You see it all around you
Good ridin' gone bad
and usually it's too late when you, realize what you had
and my mind goes back to a girl who rode circles around me years ago
Who told me,
Just hold on loosely, but don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control

It's so damn easy, to hold on too tight
To clench all a mighty, with a grip that aint light
and my mind goes back to a girl who rode circles around me years ago
Who told me,
Just hold on loosely, but don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Your bike needs someone to be steerin'
not someone to be fearin'

I'll throw my cards out on the table
Your bike is naturally stable
If you go overridin'
your bike will go slidin'

So hold on loosely, but don't let go
If you cling too babe
You're gonna lose control
yeah, yeah, yeah

For many new riders, the idea that foregoing the white-knuckled death-grip for a gentler hold on the handlebars will somehow make them less likely to crash is tough to accept. This stems from the mistaken belief that it's the rider that keeps the bike from crashing, when actually, most bikes are inherently stable, requiring only a small amount of lean to initiate a turn.

By holding on loosely to the handlebars, you allow the bike itself to determine the appropriate turn angle for a given lean. If you hold on too tightly, it's more difficult to steer because you're fighting the naturally-stable tendencies of the bike. So listen to the wisdom of 38 Special and hold on loosely.b

Bike-By-Number

The numbers below show the amount of total vehicle weight that is actually useful load as opposed to pure vehicle weight. That is, vehicles are intended to haul people and cargo. Because it takes energy to move mass, the percentages below help show us how much of that energy is actually being used to haul people and cargo as oppsed to vehicle weight alone.

6.74%
Honda Accord

14.84%
1989 Geo Metro

82.50%
Steel road bicycle

84.12%
Xtracycle-equipped bicycle

100%
Jogging/walking Naked