Why can people ride a bicycle with no hands?

Question

is there something about the pedalling that keeps the bike stable, and i know with turning, same as a motorbike, you lean a bit to one side.

Answer 1

It's basically how fast you go.

It's also practice that helps.

I can ride my bike half a mile, down two hills, around 4 corners and down my driveway, all with no hands.

Just make sure you're going fast.

and practice alot.

Answer 2

its all about momentum, the faster you go the easier it is, there are no special bikes with sticky head sets, its all just practice and common sense and physics if you want details.

its no to hard once you fin balance i can ride no hands and no feet just sitting on the bike, i can also ride siting on the handle bars with no hands, once you have momentum it caries you.

pedaling accual off balances you while doing it due to your body weight shifting, when learning to ride no hands get speed then stop pedaling and release your hands.

the bikes speed and momentum will keep the bike stable and also due to aerodynamics the wind hitting the front of the bike goes around the frame and pushes pressure on it which holds the bike in place therefore the faster the more resistance

Answer 3

I disagree that gyroscopic motion is the key factor although it does play a part. It's mainly down to momentum and the fact that a bike like any moving object wants to continue travelling in the direction of least resistance which happens to be forward. Unless you actually make any sudden movement and shift your body weight- i.e. the centre of gravity- the bike will tend to continue going forwards when you remove your hands from the handlebars.  I mastered the skill when I was nine years old so it isn't a very difficult thing to learn and it comes naturally to any experienced cyclist.  

Answer 4

I think some bikes are built some way that makes the handlebars not roll around when there are no hands holding it. I tried riding my bike with no hands once, and I fell over. But then, I was riding my friend's bike once and for some reason, the handlebars stayed straight when i took my hands off it.

Answer 5

cause they are really good at it i am practing how to do that

Answer 6

Real people can't do that. The ones who do are aliens!  Run!!!!

Answer 7

Cause they are well - trained with it and are talented..

Answer 8

It's not any 1 thing but a combination of 3 things.

1. Gyro action on the wheels. This force will even keep you up even in turns

2. Momentum - you tend to go in your current direction.

3. Frame design. The fork rake and head tube angle help keep the front tire pointing straight ahead. Without this 1 & 2 would never be enough force to keep you up right.

With these 3 things riding no hands is fairly easy IF you have reasonable balance.

Answer 9

WOW. Horrible answers. Study physics please.

Wheels generate Gyro effects when you they are rolled. The gyros are the powers that keep your bicycle up once you go faster. Notoice its very hard to ride a bike extremely slow? Its the same force that holds up a motorcycle. Since motorcycles drive faster than bikes, they need to counter steer to get into a turn. (counter steering is when you steer in the opposite direction you want, for a split second, to force the bike to "fall" into the turn) You must do this since the gyros are that strong.

So, when a bicyclist rides his bike faster, the gyros are strong enough to balance the bike. Thus, no hands needed.