With patience, perseverance, support and correct technique almost any adult, regardless of age, can learn to ride a bike. Our review will show you where to start. So let's get started.
Place
First, find the right place. An asphalt surface where cars do not drive and where there are not many people. For example, a park or an empty parking lot. It is even better to try on a flat area with hard ground.
Check the bike
Most bikes will fit you as long as they are the right size for you. Check that both brakes are working, that the tires are inflated and that the seat is secure. In addition, pay attention to the wear of the rims and the presence of cracks in the frame. Spin the pedals and make sure the chain is well lubricated.
The person you want to teach should be comfortable in a seat with both feet on the ground. In addition, it should easily reach the brake levers. You may need to reduce the seat height at the very beginning, but once your student starts to pedal confidently, you can return him to starting position.
Check the rider's equipment
The student must wear suitable clothing for cycling so that he is neither too hot nor too cold. As a rule, it is worth dressing lighter than for a walking tour. Legs must not get caught in the moving chain. You should also wear sturdy enough shoes. Clothes and shoes do not have to be cycling, just something comfortable and not restricting movement.
If a student wants to use a safety helmet, make sure they wear it correctly. The helmet must cover the forehead to the eyebrows, and its straps must be tightly fastened.
Ask if the person is ready to start the lesson. He should alert you to anything that might interfere with the activity, such as some kind of health hazard, psychological problem, or learning difficulties.
How to get on and off your bike
Tell the student to stand to the left of the bike and apply the brakes with both hands to keep it still while the person tilts the bike, swings their right leg over to the other side, and sits comfortably. To get off the bike, you need to repeat the same steps in reverse order.
Have you ever wanted to go outside and ride a bike? Are you trying to teach someone else how to ride? Many adults still do not know how to ride, and many children really want to learn. There is nothing to be ashamed of here. Better join the most useful and convenient form of personal transport as soon as possible. You can’t do without preparation, tips and a few falls, but anyone can learn to ride a bike.
Steps
Part 1
Safe driving rules- At first, it is better to ride on a lawn or on small gravel so that the fall is not as painful as on asphalt. Keep in mind that on a soft surface it is more difficult to keep balance and pedal.
- If you want to learn how to balance and pedal on hills, then find a place with a gentle slope.
- Find out if you can drive on sidewalks and other places in your city.
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Clothing for cycling. Knee pads and elbow pads protect the joints from damage and scratches, so it is recommended to use such pads. Pants and sweatshirts with long sleeves will also provide additional protection in case of falls.
- Do not wear baggy pants and long skirts, as they may catch on the sprocket or wheel.
- Choose closed-toe shoes to protect your toes from falls and contact with moving parts of the bike.
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Wear a helmet. Helmets are recommended for both beginners and experienced cyclists. Nobody knows when it's possible to have an accident. Broken bones mend fairly quickly, but head injuries that are common in crashes can have lasting effects. In some cases, a helmet is a legal requirement.
Go out to study during the day. You can ride a bike at night, but beginners are advised to learn during daylight hours. It will take a long time to learn how to maintain balance. Over time, you will start to go to less safe areas, so it is important to see the obstacles. At night, it is more difficult for drivers to spot a cyclist.
- if you have free time only at night, then wear light-colored clothing, install reflectors and headlights on the bike.
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Look straight ahead. If you look at obstacles, then the bike will run right into them. Try to direct your gaze along the chosen route of movement. It will take some time to get used to and not be distracted by the sides.
Start pedaling. Put one foot on the ground, and the other rest on the pedal that is pointing up. Push off, put your other foot on the bottom pedal and start moving! Maintain balance for as long as possible.
- The faster the movement, the easier it is to maintain balance, but at speed it is more difficult to control the bike.
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Get off your bike. Don't brake with your feet. Learn to use the brakes. Stop pedaling, put your weight on the bottom pedal and apply both brake levers on the handlebars. At the moment of stopping, rise a little and put your feet on the ground.
Find the right place. For training, a convenient place away from traffic will do. It is best to choose a flat area without holes and potholes (access road or sidewalk). If there is no suitable place near the house, then you can study in the parking lot or in the park.
Part 3
How to ride slopes- Start pedaling on the flat ground at the foot of the hill. Climbing a hill is more difficult than driving on a level road. Lean forward or even stand up from your seat to push the pedals with more force. Climb the slope and go down a few times until you get used to it.
- When you feel confident, try driving to the middle of the hill, stop, and then continue up again.
