boogman

So far, my riding has been limited to bike paths and trails.. Rarely with traffic.

Well I did 6 miles on the road today with light traffic... From the ride I realized that I can not ride in a straight line.. My bike kept wobbling probably 2-4 inches either side. More prone to wobble when hands were over the hoods rather than in the drop position. Never noticed this when riding on the trails.. Not sure if it's because I was nervous or the reference of wheel against the white line made the wobbling more obvious. Does it just get better over time? Or are there some good methods to practice riding straight?

twodownzero

Look down the road and you'll go straighter.

Sourpuss Magee

You'll never be able to ride in a straight line by looking at your front wheel. Look ahead and don't worry about it. Your skills will develop over time.

vermilionx

Lay off the booze a little

boogman

there's a narrow ditch between the paved surface and the curb and I was trying to make sure I didn't slide into the shallow ditch. I guess perhaps I was riding too close to the side...

Machka 

Go to a large parking lot after the businesses around have closed (so the parking lot is empty) ... practice riding there. Ride up and down as straight as you can, follow lines where you can, practice turning going around from one lane to the next. Practice dodging things.

You'll have the whole parking lot and won't have to worry about ditches and traffic.

Vlaam4ever

push the pedals harder, the faster I go the easier it is to keep a straight line.

carpediemracing 

There's a lot of tricks to riding a more straight line.

- tops are most stable for straight line due to least amount of accidental input into the bars.
- "steer" with your hips. When I started riding I had to hold my upper body pretty rigid. Once I could ride a straight line I could relax my upper body.
- super light grip with hands. You can "fake hold" the bars, make like you're holding a double wide bar (so you barely touch the bars). Or rest your palms on the bars, light loose hold with fingers, like you're holding a raw egg. When climbing (I know, not around Chicago area) you can keep your hands slightly off the bars, unweight them. This forces you to steer with your hips. Keep enough fingers on the bars so you don't lose control if you hit a bump etc.
- look ahead. Looking down doesn't help.
- don't pedal too fast or too slow.

Some others I'm sure but I'm drawing a blank.

sd790

General technique and good form will help you keep a smooth pedal stroke and a stable upper body. This will naturally help you ride in a straight line without even thinking about it. Ride lots and that form will come quickly.

ericm979

Look far up the road. Bend your elbows. If they are locked then every bump or upper body motion will make you swerve. Relax your upper body.
Practice riding on the fog line (where it's safe).

duckracer

Like everyone else stated. Look well ahead and don't ride the front wheel (looking just in front of the front wheel). A loose grip on the bars will keep you from inputting too much motion into the bars. Remember a spinning wheel won't fall over as long as it is spinning , unless you make it. all bikes and motorcycles are designed with enough caster so as to self steer if you let them. The bike will rite itself if you Just relax your grip and look well ahead to where you want to go.

Vlaam4ever

This is good advice even for those that ride straight. A smooth stroke helps remove the wiggle in you hips. Something I've never done myself actually. I noticed it on my climbs today when I was really working to back onto the group. I was working hard and focusing on turning the legs pulling and pushing but with a light hold on the bars. just the slightest zigzag all the way up the hill.

on the path

Learn to ride rollers.

therhodeo

This is something I try to tell guys alot. I ride most of the time with my hands just resting on the hoods or tops not really gripping them. Most guys I know who say their bike is twitchy, they have numb hands, or their bike shudders on downhills ride with locked elbows and white knuckle grip on the bars.

DGlenday

This.

If you can master rollers, you'll be fine on the road.

john4789

How far NW Chicago and where are you riding? I ride downtown everyday and yes, it is tough at first but you get used to it. Splitting lanes is not the best thing in the world but after splitting between two converging buses you will learn to hold a line like none other.

So in short, yes, you will get used to it.

Jed19

All the previous advice/suggestions are great. Practicing riding a straight line does help a lot. Even after all these years of cycling, I still pick a fog line and ride it religiously for a good distance every once in a while.

KBentley57

If not, you'll have a broken wheel/leg/arm

hiyer1

noob.

TrojanHorse

Just don't look at what you're trying to avoid. look where you want to go, and you'll go there.

a1penguin

https://www.motorcycleriderbasics.com...here-you-look/ This is especially true when going around a corner. I apply this to my bicycling. Often when I see something in the road, I look JUST TO THE RIGHT (or left) OF IT. And that's where I go, missing the object that I am often glad I didn't hit.

diverguy

There is a lot of good advice hereon improving your road skills but... you're worried about a 2" to 4" deviation in your path? That's not much. You're going to deviate that far just to avoid debris or a pothole or whatever. Not really sure I'd be all that worried about just 2 to 4 inches.

Machka 

+1

Ever ridden through a skiff of snow ... and then look back at your track? It can be quite eye-opening.


But if the OP feels like he is wobbling back forth, and doing some parking lot and/or quiet residental street riding doesn't sort things out, then I'd suggest trying wider handlebars ... and also checking the headset and trueness of the wheels.

Campag4life

Best answer. Tension is the culprit. OP needs to relax upper body.
Other thing is the bike itself. Some bikes have more upright angles..fork steerer..short rear triangle...that contribute to more nervous handling.

SPlKE 

Miss Manners says: practice riding with a book balanced on your head.