Total Newbie

[stella2]

Shannon, I had to join the forum when I read your thread. Well done, and your bike is lovely I am 51 and just learning to ride a bike, having never been on one in my life before. I had a lesson with a cycling instructor 12 days ago - small bike, pedals off, saddle low, learning to balance. Apparantly, I was doing well, but I found it hard and although we got the pedals on in the lesson, I only got as far as pushing off with one foot. Determined (my middle name), I bought the bike I had in mind for me and just as your theory, it became much easier on a good bike that suited me.

Since then I have done it! I can now cycle along in a relatively straight line, but like Hebe, nerves are holding me back a little, mainly because I struggle to stop in a controlled way. I know how, but I get anxious about it. I fell off on one occasion. Not that bad of course, but instinct seems to tell me that stopping is a risky manoeuvre and I tend to chuck my legs down - sometimes before I have even begun breaking and it's all I can do not to knock myself over because the bike is still going I won't be beaten though. I will be back out there tomorrow.

Shannon and Hebe, we are women, we can do pretty much anything. We can do this

[Roadtrip]

Update Two/Lesson Two:

Quick safety check with the bike and pretty started off where we left off at the end of the last lesson. More pushing off and going a little bit further each time, with my two helpers at my side steadying me, but giving me more and more space.

We stopped briefly to let some cars clear the parking lot we were working in and we rode from the pavement and onto a flat grassy area and even pushed off from the grass. I have to say I'm getting pretty good at the saving part where I grab break and get my feet to solid ground when I feel I'm going to loose control.

I'm still struggling with the launch aspect and getting up to speed, but for the first lesson, I guess I can't really expect to be doing wheelies at this point. We worked for close to an hour and it was getting dark and on what ended up being the last run of the evening when DH dropped far off to my right and the instructor was to my left, but barely hanging on (and I later found out that I he let go all together) when I rode all on my for about 250 feet. After I came to a stop by the cars he gave me a high five and said I was doing it all on my own for the last part of that run. We ended on that high.

The feeling was amazing. The feel of the wind. The feeling of some invisible force working together with your body to move you forward. The feeling that for even a short time I was actually doing something I had feared for nearly thirty years.

It gives me great confidence that I can DO this.

Next lesson Saturday.

Thanks for all the support and kind words!!
Shannon

[Catrin]

Congratulations on the great lesson! It is indeed wonderful to be on the bike and realizing that it is all YOU

[hebe]

Excellent work! I bet you can't wait for the next lesson

[schnitzle]

Yay!! I love reading about your progress, it's so inspirational Isn't the feeling of the wind and your bike under you fabulous? Go Shannon GO!

[Roadtrip]

Update Three/Lesson Three:

OK. Bad news out of the way first, I crashed and landed hard twisting the handlebars completely sideways. They were easily moved back into square, so might have to take the bike in to have them tightened, doesn't seem like I should be able to move them that easily by hand. Not wiggly loose while I'm riding tho still a little concerned. I was more concerned for the bike while my thigh and left knee too the brunt of the damage when I fell, mostly just feeling sore right now. It all happened quite silly, I rode too close to a tree and under some low branches (twigs really) and ducked my head and leaned slightly left and that started the whole bike in a lean left and just wasn't able to recover and down I went.

Sooooo.. for some good news.. rode the entire distance of the parking lot tonight (about 4-5x my previous "best" attempt) through the "bad" part of the parking lot that was littered with glass/gravel/ruts and even avoided a mom and kids. This along with some shorter runs has me feeling really good up in the saddle. I seem to be reasonably able to balance once I get up to speed, but struggling with the pushing off and getting myself going, so we're going to practice over the next few days on our own and meet again with the instructor on Wednesday... he mentioned maneuvering/turning practicing.

DH has promised me a massage tonight so off to collect.

Shannon

[malkin]

It sounds like you are doing great!