An ordinary bicycle can be used by people for completely different purposes. For some, this is a means of transportation, for someone - sports equipment, and for someone - a hobby that involves cycling for fun. Many people combine all the listed advantages of a predominantly two-wheeled vehicle. The only limitation in this case may be the inability to ride. But if you want to learn how to ride a bike is not so difficult.
There is an opinion that it is much easier for an adult to learn how to balance and control a bicycle than a child. This is not entirely true. On the one hand, an adult has better developed muscles and coordination of movements, but the fear of cycling can negate any attempts to learn to ride. At the same time, the main problem in learning to ride a bicycle in children is a poorly developed sense of balance.
There is no single instruction for learning to ride a bicycle, just as there is no strict sequence of rules for learning to ride a two-wheeled vehicle. However, there are very specific tips that allow you to master the bike quickly enough.
To quickly learn how to ride a bike, first of all, you need to customize the iron horse for its owner. You need to adjust the height of the seat and handlebars, while the bike frame should not prevent you from standing confidently on the ground with both feet after stopping.
For the first time, the height of the seat is adjusted so that sitting in the saddle it is possible to touch the ground with both feet. In this case, you will be sure that you can prevent yourself from falling when stopped or at low speed. In general, according to the rules, when a person is on the seat, the foot on the pedal at the lowest point should be almost completely unbent, and if necessary, you can only reach the ground with your socks. This seat adjustment can be done after you learn how to ride a bike confidently.
The height of the steering wheel should be such that the arms in a slightly bent position rest comfortably on the handles. The body should not bend too much. Correct fit on a bicycle involves the distribution of weight between the pedals, seat and handlebars.
After adjusting the height of the seat and handlebars, figure out how the brakes work. On modern bicycles two triggers are attached to the steering wheel, allowing you to slow down by stopping the front and rear wheel. When learning, use the rear brake, it is smoother and more comfortable, it is easier to maintain balance with it. Never press the brake sharply and to the very end, so it will be easier to protect yourself from falling.
The next step in learning to ride a bike is... sitting on a bike. It is necessary to hone landing on the seat with the brake pressed, try to maintain balance by taking your feet off the ground in place, and “rehearse” the stop by simply lowering your feet to the ground and rising from the seat. This will not only allow you to feel the balance and principles of maintaining balance in the saddle, but will also give you confidence, because now you can just get on or off the bike every time. Hone this skill to automatism.
Now you can start cycling. But first, forget about the pedals. Try to ride a bike, touching the ground with your feet and thereby giving momentum to your iron horse. Hold the rear brake while adjusting the speed of the bike, and remember that if you want or need to, you can stop and put both feet on the ground at any time.
When moving a bicycle, you need to look ahead, to change the course, smoothly control the steering wheel without making sudden movements. There are three rules that will help you feel more confident. First, you need to understand that the bike is controlled not only by the hands, but by the whole body. By slightly changing the slope of the body, you can change the trajectory of the ride. Secondly, as long as the bike is on a straight course, it does not fall. Falls cause sharp movements with a loss of balance, the same sudden stops and obstacles encountered on the way. Third, than faster speed bike, the higher its stability. This rule should not be abused when learning to ride a bike. Also, it does not work when cornering, in this case, on the contrary, it is better to slow down the speed.
Having learned to move slowly without pedals involved in the process, work out to automatism a chain of actions that involves landing on a bicycle, moving on it with pushing off the ground with your feet, braking and exiting. Every time before you get off the bike, stop it completely and fix it in this state for a second, otherwise you can get a push from the seat in the back or a blow from the pedals that continue to spin, and already from this you can fall, losing balance.
The next step is to ride the bike using the pedals. Sit in the saddle, put your foot on the pedal, fixed in the upper position and slightly shifted forward. Gently press down on this pedal, lift your other foot off the ground and place it on the second pedal.
Do not strain any muscles excessively, do all movements smoothly, without jerking. In no case do not look at your feet or at the pedals, at the steering wheel or brakes, look in the direction of travel. You may be able to pedal and balance for short periods at first. Gradually, the distance and speed will increase, and with them your self-confidence will grow.
First, try to move in a straight line on a flat surface, then find a road without unnecessary obstacles with a downward slope, then start mastering the turns. Remember that the bike is controlled not only by the hands, but by the whole body. Practice smooth left and right turns in a large circle at low speed. To do this, train on a free area with a flat, hard surface. Gradually decrease the radius of the circle along which the turn occurs. Work out the movement in a circle of different diameters in both directions.
Having mastered the listed techniques, you can confidently declare that you have learned to ride a bicycle. However, do not forget about traffic safety. At first, for skiing, choose platforms and paths without people, and even more so without cars. Be sure to use protection that will protect against bruises and bruises. It can be elbow pads and knee pads. Always wear a helmet to avoid serious head injury.
