How much does body alignment on the bike affect balance and control? When riding one-handed, some of the time it seems like I have to continually correct in one direction, that is the bike wants to turn, say, right. Other times it is seems neutral. There are times, after starting, that I'm not in the correct position and have to adjust, which is tricky, but doable. I assume that the pulling one way or the other is related to position on the bike.
Alignment on the bike
- Thread starter Joe Riel
- Start date
IyhelM
Létrange MBB
How long have you been riding your Cruzbike?
It took me 18 months to be able to ride without touching the handlebars, something I would have thought impossible during my first 6 months. And now, even when I only need one hand, I usually find myself lifting both hands as I find it easier to keep balance than with just one hand.
It took me 18 months to be able to ride without touching the handlebars, something I would have thought impossible during my first 6 months. And now, even when I only need one hand, I usually find myself lifting both hands as I find it easier to keep balance than with just one hand.
Just six months, and not lots of miles. I don't expect to be able to ride no handed at this time.
Boreen bimbler
Well-Known Member
I find because there is a lot more of your body in contact with a recumbent it affects balance more. Maybe lift your back off the seat when needing more control. Or just try to relax if riding in a straight line and practice alternating hands off whenever the roads quiet. We all find our own way. I'm generally very happy and relaxed on mine but my body is quite stiff due to the fibro so I can't manage no hands very often. Not a skill you really need unless your planning to win a race.
Bent not broken!
Member
I also experience the imbalance you’re describing. For me, sometimes it’s position on the bike. More often, it’s uneven power from left to right and/or uneven power around the pedal stroke.
Frito Bandito
Zen MBB Master
For the first 3 years I was always smashing the pedals and pulling on the bars going as fast as I could when I was on my V20, so there was no need at all to ride without hands. Over the last year or so I have been working a little on it so that I can now reach behind my head and press the bar end tail lights under my seat bag, fish my phone out of the pocket on the front of my seat bag, unzip and grab my headphone case or snacks out of the seat bag's large compartment, and even pulled my hex key set out of my Moosepack to loosen the bar clamp bolts to adjust the bars a little lower and tighten them back up again after seeing a pro rider do it on his bike in a race where everyone went bonkers. I'll likely never need to do that again, but it goes to show that if you absolutely need to do it then you can learn it.
