There is a common misconception that if you didn't learn to ride a bike as a child, then you missed your opportunity and won't learn it as an adult. But Marilyn Northcott has been teaching adults how to ride a bike properly for decades through the Pedal Ready program, and almost all of her students (up to age 69!) have mastered the art of cycling with her instructions. As a result, it turns out that learning to ride a bike as an adult is no more difficult than when you are a child, if you use the same approach, gradually move towards your goal, discarding age complexes.

The good news is that there are no barriers to learning to ride a bike at any age! All you need is a bike, open space for training, such as free parking or a park. Here's how to get started:

Customize your bike

Make sure you can get on the bike so that top part the frame does not crush you. If you cannot do this, you should purchase a smaller bike. Now lower the bike's saddle to a level where you can safely sit on it without your feet remaining on the ground. Remove the pedals from the bike. You should be able to easily reach the steering wheel and brakes.

Start and stop practice

Hold the bike when you get on it. Apply the brakes so that it does not stagger or fall. Brake when you get off the bike.

Getting used to braking

Braking is an important skill that Norcott says will give you confidence in the beginning. Walk next to the bikes on a slightly sloping road, practicing applying the brakes until the bike comes to a complete stop. You need to brake smoothly, applying even pressure on both brakes.

Learning to move

Now you are ready to start moving. Northcott says the technique is equally simple for both children and adults. “We use the balance method,” she says. “Adults learn to ride in a straight line, pushing off with their feet to find balance before we teach them how to pedal. Driving in a straight line teaches you to feel good balance on two wheels. The goal is for the person to push off with both feet off the ground for as long as possible. If he needs to restore balance, then he simply lowers his foot to the ground and reads the exercise again. Once the student can “glide” without touching the ground, he will be ready to learn how to pedal.” Slide until you can get your feet off the ground for 3 seconds.

Sharpen your balance and vision

"Anything to do with balance can be a starting point," says Northcott. “Like for example, if you have previously ridden a scooter, then you know that both feet must be on the platform and only then will there be a balance.” Look at the road where you would like to go, not at the obstacles. Your gaze should be directed forward, not down - this will help maintain balance.

Getting ready to pedal

Once you've learned how to slide, brake, and balance, you can start learning how to pedal. If you removed the pedals from the bike, screw them back on. Place one foot on the ground and the other on the pedal. Then step on the pedal and put your other foot on the pedal. You will notice that the faster you pedal, the easier it is to get your balance. Once you find yourself balancing easily, get off the bike and raise the seat to a level where your legs don't bend too much. Practice avoiding cones and other obstacles.

Congratulations, you are cycling!

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Many have abandoned cycling as adults, and now they have simply forgotten how to do it. Some have never ridden for various reasons: either there is no money for a bike, or there is no place for it. If a person wants to ride, but finds various reasons, for example, “I have poor coordination”, “I never succeeded”, “I can’t keep my balance”, then the problem here is far from physical abilities, but psychological preparation.

Let's put it aside psychological problems and consider the main question: how to learn to ride a bike.

Equipment

First of all, you need to prepare the accessories and the bike itself for riding.

What can be useful for skiing:

• Special comfortable, but closed shoes.
• Sportswear that wicks away sweat (out of habit, you will be very tired).
• Warm clothes if it is less than 25 degrees outside.
• Protection: knee pads, elbow pads, bicycle helmet.

Protection and footwear are a must for beginners as falls can happen to even the most talented riders.

1. Adjusting the brakes and switches is too difficult to learn from “loose” mechanics.
2. Set the saddle slightly below the standard so that it is convenient to get up from it.
3. Adjust the handlebar height if possible.
4. Remove unnecessary accessories from the bike as much as possible (bicycle computer, bell, etc.).

Fine. Now both the learner and the bike are ready for lessons.

1. You should mentally prepare for falls and failures. The key to cycling is practice and perseverance.
2. Balance is easier to keep at speed, so don't drive too slowly.
3. The steering wheel should be held without tension, but you should not let it go.
4. Do not bend your feet and knees, this leads to rapid fatigue.
5. All movements should be smooth and even.
6. Hard braking is prohibited.

