You Never Forget How To Ride A Bike. Or do you….

My wife (now in her 30s) last rode a bike on the weekend she first learnt how to. When she was 12. She has never owned a bike since and felt no inclination to. However, our kids are now beginning to be able to ride so she is starting to think she is going to have to learn so she doesn’t miss out on family rides in the future. So, do you think the saying about never forgetting how to ride a bike is true, even if it was only for a weekend, 20 years ago?

Adults should be able to pick it up in 5 mins, even if they’ve never done it. It can be a problem for young kids, because they’re young kids.

I doubt that a weekend on a bike would be enough to establish all the links between brain and body that make the process automatic. Tell us how she gets on!

If ever there was a need for video, this is it

I’m not even sure how I would teach an adult to ride. A 5 year old is easy – they are quite slow and easy to catch. With the greatest respect to my wife, if I have try and catch her I will get flattened!

As to videoing – will certainly try my best but isn’t going to be posted here!

Take the cranks off, drop the saddle and send her out on a grown-up balance bike?

As we do with the 3 year olds, pedals off, stabilisers off, use it as a balance bike 😀

I did not learn to ride a bike until I was 30. Booked a 2 day learner course. I was riding after 5 minutes but the rest of the time was useful for confidence. I was commuting after 3 weeks.

I hadn’t ridden a bike from 14 until I was 29. It was a very large bike and I’m a medium. I wobbled to the end of the road, stopped and fell on my arse.

Most red routes are ok, so I would let her have a quick go on one before letting her out on a black

Just keep the kids well out of harms way….

Take the cranks off, drop the saddle and send her out on a grown-up balance bike?

As we do with the 3 year olds, pedals off, stabilisers off, use it as a balance bike

I had thought about this but she isn’t prepared to put up with the shame!

Will look into an adult learners course. Didn’t know these existed. The main thing stopping her so far is thinking she will look silly.

Can’t she wear a burka?

Your local council may or may not offer free instruction for adults depending on budget and cuts.

If there’s nothing available I can offer you some tips, I used to work as an instructor.

Drive her up hardknott and leave her there. Necessity is the mother of invention. Consider life insurance first though.

I had thought about this but she isn’t prepared to put up with the shame!
Will look into an adult learners course. Didn’t know these existed. The main thing stopping her so far is thinking she will look silly.

1. Take the pedals off yours and the kids bike aswell get the kids excited about it.

2. Can’t look any sillier than NOT being able to ride a bike.

Just drop the saddle so she can have her feet down and give it a go. Take it from there, she may find it easy.

Make sure she understands how the brakes work.

a wide gentle grassy well mowed slope – gloves, long sleeves just in case – remember most people in parks are mad so you’ll fit in well – just don’t try the gravel ramp from the car park down to the sustrans trail – not seen an adult fail but plenty of kids

when rolling down hill ok and pedalling do turns to flat then gear changes before turning up hill – if need to do with kids take cones and set their own course first and let them race it

Should be fine, bikes practically ride themselves.

I took my Sister in law out for a ride around the Llandegla Blue… she crashed and broke her collar bone. Ooopsie

Another vote for cranks/pedals off.

Suggested this to two pensioners who visited a shop I worked in, both got the hang of it in a few minutes.

Two words of caution [no slight intended]

1 – Ensure you know how to remove/refit cranks etc – Sheldon Brown’s site is a good place to start with mechanical things, eg one pedal is a reverse thread.

2 – If it’s square taper cranks or similar – a bit of pipe insulation or bubble wrap needs to be put over the resulting stubby ends or someone’s gonna bruise their ankle real quick.

Cheers all. Looks like there maybe some free courses close by but they are currently waiting to have their funding confirmed in April. Think this will be the preferred route as she doesn’t own a bike. Mine will be too big (and nice) for her to learn on so will save us buying a bike in case she hates it (this possible?!)

There’s instructors that teach adult beginners in London at least, but doing similar stuff to teaching kids (gently sloping grass, etc) should get there.

This is related and interesting:

Mine will be too big (and nice) for her to learn on so will save us buying a bike in case she hates it (this possible?!)

Perfect excuse to buy a BMX or cruiser (depending on her height)! 😉

When I was working for the council, we had a pool of bikes to use for this, various size hybrids to suit all.

