How To Ride A Bicycle

Do you hope to swish past the lush green gardens and explore the unruffled beauty of the nature on a bicycle? If yes, then it is time to turn your hope to reality. While most people learn riding bicycle as a kid, if you are not one amongst them, do not get embarrassed or depressed. Any time is perfect to learn this 'unforgettable' art. The best feature of cycling is that you cannot unlearn it - i.e. once attained, you would remember it throughout your life. Sounds amazing, doesn't it!! Another great advantage of cycling is that it is one of the most satisfying and healthy forms of self-transportation possible, which costs you almost nothing. To get detailed information on learning to ride a bicycle, read through the following lines.

How To Ride A Bicycle

The first step would be to get acquainted with the bicycle. Know where its brakes are, what the functions of its gears are, and so on. Make sure the cycle you chose is just right for novice riders.
Choose a bicycle that is small enough for your feet to touch the ground. This is a crucial feature because in times of misbalance, you can immediately anchor your feet to the ground.
Now, start by putting your right foot on the right pedal and the left foot on the ground. Push the right pedal with your foot, while keeping your left foot on the ground. Move forward but in a slow and steady motion.
Bring your left foot onto the pedal, keeping the handlebars straight. It would be beneficial if you appoint a person, who can hold your bike behind you and try to steady it as you pedal.
Once you have practiced for a couple of minutes, instruct the person to relieve the grip slowly. Balance yourself as you move ahead.
Chances are you might fall for the first couple of times, but do not get disheartened. Instead, just stand up lift the cycle and start the process once again.
Once you have mastered the art of balancing the cycle, it is time to learn steering and braking. Since you are a first-time rider, the best bet would be to practice the wide turns before the sharper ones.
For turning, lean slightly to the direction you want to go. Turn the handlebars as well, but not too much.
As for braking, all you need to do is squeeze the lever that you have on the handle bars. However, there is a specific technique for braking as well. Squeeze the brake lightly at first, gradually increasing the pressure to get to a full stop. Braking hard all at once would cause you to topple over.
Once you have mastered the art of starting, balancing, pedaling and stopping, just practice!! In no time, you would know all the tricks of cycling as well.

Tips

Find a safe area for the purpose of learning to ride a cycle. Ideally, a car free zone and a flat road with no obstacles is the best bet.
Make sure you put on the protective gear to prevent any mishaps. Long pants, long sleeves, helmet, knee pads and gloves are a good idea.
Remember, patience and perseverance is the key to learning cycling quickly. It is not possible to learn smooth cycling within a couple of hours. Sometimes, it takes a day or two, on other occasions it might even take a week to learn cycling properly.
Do not accelerate your speed at one go. Keep in mind that your endurance to speed and distance would automatically grow with practice.
Obey all the traffic rules while riding. Cycling is a quiet ride. Make sure you watch out for cars backing out and children playing.
Lastly, maintain your bike when not in use. Check the brakes, adjust the seat and handles. Also, undertake regular cleaning to ensure that your bike will work correctly for future rides.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Art & Entertainment'