I agree with Jan on the loading issue. I have one bike (high rake low trial) that has a Caradice bag attached to the bar with a Klickfix. Although it takes very little effort to steer I have not mustered the skill to ride that bike no handed.
Additionally, my litmus test for confidence on a bike is a no hands ride on the rollers. My CIOOC with steep head tube angle took a while.............
Well off to the first brevet of the season. It sure is cold and dark. BRRRRRRRRRRRRR.............
Rob Dayton Charlotte, NC USA
-----Original Message-----
From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
[mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Jan Heine
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 11:27 PM
To: Emily O'Brien
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [SPAM]Re: [CR]Re: thread on change in styles
> > From: Jan Heine <heine94@earthlink.net>
> In my experience, riders who can ride well with no hands on one
>bike can do it reasonably easily on any other bike, although they
>might take a couple of tries to get the hang of it on a bike that's
>radically different from what they're used to.
For unloaded bikes, I agree, although I have experienced some bikes that are much easier to ride no-hands than others.
Once you add a load, things look differently. I used to tour on a bike with a rear-loading geometry, but set up for front low-riders. The racks were flexible Blackburn racks. I pretty much accepted that riding out of the saddle was difficult, and riding no-hands impossible.
On a bike optimized for a front-end load and with a stiffer rack, I can ride no-hands with a load heavier than anything I ever carried on the Blackburn racks. I can ride that bike for miles no-handed, around corners and all.
Similarly, there are not many tandems I dare to ride no-hands, but on some, it is easy enough. (However, I have never tried to go around corners no-hands on a tandem.)
So even though most "cannot ride no-hands" problems may lie with the rider, I would not discount the difference between bicycles.
Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
140 Lakeside Ave #C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.bikequarterly.com