I’m in North London, if you’re local and can’t find anyone, I’m happy to offer a couple of lessons to get her started.

Perfect excuse to buy a BMX or cruiser (depending on her height)!

This exact thought had already crossed my mind!

Neilwheel – Thanks for the offer but live in Birmingham.

I’d say she never really learned to be honest. I would place her next to a nice long kerb so she can scoot along with left foot on the kerb and right foot pedal down, just to get used to the bike moving about underneath her. Then reverse direction. 15minutes of this and she’ll be pedaling in no time.

If she wants to know how to “balance” a bike, the answer is that you make tiny steering movements in the direction the bike is falling.

No need for balance bikes and pedals off.

And make sure she keeps her head up not looking at the pedals.

I taught a mate of mine who was 23, teaching was basically give him a bike, the quiet road I live on, and away you go mate, took him a few hours, left him to it and he eventually picked it up, wish I tried the pedal off method first as he struggled to get the balance and pedalling bit together at first

Tandem. You know you want to.

You might find that’s she’s OK. I’ve seen someone who hasn’t ridden for many years just pick it up again.
If she really does need to learn from scratch, saddle down, pedals off is the recognised technique, and it works. However, if your wife has actually learnt to ride before, albeit briefly, you might just need to put the saddle down. If she can get both feet flat on the ground she will be in control, and should feel a lot more confident.

Tandem. You know you want to.

possibly the last excuse I’d use to get a(nother) tandem – competence is required or deaths at first junction probable or just setting off

You’re just no fun antigee

(Though possibly correct of course)

Can you borrow a bike that will fit her?

Basics for starting to learn.

Start with the saddle set so that both feet are just flat on the ground when seated.

Cover the brakes at all times.

Apply brakes to get on the bike, and at all times when not moving. It makes the bike seem much more stable and inspires confidence.

Having previously set the bike up in a nice low gear, she gets used to bringing the starting pedal to a 10 o’clock position.

Aim for setting off and just getting the other foot on the other pedal. So half a pedal stroke from the starting position, a gentle incline can help, as above. Then coast, gently apply brakes to a controlled stop.

Do this a few times, no need to rush. You walk alongside to offer advice (“Cover the brakes”) and support.

As soon as she stops remind her to get ready to go again, brakes stay on, pedal to 10 o’clock.

Then gradually increase the distance and number of pedal revolutions. Until you get to jogging pace (“Cover the brakes”) and the bike starts to self stabilise. Practice coasting with the starting pedal at 10 o’clock so when she stops, she is ready to start again without have to adjust anything.

She should now be able to ride. Tennis courts are good, just enough space for her to ride around you so that you can offer advice (“Cover the brakes”) on what to do.

Complete beginners tend to steer away when they start to lose their balance. Walk with the bike and show her how when you lean the bike, what happens when you steer into or away from the lean.

They also tend to target fixate, “Look were you want to go, not at the (Insert object, lamp post for example).” Something like tennis courts are good as they have the line markings to follow and nets to avoid.

Explain gears off the bike not while she is riding.

As confidence grows, adjust the saddle height to a more efficient position.

Have fun.

that video is great 😆

Ah, I see you’re in Birmingham, I’m on the Fylde coast, I was going to offer a lesson as I’ve taught hundreds of adults to ride – you’d never believe how many can’t. Bit too far away from you unfortunately.
If you can find a bike to borrow for her to try, don’t even worry about taking the pedals off, just put the seat very low and get her to “scoot” along with her feet, trying to see how long she can balance for. Once she can balance, she can pedal! Oh, and always the first thing to do is get used to the brakes, so scoot, brake, scoot, brake, repeat.
If she has learnt before, no matter how long ago, you’ll probably find it all comes back very quickly.

Good luck to her 🙂

Some excellent advise here. Thanks everyone. Had considered a tandem but she has a bit of a bad back so didn’t think being a stocker would help that very much. Didn’t really consider that it would be difficult with a complete novice.

Definitely need to be able to ride solo before tandem riding, unless you’re missing a big adrenaline hit.

If you do it yourself, remember to keep it fun and don’t expect to do too much in any one session. Keep it short, an hour maximum for the first few times.

I agree, that video’s great 🙂

Good luck to your wife OP – great to see cycling making some progress towards becoming normalised

If you could see my family I am not sure you would say normalised!