Learning to Ride a Bike as an Adult
So with the recent uptick in new bike riders on the street, I thought I would share some of my knowledge from the perspective of a fellow recent beginner. Learning as an adult can be such a different experience compared to the average person who learned as a child and has since forgotten all the struggles of learning. (Note – this post just includes general tips, nothing technical.)
A little background on me
So like most people, I did attempt to learn to ride a bike as a child. Unlike most people however, after my first fateful crash, I decided bike riding just wasn’t worth it so I walked my bike home and didn’t get on one again for at least a decade. To be fair to my child self, I did grow up in what folks from the city/suburbs would call “the country” even if it didn’t technically classify as such, meaning there wasn’t really anywhere for me to ride to anyways.
Fast forward several years to college. As with most campuses, Oklahoma State was a little bigger (and a little hotter) than one wants to have to walk everywhere (and as with most college campuses parking was limited at best). So I started to learn to ride a little bit over the summer after my sophomore year on a friend’s bike. I managed balance pretty quickly, but steering and shifting gears did not come naturally. I was never close to being road-ready. And even on the sidewalks I definitely wasn’t ready for the “rush-hour” pedestrian traffic. So I only allowed myself to bring out the bike for the occasional afternoon class when I would have the sidewalk essentially to myself. So, when did I truly learn to ride? Well, at the age of 24 I decided it was time. And because having an incentive makes learning things easier, I signed up for my first triathlon. I bought myself a used racy red road bike on Craigslist, and joined a “tri” group (Red’s) for the extra comradery and got to work. I had about 6 months to learn and train, and while I was definitely not as strong of a rider as I am today, I still did pretty well for myself, and now I love riding!
Top Ten Tips
So if you’re an adult who like me decided to learn well past everyone else, or maybe you just haven’t ridden in a while (and it’s not always true that ‘you never forget’) here are my top ten tips for you as you get on the saddle:
In the Begining:
1) Practice by yourself
While it’s great to have a friend, significant other, sibling, etc to help, you will get frustrated with them, and they will get frustrated with you. So much of bike riding is based on ‘feel’, and guess what, ‘feel’ is really hard to describe/understand. As a new rider you will be focusing on simple things like “staying on the bike” and “going straight” so your husband’s advice on how not to cross chain is not really wanted. While I was learning, Andrew would often go for a run, that way he was still close-ish by if I needed him, but not so close that he could be too helpful. So my advice to you is that after you get the ‘basics’ from your teacher, shoo them away to a safe distance where you can unnecessarily slam on those brakes in peace.
2) Be patient with yourself
I spent several weeks riding around a large empty parking lot before I was comfortable riding in the street. Once mastering parking lots, I then progressed to deserted big roads. In Kansas City, there is a 3.5 mile loop around the downtown airport that is a favorite spot for cyclists due to its lack of traffic and traffic signals – Ask around your local community, there are likely several traffic-free favorites that other cyclists would love to share with you (sometimes bike paths are too overrun with pedestrians that they actually aren’t that great of a bike learning space). Also back to that patience thing, shifting is hard; It won’t make sense until it does, so just keep at it. Eventually everything will come naturally.
I would highly recommend multiple shorter riding sessions. In the beginning everything is hard and everything is scary. Long amounts of time in that state of mind won’t be fun, and we want riding to be fun! I often threw my bike in the car in the morning before work, then at the end of the day after everyone left I would ride around the empty parking lot for 15-30 min before heading home for the day.
3) Focus on your weaknesses
If you struggle to start and stop, then spend some time doing that. I know it’s annoying and frustrating to work on the hard things, but repetition will be your greatest asset in mastering the bike. This is why the parking lot is a good place to learn; use the lines as start and stop points. It’s a lot less scary if you make yourself stop when there’s no external factor threatening to crash you! (and less embarrassing if no one’s there to see you). If your weakness is steering, use the parking lines as a guide line to follow. Set up a course in your mind with the lines and try to stick to it. If shifting is your foe, maybe find a spot with a ramp or hill and route out a circle practicing changing gears at the right moments. You know what things stump you in your riding, so take the time to work on those things, so that when you are ready to go out and ride around other people, you can focus more on your surroundings and less on the bike itself.
