How to teach a newbie

[enzed]

On behalf of an internet "friend" - What is the best way for an adult to learn to ride a bike for the first time.
Eg - Balancing, braking, gearing.

There's not much publc info for beginers cyclists out there, and I'm not a natural born teacher, so any ideas?
Thanks

[crazycanuck]

Enzed, I remember someone asking this not too long ago but am unsure if it was it's own thread or a post within a thread.

Ummm..dunno if it was in this New Riders area..:o:confused:

Let me see if i can find it..

[indigoiis]

I have a little bmx style bike that has 18 inch wheels, no gears, and "feels" fairly safe. I was thinking of helping a friend of mine, who has never ridden, to ride on that. She is small (5' tall) and I think she will have a good sense of control with that bike.

[Grog]

There are threads on this forum somewhere, but I'm really bad at unearthing them. I hope someone else finds them for you.

In the meantime, I have repeatedly heard that taking a bike that's a bit too small, lowering the seat as low as it gets, and taking off the pedals, can help. The learner sort of scoots around on the bike, perhaps on a very slight, grassy incline, and learns to balance... Then it's time to get the pedals on...

But others, I hope, will be better to help.

[Eden]

Here's one of those previous threads with lots of good info
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=11138&highlight=learn+ride+adult&page=2

Here's also a web page about teaching kids to ride without training wheels - this particular page addresses teaching an adult who's never ridden
- look at the letter on the main body of the page
http://www.losethetrainingwheels.org/default.aspx?Lev=2&ID=63

[PscyclePath]

Here's a clip I saved from the LCI list server, by John Ciccarelli, one of the old-time instructors out in California:



I've taught over 35 (and counting!) adults and teens ranging from 12 to 63 years old, and have refined a method that "graduates" most students in about 2.5 hours.

First, get a bike that fits the student. One with low step-over height is ideal. Grip ("twist") shifters are good for learning to shift, which happens late in the process. A fairly upright riding position is best -- the more leaned-forward they are, the harder it will be to learn balancing and gliding. (My Brompton folding bike is an ideal teaching bike due to its very low step-over height and "forgiving" steering.)

Find a large parking lot or schoolyard with a gentle slope, such that if you walk the bike up to speed and then glide with your legs off the ground, the bike will continue rolling but not pick up much speed. This is essential -- it's much harder to teach on a level surface.

Bring your tools. Take both pedals off the bike with a pedal wrench. Lower the seat so the learner can put both feet flat on the ground, but no lower than that. For some people you may need to remove a seatpost-mounted rear reflector in order to get the seat low enough. Adjust both brake levers so they can reach and modulate the brakes successfully, especially if they have small hands.

If needed, loosen the stem bolt and rotate the handlebars toward the learner to create a more upright riding position so they don't have to bend over and place much weight on the bars. Of course, if you do this, rotate the brake lever and shifter assemblies to compensate.

If they're wearing long pants, put cuff bands or clips on both legs.

Show them how to gently brake the bike with the right hand (rear brake) so they don't stop it abruptly. Do this with them walking beside you as you walk the bike at the speed they will be gliding, so they can experience the brake action without fear of falling.

Have them get on the bike, holding one brake to keep the bike from wobbling as they mount it. Have them walk the bike up to a mild trot, with their head up and eyes forward (not looking at the bike), then lift both feet and glide. Initially, these glides will be very short -- watch closely and congratulate them on every incremental improvement; your cheering will help them lose their fear of falling and begin to enjoy the sensation of rolling free. It will also help them sustain their confidence long enough to "get it", which can take over an hour for some students. Have them take longer and longer steps as they get the hang of balancing. Tell them to surrender their weight down through their torso and back onto the saddle and into the wheels, and sit up fairly straight (but not keep their arms straight or tense). Walk or run down to where they stop, and walk the bike back up the grade for them, so they can conserve their energy.

Coach them on this "gliding" process as long as they need to "get" balancing. When they do, they'll lose the stiffness and will glide easily down most of the length of the practice area. Don't move on to the next step until they can glide with ease and stop gently and precisely. Some students will get it rapidly, especially if they have an athletic background that includes balance (e.g. dance, snowboarding, skiiing). Others may take over an hour especially if they're initially fearful.

Re-install one pedal. Have them glide just like before, but this time with one foot solidly on this "down" pedal with the ball of the foot properly over the pedal axle, using the other leg to push off and get the bike up to speed. Only do this step long enough for them to get as good as they were with both legs out.

Get on the bike and ensure that it is in a low enough gear that they can start pedaling successfully. This may be a lower gear than you would choose, especially if they have never experienced pedaling. (If you can, urge the student to try an upright exercise bike at the gym before the lesson, to get the hang of keeping both legs energized and both feet on the pedals as they turn.)

Off the bike, show them how to lift their "second foot" up, over, and down onto the "second pedal" as it rotates into place. If there is a picnic table nearby, the height of the seat plank is ideal for practicing as follows: lift foot off ground adjacent to plank, up above seat plank height, shift the raised foot inward over the seat plank, and solidly down onto the plank. Over and over. Quickly!

Put them back on the bike and have them continue doing the "one foot on the pedal glide-start", but tell them that as soon as they have the glide going smoothly, lift the second foot onto the pedal and start pedaling with both feet. This is easier than teaching a standard start.

Once they have this interim "glide start into pedaling" technique working, teach them the standard start, demonstrating how you throw your torso forward briefly to assist the starting leg. Show them how to rotate the starting pedal up into the "10 o'clock" position using the top of their shoe. Don't let them do sloppy starts.

Next, work on turns in big lazy loops, first one way then the other. For some students, one turning direction will be harder than the other. Tell them to "lead with their eyes", i.e. look the way they want to turn, and have the bike follow their gaze.

When they can turn at will in both directions, introduce figure-8's -- again, big wide ones. However, demo how it's possible to do very small figure 8's with good slow-speed control, and tell them to practice on their own with that goal.

Somewhere around this point, show them how to shift. Use just the rear shifter, one click up or down until they get the feel of it.

Close with "start-stop drills": show them how to stop precisely with the pedals in the starting position so there's no fumbling when they need to get going again. Demo this over and over, using the parking stall markings as guidelines for where to stop.

A flyer and description of my Learn To Bike At Any Age coaching appears on my website. I offer lessons in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Charlotte, NC area. I'd appreciate any referrals!

John Ciccarelli, LCI 453


Tom
LCI #1853

[tulip]

A newbie (complete) should start off on the grass. take a few spills on the grass to get the fear out and to practice rolling. Keep the seat low at first so the feet can touch the ground.

What a great adventure your friend is embarking on!

[csr1210]

Lower the seat to the point where he/she can comfortable put his/her feet on the ground. My sister started by sitting on the seat with one foot on a pedal, and the other "scooting" her along (kinda like a skate boarding motion). She went up and down the road propelling herself along in that manner until she got a feel for the balance, and gradually started picking up that foot and trying to rest it on the pedal for a second or two until she felt more confident. Sorry, I'm not explaining it better. It took about 30 minutes for her to actually be riding "properly" down the street (i.e. pedaling, not scooting). She felt a little dorky (with little kids zipping around her and all), but she got comfortable very quickly with the balancing by scooting herself along.

here's another link:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=16256&highlight=teach+adult+ride+bike

Hope that helps,
Christy