Learn on your own

In fact, no teachers are needed to teach cycling, you can quickly learn on your own. Sometimes, especially for adults, it is better to carefully and calmly learn to ride without witnesses than to listen to not the most flattering comments from your friend, boyfriend or coach. After all, for most people it is "sit down and go."

2. Sit on the bike and try to balance with the brakes on. This will not work, but it will allow you to feel some point of balance on the bike, which is required.

3. We begin to move without pedaling - we make a scooter out of a bicycle, pushing off with our feet. It is advisable to learn to ride in balance, without resting your feet on the ground. A slight slope or fairly even asphalt will help with this. It is important to slow down first, and then get your feet on the ground, otherwise you can get injured.

4. Learning to pedal. First with one foot. We set the speeds, if any, to 2-4 (middle of the range), get on the bike. We set the pedal at 45 degrees up and forward and press with one foot to the bottom position. We roll similarly to the previous paragraph, we stop. Repeat until automatic with each leg.

5. Synchronize the legs - repeat the previous exercise, but continuously. It won't work right away, it will take a lot of practice. Don't forget about balance!

6. We fix the driving skill, starting turns, at first smooth to the left and right, it is important to feel the slope when turning. This is normal for riding.

7. The final exercise is a turn. After it turns out, we start full-fledged skating: we drive 100-200 meters, turn around, accelerate and brake.

So you know how to ride! The next task is the correct gear shifting, but this is a topic for a separate lesson.

Teach a child

Children are usually taught to ski from an early age. Even before the age of one, children can use toys with wheels, and at 1.5-2 years old they can ride a tricycle. At 4 years old, you can start practicing on a two-wheeled bicycle. At first, you can use additional wheels, but it is better to choose for training and brakes. By the age of 10-12, you can switch to a full-fledged teenage bike.

Teaching a child requires constant attention and great responsibility:

• It is required to follow not only the skating technique, but also the posture and breathing of the child.
• You can’t train after eating - it’s doubly hard.
• Loads should be limited. Up to 13 years - no more than 10-15 km, a teenager under 15 years old - no more than 20.

Teach an adult

It is difficult to teach an adult, he easily keeps his balance, but in unforeseen situations he is usually very stiff, and falls are not only physically dangerous, but also undermine the learning process, since adults are psychologically vulnerable.

You should never hold the bike or give handy advice frequently. A major part of the learning process is the physical sense of balance and empowerment. The “trainer” is needed only to explain the basics and, perhaps, the most correct feedback based on the results of the exercises. However, the most comfortable for adults is self-study.

Conclusion

In fact, learning to ride a bike is very easy at any age. The main thing in this matter is to prepare for a fairly long practice, because the scheme “sit down and go” is only in the minds of those who already know how. The child should be looked after and bought bikes (or balance bikes) according to height and age, and for adults, the main thing is to understand the general recommendations and have time to practice.

Both adults and children can learn to ride a bike. To do this, you just need to buy yourself an iron "horse" and adhere to certain rules. So, get ready to work hard and be ready to fall. At the very beginning of mastering a bicycle, you can ask your friends for it and find a suitable area. Gloves and a helmet will not be superfluous to protect yourself from the first injuries, which, alas, are inevitable. Choose a flat area or roadway with a slight slope.

Bicycle preparation

Initially, you need to “fit” the bike for yourself. The seat must be installed so that you can practically straighten your legs while sitting in the lowest position of the pedal, but at the same time be able to touch the ground. In the process of learning, at some point you will realize that for convenience it is not required to put your feet completely on the ground, but it is enough to reach it with your socks.

Close attention should be paid to the brakes. When learning and for the first time, we advise you to use only the rear brake, since the use of the front requires a certain amount of cycling experience.

Without skills, a novice cyclist risks injury by using the front brake incorrectly.

Before landing, you should hold down the rear brake so that it does not leave, and sit in the saddle, touching the ground with both feet. This exercise must be repeated many times.

Learning to keep balance

In order to learn how to ride as quickly as possible, you will need: correct and maintain balance. A simple exercise will help develop this skill. Sitting on a bicycle, you need to hold the handlebars and take your feet off the ground for a few seconds.

You will notice that you will soon be able to feel your balance, keep your balance for longer, and also understand if the seat is properly adjusted for you.

Start of movement

After self-confidence comes, as well as a feeling of comfort while sitting, you can start riding. First, try learning how to ride as if there were no pedals, that is, pushing yourself with your feet. For more comfortable ride It will be good to choose a section of the road with a slope.