Practice going down gentle slopes. Roll your bike to the top of the slope, get on and off without pedaling under the influence of gravity. Get off and then repeat the descent as many times as you can to learn how to balance and control the bike while moving.
Brake when descending slopes. If you are already comfortable with your feet on the pedals, gently apply the brakes the next time you descend. Learn to slow down your bike so that you don't lose control or tip over the handlebars.
- With confident driving, you can raise the seat higher and touch the ground only with your fingertips.
- Always use personal protective equipment, including a helmet and visors.
- It is more difficult for beginners to learn how to ride bikes with gears. On such a bike, you need to shift into a higher gear in order to climb a steep slope.
- Do not rely on other road users. Always keep an eye on cars and other cyclists.
- Look ahead while moving. If you look to the sides, then the bike will also lean to the sides.
- Learn to ride with an assistant (parents or adults). Help is welcome at any age.
- Learning in a group is more fun. If you're afraid of falling off your bike, take inspiration from other beginners who learn without fear.
- If you don't have a helmet and visors, then learn to ride on grass and away from busy roads.
Warnings
- Check local laws. Some cities require helmets to be worn at all times, or driving on sidewalks is prohibited.
- Cyclists often get into accidents. Always wear a helmet to protect your head from injury. Shields will protect you from scratches and fractures.
- First learn how to ride a bike, and then learn the rules of road safety, do not exceed the speed limit, watch the cars and follow the road signs.
If you think that an adult cannot master the intricacies of riding this mode of transport, you are mistaken. It is available to everyone. You just need a little patience and always remember about safety. The training won't take long. Consider how to learn to ride a bike.
Adult education
Learning is much easier for an adult than for a child. This is due to the state muscular system- It is less developed in children. Teaching adults, on the other hand, can be complicated by the fact that they develop a fear of falling.
That is why it is important to master the rules of safety when driving. The ability to maintain balance is the most important thing at the initial stage of the exercise. It is better to do it this way: the saddle is lowered down so that in case of loss of balance, you can stand on the ground. It is better to remove the pedals so that the lower leg is not injured.
You need to start training on level ground. Only after that you can go to a small hill. It makes it easier to follow the safety rules. And only when the simplest maneuvers are worked out, the pedals need to be returned to their place. When turning, they do not need to be twisted, as this can cause you to fall. To maintain balance, the steering wheel turns in the direction of the slope.
You can not suddenly increase the load. If you have mastered the process, at first you need to drive no more than a kilometer per day. And only when such a distance seems not enough, you can safely increase the intensity of training.
You have to ride your bike properly. Here are the recommendations for this:
- always look ahead a few meters;
- you can not strain while holding the steering wheel;
- knees should be placed parallel to the frame;
- pedal correctly only smoothly;
- always turn the steering wheel as soon as the two-wheeled bicycle loses its vertical position;
- stability increases with greater speed;
- Brake must be sure, but smoothly.
Bicycle riding technique
So, you bought a two-wheeled bicycle. It's time to start studying. You should be prepared for falls, so it is better to arm yourself with a helmet. Here are some tips on how to learn how to ride this type of transport.
- First of all, you need to adapt it to your characteristics. The saddle must be adjusted so that the foot on the pedal is almost fully extended.
- We need to figure out where the brakes are. You need to understand how they work. First, you should “feel” the rear brake.
- While in the saddle and without unclenching the rear brake levers, try to maintain balance. To do this, lift your feet off the ground - briefly, just a few seconds. This technique allows you to feel the balance in the two-wheeled bicycle, as well as how comfortable it is to sit in the saddle and hold the steering wheel.
- The movement must be started correctly as if there were no pedals. You have to push off the ground to roll. There is no need to be afraid of this: as long as the transport is moving, it will not fall. And if you need to get off the bike, or you feel that it is falling, you need to slow down, otherwise the equipment will run into you.
- Mastering the technique of pedaling is easy. If they are turned forward, they will turn the wheel. In the opposite direction, they provide free movement.
- Next, we learn to put two feet on the pedals. This is not difficult to do, especially since we already know how to maintain balance. Some people do it almost instinctively. You should also pedal to gain a little speed.
- You can only drive straight ahead. If the bike leans to the right, then turn the steering wheel in the same direction. The most important thing is to feel it, and then you will not fall.
- You can turn at high and low speeds. When driving slowly, this can be done using the steering wheel. The slope is applied if you ride fast.
- Be sure to learn how to work out the technique of reversals.