Bicycle is the easiest mode of transport. But the older you are, the scarier it is to take on its development. Yes, and where to do it? In the city, people will laugh, and it’s scary to crush ... If you are visited by such sad thoughts, we have good news for you.
Text: Svetlana Grebennikova
Last week, the first cycling school was opened in Samara, which is located in the existing bike rental on the street. Frunze - 80. Classes are held on Leningradka or pl. Kuibyshev from 19.00 to 21.00 or from 20.00 to 22.00 3 times a week. A three-day course helps to "put on the wings" even the most seemingly unpromising students. Those who have been cycling since childhood do not understand how to tell the rules of cycling - which is even easier, sit down and go. However, in the classroom, the instructor not only shows by example, but also tells a lot of subtleties, ignorance of which prevents you from learning to ride on your own.
Secret number 1. We keep the balance
Adults, as a rule, are hindered by stiffness in their movements, so they lose their balance and are afraid to fall. Maintaining balance is the foundation of cycling. In the first lesson, it is the balance exercises that are performed. To start, walk next to the bike, hold it by the seat, try tilting it back and forth and thus control the turn. This activity will help you feel psychologically more comfortable next to a strange two-wheeled "car". Then lower the bike seat a little lower so that your feet reach the ground. Pushing off with your feet, step by step, roll the bike forward. At the end, put one foot on the pedal, while the other - push off, play scooter, this is also useful for a sense of balance. So a person feels support, and fear is automatically removed. The more you can ride like this without tipping over, the better. When you get tired of "depicting a scooter", you can start riding a bike for real.
Secret number 2. Properly move off
Once you have passed the first stage of communication with the bike, try to ride it. Many people sit on a bicycle incorrectly, first they sit down, push off, and then they begin to grope for the pedals. It would be more correct to throw your leg over the seat, slightly tilting the bike towards you, lift one of the pedals, and then, pressing it, set the bike in motion. The main thing - do not panic!
Secret number 3. Calm, only calm
No need to cling to the steering wheel with a stranglehold, after 15 minutes you will begin to feel pain and tension in your hands. In addition, unnecessary fuss and tension will only harm the movement. The steering wheel must be held freely, easily, but this is acquired only with practice. Then you yourself will begin to “spread” between the steering wheel and the seat, leaning evenly on four points of support (arms and legs). In this case, the back should also be relaxed, but in good shape, like the arms.
Secret number 4. Do not make sudden movements
Bicycle movements should be coordinated, without jerks. It is important to do everything slowly, smoothly, calmly, so as not to injure yourself physically and mentally. No need to rush anywhere, push yourself, you won’t learn faster from this, but you will make a lot of mistakes and eventually fall. Remember that any sudden braking, any sharp steering Maybe leading to depression and stress.
Secret number 5. look ahead
In a good way, while driving, a cyclist of any degree of training should look ahead at 5-10 meters. But more often a beginner looks at his feet or at the wheels of a bicycle. Almost everyone finds it difficult to look ahead, and therefore cycling neophytes sometimes crash into pedestrians, poles, buildings. During the first lessons, students are created "greenhouse conditions", but already in the second lesson they must be "thrown away" in real life, specifically choose sites "with corners".
Secret number 6. Learn to turn
From the very first lessons, obstacles may arise in front of a beginner: trees, flower beds, corners of houses, pedestrians. From that moment on, his vision turns on, and the future cyclist begins to learn how to go around. Some mentally calculate the distance to the object, some drive at random, turning the steering wheel all the way. It is worth remembering that you do not need to pedal in a turn, as the speed you gain only increases the turning radius and can provoke a fall. You also need to be careful and keep your distance from parked cars, it is advisable to slow down a little. Not only a beginner, but also an experienced cyclist will not always react to a departing car or a sharply opened door. If there is a large crowd of people in front of you that is difficult to bypass, you can cheat - shouting "The brakes do not work!"
Secret number 7. Correctly brake
At the first lesson, the instructor explains where the brakes are located and how to control them correctly. After that, the student is not only not afraid to slow down, but rather more often presses the brake, intuitively, so as not to fall. What is the secret here - if you are "led" and you are afraid to fall, gently press the rear brake, the bike will stop and everything will go without incident. At the practice site, students also try to brake with straight legs and in the "foot on the pedals" position. Slowly slowing down, you can easily go down from any hill. But the front brake is better to use carefully - if at full speed With grab the front brake you can fly over the handlebars.
