handed in a straight line. Remember that, once you attain a certain speed, your bike has natural tendencies to remain upright and keep on going forward for as long as the momentum lasts.

Turning is simple–so simple, in fact, that it’s kind of hard to describe how to do it. But I’ll try.

All you have to do is lean a little in the direction you want to go. Not too much! In fact, it’s not so much leaning as it is just shifting your weight a little. If you lean too far, you’ll have a fall. Remember, if your bike starts to wobble, all you have to do is put your hands back on the handlebars and regain control.

Lean a tiny bit to the left or to the right, and your bike will go that way. Don’t try to turn too sharply. And in the beginning, it’s easier to turn when you’re coasting than when you’re pedaling.

All it takes is confidence, a cool head, and a bit of nerve. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is. And I might add that left turns are a little easier to make than right turns. Politicians have always known this, to their countries’ detriment.

So now you’re ready, and my store of knowledge of this subject is exhausted.

Enjoy it! There’s nothing more soothing and relaxing than to cruise along no-handed on your bicycle.

How to Ride No-handed, Lesson 2

Posted By: leeduigonPosted On:

If this kid can do it, you can do it. Please notice that he’s leaning backward all the time, never forward.

While I’m waiting for the ambulance to emerge from Pellucidar, or wherever it’s got to, let me try to write something.

Here we are: How to ride your bike without using your hands, next lesson.

Remember Lesson 1: work up to it gradually. After a while, you should be able to go half a block without holding onto the handlebars.

So for Lesson 2, some fine points.

*Don’t lean forward like you’re in the Tour de France or something. Riding no-handed is done best when you’re sitting up straight.  Very slightly leaning backward works well, too.

*Keep your knees and thighs as close to the bike frame as you can. This helps the bike remain upright. Later on, when you’re a real wiz at this, you can prop your feet on the handlebars or whatever. Much later on.

*Now take your hands away from the handlebars and let your arms hang down at your sides, or rest your hands on your hips. You will still have time to save yourself if you start to wobble.

And that’s enough for Lesson 2.

How to Ride a Bike with No Hands

Posted By: leeduigonPosted On:

The video makes it look pretty easy, doesn’t it? Like, maybe you could do some crocheting while you’re riding you bike.

So don’t take this guy too seriously. I suspect he’s showing off.

Here are a few tips from moi, just to get you started.

First, get a bike. Get used to riding it with both hands on the handlebars.

Next, practice riding with just one hand on the bars, alternating right and left.

Now you are ready to take both hands off the handlebars for just a few seconds, just an inch or two off the bars so you can grab ’em again quickly if you start to wobble. You will wobble till you get the hang of it.

That’s all for now. The next lesson will take you some steps farther. In the meantime, see how you do with your hands just a teensy-weensy bit off the bars for a few seconds.

Important Extra Tip: Wind, rain, and traffic are not helpful.

Can I Get 3,000 Hits This Month?

Posted By: leeduigonPosted On:

Here’s Honus Wagner, who got his 3,000 hits the hard way. I wonder what he was thinking, when they snapped this picture.

After two months in a row with 3,000 hits on this blog, it wasn’t looking good for November. Like, where did everybody go? And who’s going to visit here on Thanksgiving?

But thanks to a huge shot in the arm on Friday, I can make it if I can get about 100 views a day for the next eight days. This is coming close enough so that it’ll sting if I miss.

Can I make it? I will try to provide you with interesting reading over those eight days. I’ll even provide advice for riding a bike without using your hands.

Three months in a row with 3,000–hey, that would be really sweet.

My Blood Pressure’s Down

Posted By: leeduigonPosted On:

Identities have been concealed to protect the guilty.

I’ve been riding my bike most every day for a month, and have made some modifications in my diet, and lost a few pounds. So yesterday I went to Rite-Aid and had my blood pressure taken: and it was 120/80, which I’m told is just about perfect.

When the dentist measured it, my BP was 158/98, which he said was too high to allow me to receive any dental treatment. By cracky, I was only there for a cleaning–but them’s the rules, says he. I wonder if being at the dentist’s had anything to do with my pressure being so high.

Anyhow, it looks like once again I’m going to avoid having to be on any blood pressure medication, which was the main reason why I bought the bike. If you’re out there with a similar problem, you might want to try exercising more and eating less (and eating less salt) before you steer yourself onto the medication highway. If it works for me, it just might work for you.

This morning Huffy–that’s my bike’s name–and I managed our first right-hand turn riding no-handed. It’s a bit harder than a left-hand turn. Then we tackled the Oak Avenue hill, which made me pretty huffy. And after that I almost fell off, but righted myself before tipping all the way over.

My legs feel like  balloons with the air let out of them, but at least my blood pressure’s down.