- And finally, it remains only to hone your skills. To do this, you can drive a short distance, turn around and come back. This should be done non-stop.
Features of a speed bike
This technique is also available to a person who has a desire to learn a new sport. First you need to choose a two-wheeled bike that matches your weight and height. It is necessary to pay special attention to the length of the legs, otherwise it will be inconvenient to ride fast.
You need to be familiar with how gears work. Their purpose is to make driving more comfortable. The athlete can easily and comfortably overcome obstacles on the way. Modern bicycles of this type have two types of derailleur: the right one controls the rear speeds, and the left one controls the apron.
There are gear rules.
- There is no need to change gear when climbing hills. You must first select a mode that allows you to reduce it.
- It is necessary to monitor the operation of the chain: it should not skew.
- Switching is carried out only during driving.
- Avoid sudden changes in speed. Ideally, if the gear change will be carried out alternately. Also, wait for the bike to operate smoothly after each such shift.
- In order not to disrupt or break the chain, it is necessary to balance the loads. It is undesirable to start moving from the fastest gear.
How to overcome fear of driving?
It happens that a person does not want to learn to ride a bike because of fear. She is easy to overcome. To do this, you need to follow these recommendations:
- you never have to think about the bad or about upcoming failures: you should always succeed;
- remember that exercise is The best way keep yourself in shape, and the bike will just contribute to this;
- the first steps to learning to ride are best done with the help of an experienced person;
- It is very useful to perform exercises that train balance and stability.
And remember that it's never too late to learn how to ride a bike. This is within the power of anyone who has an irresistible desire to become an excellent athlete.
An important achievement in the life of every child (and also of their bike-crazy parents) is to ride on their own, without side wheels and support. Let's try to avoid some of the pitfalls and find out what is the best way to teach a child to pedal.
Isla Rowntree, founder of a successful British children's bike company, reports.
Even before you put the child on the bike, it is worth giving him, says Rowntree.
The child learns to balance and steer without the complexities of pedaling and lifting the feet off the ground.
Many kids are taught to ride a side-wheel bike, but Rowntree says it's not the best way. “We do not recommend this method for most children. These stabilizers keep the bike in a perfectly upright position and the child does not learn to tilt the bike for balance and control.”
1. Is the child ready?
Most children are able to master the skill between three and a half and four and a half years of age. If they're not ready, it's usually obvious by the fact that they won't be able to pedal fast enough to move.
When children see others riding a bike, they get an idea of how to push on the pedals. Remember, a child has an innate ability to learn to walk and run, but not to pedal. If the time has not come yet, you should be patient and wait.
2. Choose the right venue
Important to choose a good place for the first lesson. It may be tempting to start on grass for a softer fall, but the surface is more viscous and requires more effort to move.
What you really need is a soft and flat rubberized surface made from a material that is used to cover children's and sports fields. It will allow the child to feel the dynamics of movement. It is ideal to have a large free space so that the child can turn and ride around without thinking about obstacles. Naturally, the place should be away from the movement of cars and pedestrians.
3. Customize your bike
Have you bought a bike of the right size? You should not start with a big bike bought "for growth". Set the height of the saddle so that sitting on it, the child reaches the toes of the foot to the ground. There will be a desire to simplify the task and lower the saddle so that you can put your foot on the ground completely. But this position makes pedaling more difficult, the knees rise too high during the ride, interfere with steering and balance.
4. Support the child in his first attempts
It may seem right to hold the bike by the handlebars and the saddle, but this makes it difficult to understand how the bike leans and responds to the weight of the rider.
It will be better to stand behind, hold the rear wheel between your legs at the beginning and support the child by the armpits with your hands as you move. So he will fully control the bike, and you will not directly affect the management and will be able to pick it up when you fall. And your back will feel better too.
5. Gradually let go (but be ready to catch)
When the child feels more confident, you can gradually let go of him, but be ready to catch the armpits if necessary.
As you run after him, you can guide his body and help him understand how the bike reacts to lean and how to turn and turn.
When children are ready to learn how to ride a bike, they will be able to balance and pedal fast enough to move on their own, usually in one half-hour session.
6. Without support
Once balance and pedaling are mastered, you can show how to start moving on your own.
Move the pedal on the side of your stronger foot to the two o'clock position and let your child put their foot on the pedal. Explain that you need to strongly press the foot on the pedal and at the same time slightly push off with the other foot from the ground. It will take a few tries before he grabs it.
