Difficulty learning to ride

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roux

Über Member
Hi there. I am 27 years old and never learned to ride a bikebut I’m now trying to get into cycling.

I had difficulty in choosing a bike but in the end I decidedto take the plunge and just get one. I ignored some sound advice to buy from anindependent retailer and instead bought from Halfords which is a problembecause they didn’t seem to know what they were doing and might have sold me aninappropriate bike.

I’m trying to learn how to ride a bike but I’m finding itvery difficult. I’m 5 foot 6 and the bike I’m trying to ride is 20” and itfeels too big. I can touch the ground with my tiptoes but only just. Iunderstand that this is a good situation for an experienced rider because itgives a good leg extension but as a beginner it makes riding hard to learn.

My main problem is just moving off. I can’t go more than sixinches without the bike falling to one side or another. I understand that thekey to balance is speed but this doesn’t help because I can’t build up anyspeed because I fall over before I’ve gone six inches. Also, because the bikeis relatively big I can’t really push myself forwards because I’m on tiptoes tocan’t generate the power. I must therefore generate the power to go forwardsfrom the pedals but pressing the pedals makes the bike lean to the side of whicheverpedal you press.

I certainly jealous of people who learn within an hour.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 

julesdavis1965

New Member
Location
maidstone kent
hiya , i learnt by going to the local park (no traffic and grass) find a hill or quite a steep slope and free wheel down a few times then when ready get your feet on pedals and pedal........practice makes perfect......... start off in a low gear. good luck it's worth the effort.
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
Are you trying to start off whilst sitting down?
Or are you on tip toes when you are just standing over the frame.
 
Best way, IMO, is to take the saddle down as low as it will go, don't use the pedals and just scoot yourself along using alternative steps with your feet to propel you.

It won't take long to find the balance and control you need beore starting to pedal.
 

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
I helped someone like you a few years ago, and took advice from a qualified instructor first. For some reason she preferred having me rather than her husband see her falling off - never did understand that.

She started off, as in post #2 above on a grassy slope, but with the pedals taken off to avoid shin bashing. She wore some elbow and knee padded things that her daughter lent her which saved a few bruises.

After a couple of hours she could get down the 400m of slope wobbling but still on the bike, after several more evenings of trying the wobbling was acceptably less.

Pedals back on, and a few more evenings (and bruised shins despite wearing her son's football shin pads) she could ride. It took more practice to get braking and steering.

Sorry if that sounds a bit daunting, but I was told beforehand and believed it from seeing it, that it's much more difficult for an adult to learn how to do this trick than it is for a child. I've taught a number of children how to ride a bike using the technique that was used on me and they all get it very fast if they've never used stabilisers, longer if they have. It doesn't seem to be the same process for an adult.

You migh find putting the saddle down a bit, taking off the pedals and going off to the park a good start!

Some encouragement - the woman I helped now commutes to do a volunteer job two days a week, 25 miles return, does most of the family shopping by bike, and goes out riding with the family.
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
Lower the saddle. Raise it in stages later, once you are comfortable riding (if it is still too high then you could do with a smaller framed bike). Try starting on a gentle grassy slope (I'm reasonably experienced but I practice stuff on grass from time to time- if you fall off it doesn't hurt) and learn to scoot along and get the feel of how to balance.
 
Another vote for finding a slope which you can roll down but not too steep or you could panic as the speed builds up. And a vote for taking the pedals off first or you will have bruises all the way up your legs.

Once you can roll down the slope, put the pedals back on, push off, start rolling and then put your feet on the pedals and pedal. Don't try to go straight to pushing off and pedalling.

As for the bike, if you can only put your toes down while sitting on the saddle with the saddle as low as it will go in the frame, I would say its too big for you. I would take it back and get a smaller size so you can put your feet almost flat on the ground with the saddle right down. When you are able to ride confidently then you can raise the saddle a bit.

It depends on how good your natural balance is but don't expect to learn at your age as quickly as a 5-6 year old can. It may take some perseverance but it is possible to teach old dogs new tricks.
 

ttcycle

Cycling Excusiast
Some sound advice on here - I'd also suggest taking the pedals off and walking along with the bike to get a sense of how it feels and get more confident with the balance.

I won't repost the above but good luck and welcome to CC!
 

mr Mag00

rising member
Location
Deepest Dorset
as an instructor i concur with the above to lower seat remove pedals and scoot on grassy slope.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Another vote here for taking the pedals off, lowering the saddle and scooting to learn balance. Once you can 'run' along on the bike, you're balancing for a second or two at a time, and then you can lift both feet and treewheel to build up confidence.

I taught a middle aged chap this way once. From not being able to ride, he walked the bike along, then ran it, and was ready for the pedals to go back on in about an hour, whereupon he simply rode off.

It's also good because while scooting you can practice braking and steering, while you are still able to dab a foot down quickly.
 

irw

Quadricyclist
Location
Liverpool, UK
Hi Roux, whereabouts are you? You never know, there may be a friendly local member who can help check that your bike is set up correctly!
 
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