Any tips for teaching an adult to cycle?

[csr1210]

Hi - I want to teach my 17 year sister to ride a bike, but I'm not sure how to do this....

The main things I remember about learning to ride was my dad holding me up and running beside me helping me balance. I don't really know if that would work the same for this situation because because we are pretty much the same size as opposed to teaching a child on a little bike.

Any advice would be welcome -- I hate to just stick her on the bike and say, "Good luck!"

Oh, and I LOVE this forum and appreciate all the things I have learned from all of you! It is so great to have a resource for biking info (and especially women's issues!!!) The only other cyclist I get to "talk" to is my hubby and he's pretty much a beginner too!

[Teddy]

I just (as in just a couple of weeks ago) learned to ride a bike. I am 44 years old and probably the only adult I know who didn't know how to ride a bicycle. For some incredible advice, check out my post from a little while ago. I got lots of really terrific advice and useful information from the awesome people here. I don't know how to insert the link to the post, but it's only a little ways down from yours. It's titled "Riding Tips For The Extremely New And Klutzy". Last post was dated 6/8.

Some personal experience tips:
1. Try teaching her on a Commuter type bike or if none are available, then a mountain bike will do. (I learned on a mountain bike.)
2. Try lowering the seat so she can put her feet on the ground. You can raise the seat as her confidence grows.
3. Let her coast on a very gentle downward sloping area to get the feel of balancing on a bike. When she's comfortable, she can pedal. Just remember that the lower the seat is, the more challenging pedaling will be, so you're in a bit of a catch-22 there. Raise the seat as soon as possible so she won't get frustrated with pedaling in such a compressed position.
4. Some people suggested trying to ride on a grassy area before riding on asphalt or pavement. I did it in a parking lot that had little traffic. Just a reminder that if she does try riding in a parking lot, make sure she keeps an eye out for cars. I was so engrossed in trying to stay upright that I almost got nailed by a very large truck speeding into the parking lot.
5. Have her try out the rear brake before she actually gets going so she gets a feel for how it works and how much pressure to use. I personally avoid the front brake right now - especially since grabbing it by mistake on my first ride...which resulted in a particularly spectacular unintended dismount over the front handlebars. I did a full rotation in the air and landed on my back. The Russian judge gave me a 5.0...
6. Have her read the article on steering with your hips (extremely helpful). It's linked on one of the responses in the thread I started. That advice helped me tremendously in learning how to steer and turn. Before that I was steering with my handlebars and was all over the place.

I still have a lot to work on, and I am obsessed with getting on my road bike...I only ride my mountain bike right now since I tried to ride my road bike and crashed. I have been riding a little every day (about an hour) and trying to master the technique of not falling down. It's been frustrating, a little painful (my legs are bruised, bloody, scraped and scabbed over), but mostly incredibly fun. I'm sure your sister will love it!

Good luck!

[RoadRaven]

You know, I wouldn't know where to begin teaching an adult to ride a bike.

The idea is so inconceivable to me that someone never rode a bike when they were a little kid!

Teddy has given some great ideas... a soft surface (but grass not too long or its too hard to get wheels going)... make sure she can reach ground easily... and I am wondering why not walk beside, run behind her and hold bike while she gets the balance thing down?

Good luck and kudos to you for getting her on a bike

[mimitabby]

the adult running along pushing the bike with the little kid on it and letting go method convinced me for 3 years that I didn't want ANYTHING to do with bikes, it was just too terrifying!

[csr1210]

You know, I wouldn't know where to begin teaching an adult to ride a bike.

The idea is so inconceivable to me that someone never rode a bike when they were a little kid!

Yes -- I was shocked when I realized that she had never been "indoctrinated"!! (I was already married and moved out before she was born so I just assumed I just missed it!)

Teddy has given some great ideas... a soft surface (but grass not too long or its too hard to get wheels going)... make sure she can reach ground easily... and I am wondering why not walk beside, run behind her and hold bike while she gets the balance thing down?

Well -- since we are the same size, I'm kinda afraid we'd both end up in a heap if she really lost her balance with me running beside her "helping." Plus, as Mimi alluded to, this part of the process was horrible for me, but then I was a HUGE chicken as a kid!!!

Good luck and kudos to you for getting her on a bike

Thanks for the tips Teddy!

I am hoping that she will really love it once she gets her feet wet so to speak! She's going to college in the fall, and it would be fantastic if she could cycle around campus instead of hoofing it everywhere.