Say something to hands-off cyclist?
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Doesn't bother me. The first kamikaze squirrel or chipmunk will take care of it. Encountered two the other day within a couple of miles-one almost ended up in the wheel of a friend riding ahead of me.
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Be sure to tell him to wear a helmet too.
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So my current pet peeve when on my MUP is the occasional rider, usually a male teenager, riding towards me whom I notice as he passes that he's riding hands-off. I reflexively yell something like "Hands on the bars!" as I pass since I think it's pretty rude to ride in the vicinity of another human (pedestrian or cyclist) without full control of the bicycle. All it would take is the front wheel hitting a piece of tree branch on the trail to send that cyclist flying, and there would be a good chance he'd collide with anyone nearby.
Wondering what others think about this?
Wondering what others think about this?
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It doesn't strike me as rising very high on the scale of hazards. With that said, when I'm riding no-hands, I will usually put my hands back on the bar if there's any kind of traffic -- bikes, peds, whatever.
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#32
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I don't care much about a lone cyclist, on a MUP, riding with no hands. I sometimes do it too.
The inexperienced guy riding with no hands at a crowded charity event bothers me much more.
The inexperienced guy riding with no hands at a crowded charity event bothers me much more.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
#33
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"Trick riding, including riding with no hand on the handle bars, is not allowed on any road, bicycle way, or sidewalk."
https://stevenspoint.com/640/Bicycle-Rules
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I've been riding for a long time and have been able to comfortably ride with no hands for as long as I can remember. Most experienced cyclists are quite capable of riding and steering their bike with no hands. While it's possible to lose control I can't recall ever hearing of anyone who crashed while riding with no hands. The risk exists but it's very low.
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#35
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Your post is unclear, are you really pointing your bike at 9-12 year olds?
1) I don't play chicken with young schmucks. When I see a bike being ridden no handed coming towards me, and the bike isn't going in a straight line, I'll ride a few yards at the bike. If that doesn't do the trick, I go back into my lane and slow down and suppress the urge to whack the kid.
2) I just slow down for kids who are pretty clearly learning to ride. I'm not happy with the parents, who shouldn't take their kids on a MUP until they can ride in their lanes, but as for the kids themselves, I'm happy to give them the time they need to learn.
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I've been riding for a long time and have been able to comfortably ride with no hands for as long as I can remember. Most experienced cyclists are quite capable of riding and steering their bike with no hands. While it's possible to lose control I can't recall ever hearing of anyone who crashed while riding with no hands. The risk exists but it's very low.
Even people who know what they are doing can crash riding no hands. If it can happen to Chris Froome--who is a pretty good bike rider--it can happen to you.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/12/sport...gbr/index.html
Not to be harsh but personally I'm indifferent to whether you crash riding no hands. It's your call. But you should be concerned about others if you do this on a regular basis on a MUP.
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I admit it's annoying to see a rider no-hands on a busy MUP, even if he looks like he's got it under control. But "say something" - out of the question.
The MUP isn't a street with regulated traffic and licensed drivers, nor a group ride with everyone on the same page. It is a *park* sometimes filled with people with different agendas and some of them treating it like a park. Children, dogs, walking groups, family groups wandering aimlessly, people on bikes who almost never ride bikes. They're all doing what they're supposed to be doing even when their judgement and skills are lacking - which is most of the time. We have to just expect it and deal with it if we're going to ride there.
About half my riding is on our Greenway, probably about 3000 miles per year for me on the same 8-10 mile section every day. If I was even tempted to say something every time I saw someone doing something boneheaded or that looked dangerous, I think the sheer frustration would have stopped me years ago. Just roll with it and forget it.
The MUP isn't a street with regulated traffic and licensed drivers, nor a group ride with everyone on the same page. It is a *park* sometimes filled with people with different agendas and some of them treating it like a park. Children, dogs, walking groups, family groups wandering aimlessly, people on bikes who almost never ride bikes. They're all doing what they're supposed to be doing even when their judgement and skills are lacking - which is most of the time. We have to just expect it and deal with it if we're going to ride there.
About half my riding is on our Greenway, probably about 3000 miles per year for me on the same 8-10 mile section every day. If I was even tempted to say something every time I saw someone doing something boneheaded or that looked dangerous, I think the sheer frustration would have stopped me years ago. Just roll with it and forget it.
#38
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When I see a person riding along with no hands for no apparent reason, I assume he (and it's always a "he") is a clueless noob, and I give him a wide berth.
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I wouldn't assume the person riding on the path with no hands is experienced.