Remember an important principle: as long as you are moving, you will not fall. The faster you drive, the more stable your vehicle will be. Do not forget about the brakes, this will allow you to adjust the speed at any time. Most importantly, do not lose your temper and act smoothly.

1. Feel free to steer;
2. Choose the right direction;
3. Follow the road;
4. Do not transfer your attention and look to your feet or pedals, otherwise you risk losing the horizon line, sense of the road and losing balance.

When the need arises to change your own position on the bike, you just need to touch the ground with your feet.

If you feel that you will fall or you just need to get off the bike, then there is an important rule: initially you need to slow down and prevent the movement from continuing, and after that you can get on the ground.

Otherwise, the ride will certainly end in injury. It is necessary to work out the exercise "landing - movement - stop - exit".

Learning pedals

To start riding a bike, you need to familiarize yourself with the principle of the pedals. Turning the pedals forward sets the wheel in motion, and in the opposite direction gives free play. Sitting on a bicycle, determine which foot is most comfortable to press on the pedal to start movement. This leg will be "active".

For convenience, before you start riding, you need to bring the pedal under it so that it is at the top and in front.

1. While holding the brakes, the “active” foot should be on the pedal, and the other one should touch the ground.
2. Then you should release the brake lever and, pressing the pedal, start coasting.
3. Keeping your balance, keep rolling in this way for as long as possible.
4. The next step in learning to ride is to put both feet on the pedals.
5. Starting the movement with the “active” foot, you need to try to put the other foot on the pedal as quickly as possible.

Practicing such a “pickup” is necessary in order to quickly master the basics of cycling. Having studied the previous exercises, now you can try to start riding and pick up a little speed. At first, the distances will be very short, literally 3-4 m, but this will be a guarantee that soon you will clearly master the technique of maintaining balance and using the pedals.

Practicing turns

Every novice cyclist needs to learn how to ride straight, i.e. keep the bike upright at all times. The bicycle, due to its peculiarity, changes its direction at the slightest inclination of the body. It will be possible to align the movement only by moving the torso to the other side. The bike should become one with your body.

You can turn in two ways - by tilting or using the steering wheel. The first option is used when driving at high speeds, and the second - at low speeds.

After passing all the stages of training, you can try to drive at least a hundred meters, slowing down, turn around and arrive at the point of departure. When this process takes place without a single hesitation and stop, we can assume that you have taken place as a cyclist. Now it remains to hone your skills and gradually gain experience.

Following the above instructions in the shortest possible time, you can independently learn to ride a bicycle. However, you should always remember about safety precautions and, if possible, protect yourself. Injuries and injuries to the limbs are acceptable, but the head must be protected by all available means. It is best to use a helmet to protect your head.

Many people want learn to ride a bike and forget that this requires special skills. If you have never ridden a bicycle (or: scooter, moped, scooter, motorcycle, etc.), you will face difficulties, first of all, in the part that you will not be able to keep your balance and will constantly fall on some side, without passing even a dozen meters. It doesn’t matter, it’s fixable, even the most gifted students learn the technique of driving a bicycle in a few days. However, if you study incorrectly, the task can be too difficult, to the point that you lose all desire to learn and ride a bike.
In order to ride a bike, you need two conditions: serviceable bike and asphalt road. My advice: immediately, lower the saddle as low as possible, this position of the saddle is only necessary for learning, when the necessary skills for driving have been mastered in order to. The saddle must be lowered in order to avoid possible more serious consequences during falls, and also, we will almost eliminate or reduce the number of falls to a minimum. For the future, if you still fall, don't be upset and don't think of quitting training, show me at least one child who would not fall while learning to walk? These are unknown to me, and yet everyone goes through it. It will be better if the asphalt surface is a little flat, that is, there will be a slight descent. The road should not be loaded with traffic.

How to learn to ride a bike?