Secret number 8. Optimal speeds
There is no optimal speed for beginners: some immediately learn the advantages of speed (it also helps to keep balance), while others are still afraid to accelerate and drive at a “walking pace”. There are more than 20 speeds in modern bikes, and the need to use one or the other is most often found out in practice. This knowledge is for the brain, not for the body. Therefore, you should not fill your head with them from the first lesson, for a start it is worth bringing the control of the movement on a bicycle to automatism. When you “seem to have already learned”, you can start experimenting with speeds. However, you can switch to a fast ride only when a person feels confident in the saddle. After a couple of classes, men begin to drive on the roads, and it is better for girls to first practice in a straight line - on the embankment or in the park.
Secret number 9. Manage steering wheel
The main rule that you need to understand for yourself is that in order to maintain balance, the handlebars must always be turned in the direction the bike is tilted. Mastering accurate steering will also come in handy when overcoming surface irregularities. If you have rails, a track or a speed bump in front of you, you just need to put the steering wheel perpendicular to the obstacle. If you do not turn the steering wheel, you will feel almost the same as motorists who have fallen into a rut, you will begin to skid, and the wheels will go skid.
Rule number 10. Rising above the bumps
Riding a bike is not so much a skill as a pleasure, a sense of speed and new opportunities! Try to learn how to ride on your own if you don’t know how yet, and if you don’t succeed, now you know who to turn to!
Of course, everything starts from childhood, and one of the main tasks that parents face is to instill in their child a love for sports. And this can be done with the help of such seemingly banal things as a ball, etc. That is why almost every child buys a bicycle for the next holiday or “just like that”. And now the parents have an intermediate task: to teach the baby to ride this “unit”.
The result largely depends on the age and on the desire of the child to learn to ride a bicycle. Sometimes it happens that he remains unclaimed for several years, and when the child grows up, he suddenly shows a strong interest in cycling. And sometimes it happens that an unsuccessful attempt to learn for a long time, and sometimes forever, “kills” the desire to ride a bike.
MirSovetov strongly recommends that parents and grandparents be patient in such a difficult task as teaching a child to ride. Usually the kids are already pretty confident driving without your "safety net" in about a week, so it won't take long.
What do parents who want to teach their kids to ride a bike need to know?
- If the child is 2 to 4 years old. At this time, the baby will have to get acquainted with a three-wheeled bike. Be prepared for the fact that at first the child will perceive it as a new, bright toy. Give him time to get to know her, to study all the "glitters", cogs, nuts, pieces of iron. Then just get on the bike. The first lessons can be carried out at home, a flat paved area is also suitable.
Start rolling the child, show how the steering wheel works, let the baby choose the direction where to go. Only when he understands how to steer, you can proceed to the study of the pedals.
This will take quite a long time, because it is difficult for small children to synchronize the movement of their legs. You can show how to pedal while moving, but it will be much easier if you fix the bike so that the steering wheel is suspended. Put your baby's feet on the pedals and show them how to push them. Be patient, soon the child will fully master this technique and will be able to ride independently.
- If the child is 4 to 6 years old. For this age, a two-wheeled bicycle is suitable with two additional (auxiliary) wheels that need to be installed a few centimeters above the main ones. These auxiliary wheels will secure the child and teach him to keep balance.
Don't procrastinate with this ride - when you see that the child feels confident, remove the auxiliary wheels, but do not forget to mentally prepare the child. Tell him that it's time to ride like an adult, that he needs to be a little more careful, but you (or someone from your family) will definitely be there until he learns. And, of course, the first few days you just need to run after the child. You need to belay while holding the bike only in the most extreme cases, so that the child is vigilant, but feels that you are nearby. Remember, if you swear or just force things, you can discourage the child from continuing the lessons.
- If the child is 6 years of age or older. An adult child can be immediately put on a two-wheeled bicycle, only for the first few days it is necessary to secure him, running after him and holding him so that he does not fall. Remember to be calm and patient, and then you will succeed.
Useful advice: If it is not possible to buy a bicycle for a child, which is really very expensive today, then buy it for the first time. He will teach you how to balance, and you can explain to a kid that a scooter is a training before riding a real, “adult” bike!
Also, do not forget about safety rules. Any cycling is not complete without falls, so be sure to buy a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads - this will reduce the number of abrasions and scratches, as well as protect against more serious injuries.
How to learn to ride a bike as an adult?
There are cases when already an adult person does not imagine himself on a bicycle at all. There can be a hundred reasons for this: starting with the banal lack of a bicycle in childhood and ending with some kind of psychological problems. But if you have a desire to learn how to ride a bike at all costs, then remember that absolutely nothing is impossible. The main thing is to stick to a few important rules and master the bike gradually.
First you need to "fit" your vehicle for yourself. This is one of the most important steps you should take. The seat should be so high that the leg is almost fully extended on the pedals, but at the same time you can freely reach the ground, this will help you when you learn the movement technique.