4) Not all bikes are created equal
Some bikes are just harder to learn on. Depending on what you have access to, you may not have much of an option, but take heart in knowing that you may just be on a super responsive bike like the one I started out on, or one that really likes to throw its chain when you shift, like my second bike. A little excuse never hurt anyone right?
I will say it’s probably easier to learn on too small of a bike versus too big- it’s less scary when you can reach the ground easier.
After you start to get the hang of things:
5) If something is uncomfortable, change it
The beauty of bikes is how customize-able they are. If you’re borrowing a friends bike, you may think there’s nothing you can do, but with little more than an allen wrench you can easily shift/tilt/raise the seat and handlebars. (Note: If you’re lucky, your friend is a similar size to you or smaller, because it is harder to learn on a bike that is too big). If it’s your bike, then feel free to buy new parts. If something is uncomfortable, do a quick internet search, and you’ll see all sorts of options on how to fix it – several of which can be fairly cheap/straightforward changes. And keep in mind, the problem might be from your clothes instead of the bike.
When I got that red bike, I didn’t know anything about how a bike should feel. I mentioned to several people how my butt hurt after riding, to which they all replied oh you’ll get used to it. Well I never did – it wasn’t my butt’s fault, it was the saddle. I remember one day I had my husband ride my bike and he finally validated my pain with a complaint about the saddle. Being new I didn’t know better, I thought that was normal, but I was so much happier after we bought a new saddle. So what I’m trying to say is if something is bothering you, don’t assume that’s how it has to be and don’t be afraid to make small adjustments! Sure if you start riding long distances etc, you should make sure your bike is properly fit to you, but we’re focusing on that beginner I-don’t-want-to-spend-too-much-money-on-a-new-hobby level here, there’s plenty of time for you to fall down the rabbit hole of upgrading your bike later.
6) The Rules of the Road/Sidewalk
Every state (and possibly city) has different rules about cycling, so if you are going to get out there know them! (And while you’re at it, teach them to you friends who don’t ride so that drivers can know them too!) In most places, bikes have as much right to the road as cars do, but when you take to the streets on a bicycle all the same rules apply to you as to drivers (that means stopping at stop signs and red lights). Also while it is normal to ride close to the shoulder to let cars get past, you are entitled to take up a full lane if drivers aren’t respecting your safety.
That said, you may choose not to exercise your right to the road and defer to the sidewalk or a trail. Did you know you aren’t allowed to ride on some sidewalks, like those in business or entertainment districts? If you decide to ride on a sidewalk/trail, you are generally expected to ride at a slower speed and you must yield to pedestrians. So when you decide to pass make sure you slow down, ring a bell or shout “on your left”, and wait for them to react before blowing past them on their slow little feet.
Left turn (left arm straight out), Right turn (left arm out and bent with forearm straight up, or right arm straight out), and stopping (left arm down by your seat with and open and palm pointed to those behind you) are the main ones. (Link to site with photos.)
8) Learn how to change a tire
(And carry the tools necessary to do it)
As soon as you decide to start riding by yourself make sure you learn to change a tire. Ask a friend, or enroll in a class – most bike shops or outdoor shops offer free or cheap bike basic classes.
9) Practice your Route
When I first started commuting to work, I would first drive the ‘bike friendly’ route. I would also ride that route on a weekend when traffic would be light and there was no need for me to get to work on time. That way I could get comfortable with the route and how long it takes before I would commit myself to riding during rush hour. If you don’t have to focus on where you are going you can focus on everything else including your safety.
10) Have Fun!
Remember to have fun, so if you find yourself getting frustrated while trying to learn, feel free to take a break or stop and try again another day.
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