Grownups Learning Cycling Help.

Training wheels?

No seriously- what I think anybody above the age of 10 should learn if getting into cycling are:

1. Where you ride: ie. not on the sidewalk (since this is usually illegal and unsafe), that you have just as much right to be on the road as everyone else, etc.
   
2. Hand signals - since you should be on the road.
   
3. The difference between a cheapo wall mart bike and a quality one from a bike shop.
   
4. The fact that bikes almost always follow the same laws as cars.
   

Julian G. said:

Training wheels?

Seen 'em. Big ones. These things are available, but I'm not sure where. One's LBS ought to be able to help out there. However, I believe the best thing to do would be to set the saddle really low and push oneself about until one gets the balance thing down. Then raise it up and practice on the grass some more. With basic balance mastered, one should head to a large, empty parking lot and learn some basic bike handling skills, e.g., riding in a straight line while looking somewhere other than straight ahead.

Julian G. said:

The fact that bikes almost always follow the same laws as cars.

Or, at least, they should. This should be number three. Department store vs. real bike differences can be last. (One can still ride a department store bike, even if they aren't the greatest wheels out there.)

One big point that has been left out is making sure that the bike is the right fit. If not, it's going to be uncomfortable and they won't ride it anyway.🙁

batjerk said:

Or, at least, they should. This should be number three. Department store vs. real bike differences can be last. (One can still ride a department store bike, even if they aren't the greatest wheels out there.)

I didn't put in any particular order there... but that works.

Julian G. said:

I didn't put in any particular order there... but that works.

Also, getting on the bike.

I tried to start from the seat, like it did with my mountain bike.

Best thing to do is grab the brake, plant on foot in the pedal and have the other on the ground. Mount the seat, give the pedal a push, and you should have enough speed to get your foot right in the toe clip and/or clip in.

I've tought a few adults how to cycle using this simple method. The longest took 2 hours, the fastest around 30mins.

1. Take the pedals off.

2. Lower the seat so that learner can put both feet flat on the ground while sitting on the saddle.

3. Find a quiet road (a least 100m of road) that has a slight incline and start at the top.

4. Let the learner coast down the road by taking their feet off the ground and freewheeling. They can brake when they feel unsteady or feel they are going too fast.

5. When they can go all the way without putting their feet down (repeat a few times) put the pedals back on.

6. Then they can start pedaling... that's it! 🙂