7. Learning to slow down
It is easier to introduce the child to the principle of the brakes when he is not in the saddle - ask him to drive the bike nearby, apply the brakes and see what happens. At first, children press the handles sharply and strongly. Tell me that you need to press more smoothly.
Once this is learned, get on the bike and give it a few tries. Usually children quickly learn how to brake properly, but they can forget to stick out their foot - be ready to catch!
Gradually, the child will be able to go without your presence.
8. Try Again
It takes practice to master a skill. But remember that every child is different and the moment when he is ready to ride a bike is different.
Be careful, try not to let the child get a traumatic experience. No matter how much you want him to join your trips. With any luck, he'll love practicing his new skill and the freedom it brings.
Yes! And don't forget about protection! This is especially important early on; a helmet is required, and cycling gloves will help to avoid torn palms. Long pants and long-sleeve shirts are preferable to bare elbows and knees and will protect against minor abrasions. Boots or sneakers are better than sandals.
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A short video from the Kazan runbike school:
Material prepared by: Sherbul Irina Lipovskaya Julia
"How to learn to ride a bike?" - a question that is asked not only by children, but also by some adults.
In childhood, many learned to ride a bike and successfully mastered this skill. However, those who missed this stage believe that it is much more difficult to learn at an older age.
In fact, this is not at all the case, because for some, just a couple of days of independent training is enough to manage a two-wheeled friend well. In this article, we will try to give some useful and actionable tips regarding the learning process.
Outfit for a beginner cyclist
Remember that even professional cyclists sometimes fall, so to avoid injury and bruises, it is important to carefully prepare your equipment and bike before starting training.
Equipment can include:
- Closed shoes. At the training stage, forget about all kinds of sandals or shoes. For training you will need comfortable sports shoes.
- Sportswear. It is usually selected according to the season. Depending on the air temperature, these can be: shorts, sweatpants, a T-shirt or a trowel.
- Cycling gloves. They will save your hands in case of a fall, help you feel the steering wheel better, and also protect you from blisters.
- Special protection. Don't forget to wear knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet.
- Cycling glasses. Ingress of dust, insects or strong wind in the eyes can lead to loss of control, a fall or, in the worst case, an accident, so we advise you not to neglect this accessory.
Note! Cycling glasses are different from regular sunglasses. They fit closer to the face and have a thinner frame made of durable material. Lenses are often made of unbreakable plastic. All this allows to provide reliable protection of sight of the cyclist.
Having picked up all the necessary equipment, you can proceed to setting up the bike.
Preparing the bike for practice riding
After the bike is set up, you can safely start learning.
Techniques for self-study
Mastering a bicycle in adults is a little more difficult than in children, since they already have fear that prevents them from starting to learn. To overcome this barrier, you need a great desire, perseverance and regular training.
Here are some good tips for learning to ride a bike on your own:
Get in the habit of always checking your brakes before riding. This will make riding safer.
After studying the general recommendations, you can go directly to the ride. Basically, the entire learning process can be divided into 5 main stages: maintaining balance, pedaling, pulling away, stopping, turning.
In order to learn to hold balance, you need to find a road with a slight slope so that the bike can roll without pedaling. Then sit comfortably on the bike and take a light push with both feet. The bike will roll, while you try to keep your balance.
If this does not work right away, then we recommend removing the pedals, sitting on the seat and alternately pushing with your left and right foot. It will look like a bike ride.
The second stage consists in pedaling. Perform the now familiar two-foot push to get the bike going downhill, and then start pedaling effortlessly.
At this stage, concentration is necessary to maintain balance and pedal at the same time. If a beginner often falls and cannot hold the bike, you need to return to the first point.
Starting off causes the most difficulties and falls. Here you need to apply the skills from the exercises already studied and apply a little strength and perseverance.
Make sure that the pedal under the leading foot is located in front. Place your foot on it and press hard, using it as a step to rise and sit on the saddle. The force of the leg will be transferred to the chain drive and the bike will start moving.
Take Special attentionstop. When learning, try to apply the rear brakes more than the front ones, because if you apply the front brake too hard, you can fly over the handlebars.
After successfully mastering the skill of driving in a straight line and stopping, you need to learn how to turn. While riding, make gentle movements of the steering wheel to the left and right, gradually increasing the amplitude until a full turn. Exercise from the side resembles a snake.
After mastering the turn, you can confidently begin full-fledged skating for short distances, gradually improving your skills.
And most importantly - do not forget about protection! Helmet, knee pads and elbow pads should be yours best friends at the time of study.