While at the top of the chosen road, sit on the bike. Both feet should be fully on the asphalt when you are in the saddle. It’s not for nothing that I advise you to choose exactly a flat section of the road, because. you do not have to pedal, but you can just roll off it. Learning to balance and pedal at the same time is much more difficult than doing it separately. Start taking your feet off the asphalt, the bike will move, don't worry, the movement will be slow and predictable. You drove a couple of tens of centimeters and your foot was on the pavement again, did you stop? Congratulations, the first step is over! Keep repeating it, look ahead a few meters and take your feet off the asphalt again. Isn't it true, for the tenth time, you have already traveled a little more? When you are at the bottom, walk up with your bike :), this will give you time to think about how best to maneuver the steering wheel to keep your balance and you will begin to appreciate the distance traveled
It is unlikely that such training will last for a long time, most likely in a couple of hours, or by the evening today, the descent will be completed without the feet touching the ground. Don't let yourself go too fast, if the speed increases and bothers you, lightly apply the brakes, the rear brake is better. With the front brake, at first, you should be careful, if you pinch it, there is a chance to fly out through the steering wheel.
After you have learned to keep your balance and pass the descent without any problems, it's time to switch to smooth asphalt. We take the starting position on the bike. At the same time, as the legs are torn off on the asphalt, push them back, with the help of such a jerk, the bike will travel several meters with you, repeat the push with your feet. If everything works out for you, that's great! So, it's time to balance (which we already know how) and pedal at the same time. Decide what your pushing leg is, for this, remember which leg you put first on the stairs up. Place the same foot on the pedal, the pedal should be on top. Step on the pedal, the bike will move (don't forget about balance :D), now put your other foot on the pedal, you will have enough time, because. the bicycle moves by inertia from pressing the first foot of the pedal. Start pedaling forward. If something doesn't work, wait to put your other foot on the pedal, just push one pedal and ride using momentum. Just a little bit left, and now ... both feet are already on the pedals, the bike is moving - most of the work is already behind.

Learning to turn and turn around on a bike

When the sense of balance is mastered, and the legs get used to pedaling, you will be able to ride for a very long time, but sooner or later, you will need to turn or turn around. For training, we need a wide road, as wide as possible, but without cars. You can go free sports ground Let's say basketball. Get on the bike and ride forward, for starters, learn to just turn right or left. Do not make a sharp movement of the steering wheel, turn it just a little in the direction you are going to turn, you need to feel it. When you learn how to turn, you will learn how to turn around, but remember, the less room for a turn, the more difficult it will be to pass. Here you will have to practice, be especially careful in the turn, for beginners, this is where falls lurk.

All of the above is suitable for both teaching a child and an adult. Also, there are rumors that learning to balance is easier on a scooter. Unfortunately, I can’t say for sure if this is true, because. I never rode it myself, but I learned to ride a bicycle using exactly the technique that I told you today. Thank you for your attention! Learn to ride. The bike is helpful.

If you want to teach your child to ride a bicycle, then do not begin this until he reaches the age of three, so that the muscles of his body are sufficiently strengthened. Before you start learning, be sure to read the safety rules for cycling and tell your child about it. And then we will tell you how to learn to ride a bike for both adults and children.

Which bike to choose?

Young children will find it easier to start training with a three-wheeled "friend", while older children and adults who want to learn how to ride a bike can handle a two-wheeled one.

• The main task tricycle- Teach your child to pedal. Its main advantage is stability, so your child will ride without much fear. Such a bicycle does not have brakes, because in order for its wheels to continue to rotate, they must be constantly turned on their own. When choosing a bike, make sure it is the right size for your child and doesn't weigh too much, because the child must learn to move it himself.

• From age six onwards, it's best to switch to a two-wheeler that's the right size for you or your child. A bike frame needs to be strong yet light, which is why beginners are generally advised to opt for frames made from aluminum. You can see the frame selection table by height below:

The purchased model must be adjusted so that the legs do not hang in the air, but can touch the ground. The child can also use a pair of special suspension wheels that come with the child two-wheeled bicycle to soften the transition from a three-wheeler to a two-wheeler.

The bicycle is the most civilized means of transportation known to man. Other modes of transport are becoming more nightmarish every day. Only the bicycle remains pure of heart. ( Iris Murdoch)

Handlebar height is more important when buying a bike for mountain tourism and racing. For those who just want to learn how to ride a bike around the city, for walks, it will be enough to adjust the steering wheel at the level of the saddle or a little lower. The width of the steering wheel is usually selected according to the width of the shoulders of a novice cyclist. Brakes for city driving, choose drum or roller.