You will also need knowledge of the brake system. To begin with, you will only need the rear ones - it is better not to use the front ones, as the bike can simply roll over.
Further instructions assume a step-by-step study of cycling. Take your time and ask a friend who knows how to ride a bike to keep you company - this will make you feel much more confident.
When you can confidently do all the previous lessons, lengthen your distance: you will need to drive from point A to point B, the distance between them is no more than 100 meters, then turn around and return to the starting point. If you managed to do this without a single stop, then we can say with confidence that you already know how to ride a bike, and the rest is a matter of practice!
Once you learn how to ride a bike and ride all the familiar streets in your area, you realize that you can ride more, and the question arises: how to ride fast and still travel long distances?
In order to ride a lot and at high speed without harming your health, first of all you need a good experience, but there are also basic rules for cycling:
- To go more and faster, it is important to choose the right bike for these purposes. For long trips, a road bike is best. Its geometry is arranged in such a way that the rider's body is located almost parallel to the ground, which contributes to better aerodynamics.
The bike has a narrow handlebar and a long frame, which allow the cyclist to overcome long distances without discomfort. The width and height of the wheels allows you to reach speeds of up to 25-30 km / h, even without much experience.
- Regardless of what kind of bike you have, it should be selected according to your height. Properly selected size contributes to comfortable movement, especially for long trips.
The general rule of thumb for determining the right frame is to stand above the frame so that the saddle rests against your back, in this position the distance between the crotch and the top tube of the frame should be 50-150 ml.
- For a long ride, you need to set the correct saddle height. This is what health depends on. knee joints. While the pedal is at the lowest point, put your heel on the pedal, the leg at this moment should be completely straightened, but if you put the toe, then bend slightly. This position of the legs provides the convenience of pedaling, which will allow you to develop the highest speed.
- If the route has a lot of climbs, then it is better that the bike has a light frame. With a weight of 20 kilograms long distance driving will be much more difficult.
- It is important to maintain cadence, i.e. maintaining a certain cadence. For a comfortable ride, an athlete must perform 80-100 rotations per minute. Moving in this range, there is a maximum conservation of energy.
Beginners often make one mistake, stop pedaling and move by inertia. But in order to then return to the originally set pace, you have to spend more energy than if they pedaled without stopping. Due to such jerks, speed and endurance fall.
- To make your ride easier and save energy, you need to use speeds correctly. The movement should not be made due to the great efforts of the rider. If pedaling becomes hard, then it is better to slow down, so you will protect your knees from injury and save strength.
It is best to ride the largest sprocket on a road with a slight slope or in a straight line, since in such a situation you have the opportunity to accelerate without using excessive physical strength.
- Driving speed is affected by: tire width, tread shape and. For long and fast trips, thin wheels with almost bald tires are most suitable. Due to the small area of contact with the surface and little grip on the ground, it will be much easier to develop high speed.
- Don't leave home hungry. A hearty breakfast is the key to a long drive. The body releases the necessary energy only if it has somewhere to take it from, so do not refuse food in the morning and do not forget about it in the evening. During the trip, if you feel hungry, you can use energy bars or nuts.
- To drive for a long time and drive a lot, you need to maintain the water-salt balance in the body, for this it is important to drink a lot and drink often. As you know, during movement, the body loses a large number of moisture, and this can lead to both deterioration of health and fainting.
Fluid is also needed for the functioning of the knee joints. In a healthy knee, the joint is in fluid, due to which there is a smooth and painless movement. Due to the increased consumption of water by the body, the amount of fluid in the joint decreases, and if the joint becomes dry, then the bones rub against each other during movement, which can ultimately lead to inflammation and even disability.
To compensate for the necessary elements in the body is best suited. It contains sugars, salts, electrolytes and other necessary elements. If there is no isotonic drink, then ordinary water will do. The main thing is that you need to drink often and in small sips, even when, it would seem, you don’t feel like drinking.
- Only a trained person can drive a lot, so it is important to train your endurance. You can start from 2 workouts per week, gradually increasing their number and walking distance.
- In order to drive fast, the road surface must be level. The fastest way to ride is on smooth asphalt. Therefore, it is better to plan your route in advance, trying to avoid places with bad roads.
- Last but not least, when it comes to fast driving is the weather. In good weather and with a fair wind, you can drive as fast as possible and reach speeds of up to 30 km/h. And here to accelerate
Many people want learn to ride a bike and forget that this requires special skills. If you have never ridden a bicycle (or: a scooter, a moped, a scooter, a 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, not 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: a serviceable bike and an 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 long, most likely in a couple of hours, or by the evening of today, the descent will be completed without touching the feet of 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.
