How, as an adult, can I learn to ride a bike?

QUESTION: I never learned how to ride a bike when I was a child, but now, as an adult, some friends from work who cycle regularly have invited me to ride with them. One even offered to loan me a bike. How can I learn quickly how to balance myself on a bike and ride?—M.C.

RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: I suppose neuroscientists can speak of the learning-to-cycle process in terms of brain and nervous system adaptations as well as a physiological endeavor, but primarily it’s a “just do it” task. And once you get the hang of it, it becomes an “autopilot” function.

But “getting the hang of it,” does take some effort and time, especially once we’ve moved out of childhood. Here are some things that will help:

• Obtain and wear a bike helmet. 

• Make sure the bike you use allows you to stand over the top tube with both feet on the ground (or better yet, borrow a bike with a step-through frame, similar to what we used to call a “girl’s bike”). If you can’t put both feet on the ground, the bike is too tall for you and will make learning to ride more difficult. 

• Before you begin, lower the seat so that even sitting on the bike, your feet will touch the ground. (Once you’ve made some progress on the balance issue, you will likely want to raise the seat some, but start with it lowered.) The fact that you can easily put your feet on the ground will help you not to fall over during the learning process.

• Recruit a helper, preferably a friend who cycles who can steady you as you start and help you set your pedals in a start position. 

• Have this person show you how to operate the brakes. Make sure you know which lever operates the rear-wheel brake and which operates the front-wheel brake. You should apply both brakes simultaneously. Practice applying the brakes while walking beside the bike.

• Select a learning ground, such as a park that has both some paved paths and grass yards. You can ride on the grass to build your skills, but as you begin, you’ll do better on the pavement, since you need to go fast enough to coast, something which is harder to do on a grassy surface.

Here’s the actual learning process:

Once you are mounted and ready to begin, keep your eyes looking ahead, where you wish to go, and not aimed down, looking at your feet. Start moving the bike forward by taking a few steps, and once you are gliding, spread your legs outward so that you can continue to coast and get a feel for it. Steer the bike while it coasts. As the bike starts to slow, bring your feet back down the ground to prevent falling. Repeat this several times.

Now start moving the same way, but as you start to roll forward bring your feet up onto the pedals and try to start pedaling while also steering. This may take several tries, but as you keep attempting it, you will begin to make progress.

Here’s a video of an adult learning to ride that will help you visualize all of this. (NOTE: this video, being from the UK, shows the right-hand lever operating the front brake, which is the opposite of how most bikes in the US are set up.)

Don’t be too hard on yourself if it takes more than one session to master this skill. It will come.

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Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.