Even people who know what they are doing can crash riding no hands. If it can happen to Chris Froome--who is a pretty good bike rider--it can happen to you.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/12/sport...gbr/index.html
Not to be harsh but personally I'm indifferent to whether you crash riding no hands. It's your call. But you should be concerned about others if you do this on a regular basis on a MUP.
Even people who know what they are doing can crash riding no hands. If it can happen to Chris Froome--who is a pretty good bike rider--it can happen to you.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/12/sport...gbr/index.html
Not to be harsh but personally I'm indifferent to whether you crash riding no hands. It's your call. But you should be concerned about others if you do this on a regular basis on a MUP.
I have a hard enough time riding with my hands on the bars in high wind gusts, but when the traction is good and the winds aren't gusting, riding with no hands on the bars is easy with a stable bicycle.
Some bikes simply aren't as stable as others, downright twitchy even. Out of the three bikes I've had in the last year, one was twitchy as soon as your hands came of the bars, one is twitchy if you let the speed drop too low, and one is as stable as an aircraft carrier.
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37 mph, blowing his nose, high pressure narrow tires, on a reportedly very gusty day. A combo that turned into a bad outcome. Sorry to hear that happened to him.
I have a hard enough time riding with my hands on the bars in high wind gusts, but when the traction is good and the winds aren't gusting, riding with no hands on the bars is easy with a stable bicycle.
Some bikes simply aren't as stable as others, downright twitchy even. Out of the three bikes I've had in the last year, one was twitchy as soon as your hands came of the bars, one is twitchy if you let the speed drop too low, and one is as stable as an aircraft carrier.
I have a hard enough time riding with my hands on the bars in high wind gusts, but when the traction is good and the winds aren't gusting, riding with no hands on the bars is easy with a stable bicycle.
Some bikes simply aren't as stable as others, downright twitchy even. Out of the three bikes I've had in the last year, one was twitchy as soon as your hands came of the bars, one is twitchy if you let the speed drop too low, and one is as stable as an aircraft carrier.
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I have seen a lot of unsafe behaviors on MUPs, sometimes resulting in dangerous situations and accidents. Riding no-hands doesn't really rank with some of the things I've seen.
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Lessons to be learned, but don't let it stop us from getting back on again.
#43
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Just think of all the walkers and joggers with THEIR hands off the bars also! I mean, it would only take them putting a foot down on a branch or rock for them to stagger into the oncoming lane...
Heck, I see a number of people with their hands ON the bars who barely seem to be able to stay in a lane.
If he's not swerving about, let it be. TBH, he may just get a laugh out of you yelling at him and thus intentionally ride with no hands when he sees you coming.
Heck, I see a number of people with their hands ON the bars who barely seem to be able to stay in a lane.
If he's not swerving about, let it be. TBH, he may just get a laugh out of you yelling at him and thus intentionally ride with no hands when he sees you coming.
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So my current pet peeve when on my MUP is the occasional rider, usually a male teenager, riding towards me whom I notice as he passes that he's riding hands-off. I reflexively yell something like "Hands on the bars!" as I pass since I think it's pretty rude to ride in the vicinity of another human (pedestrian or cyclist) without full control of the bicycle. All it would take is the front wheel hitting a piece of tree branch on the trail to send that cyclist flying, and there would be a good chance he'd collide with anyone nearby.
Wondering what others think about this?
Wondering what others think about this?
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So my current pet peeve when on my MUP is the occasional rider, usually a male teenager, riding towards me whom I notice as he passes that he's riding hands-off. I reflexively yell something like "Hands on the bars!" as I pass since I think it's pretty rude to ride in the vicinity of another human (pedestrian or cyclist) without full control of the bicycle. All it would take is the front wheel hitting a piece of tree branch on the trail to send that cyclist flying, and there would be a good chance he'd collide with anyone nearby.
Wondering what others think about this?
Wondering what others think about this?
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nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
#48
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Check your local regulations. In many jurisdictions, riding "no hands" is against the law. E.g.:
"Trick riding, including riding with no hand on the handle bars, is not allowed on any road, bicycle way, or sidewalk."
https://stevenspoint.com/640/Bicycle-Rules
"Trick riding, including riding with no hand on the handle bars, is not allowed on any road, bicycle way, or sidewalk."
https://stevenspoint.com/640/Bicycle-Rules
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The problem with this thread is mistake of fact.
OP didn't see someone riding 'no hands'; op saw someone trying desperately to find their illusory drop bars prior to entering a curve in order to trail-brake before hitting the apex.
OP didn't see someone riding 'no hands'; op saw someone trying desperately to find their illusory drop bars prior to entering a curve in order to trail-brake before hitting the apex.
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