If you’ve ever have a nearby rider yell, “Hold your line, buddy!” you know it’s disconcerting to be told your bike-handling skills aren’t up to par. In a group setting, it’s alarming to be in a pack with a rider who meanders, and other riders will certainly point it out.
If you’re occasionally guilty of straying from the straight and narrow, here’s how to ride like you’re on rails:
Find a quiet road with a white line on the shoulder. Early morning is ideal when traffic is minimal.
Start by simply riding along the white line at a comfortable pace. Relax your neck, shoulders, arms, and even your face. Tension is the enemy of smooth riding.
Don’t stare at the line directly in front of your wheel. Instead, focus your gaze 30-50 feet ahead. This wider view helps your brain make subtle corrections automatically.
If you drift off the line, don’t jerk the bike back. Make small, smooth corrections to ease back onto your path.
When you can hold the line for long stretches, add some challenges:
- Practice drinking from your water bottle without swerving. Resist looking down – the cage location needs to become ingrained. When reaching for the bottle, place your other hand on the bar top next to the stem for added stability.
- Work on looking back over your shoulder. The trick is to relax your right arm and bend it at the elbow when glancing left. This equalizes force on the handlebar, keeping your front wheel straight.
- Try riding with one hand on the bars. Start on the tops, then progress to the hoods and drops. Always be ready to grab both brakes if needed!
For an extra challenge, practice these skills at a slower speed. It’s actually harder to maintain a straight line when you’re moving slower. Master this, and you’ll really be in control of your bike.
With consistent practice, you’ll find yourself holding your line effortlessly, even in tight group rides or during those long century events. Your riding partners will thank you.
Remember: Pros can ride a straight line in a fast pack, no-hands, while taking off a vest or peeling open an energy bar. But please don’t try that on the next club ride!
The absolute best way to learn to ride straight and smooth is to practice on rollers, preferably an old school set, not the e-motion kind that are shock absorbed. It does take some time if you are new at it, but worth the effort and it makes riding indoors much more interesting than a smart trainer. When you start, set them up in a doorway so you can grab either side if you need to steady yourself. Eventually you won’t need that crutch anymore.
Hold your line could also apply to making turns while riding in a group.
Old school rollers work for me.