Learning to Ride

It’s a great feeling for parents and children when they first start to ride a two wheel bike.

However it isn’t always straightforward. We are convinced about using balance bikes as soon as possible. Balancing is the difficult skill to master, not pedalling. Stabilisers don’t teach balance. Balancing on a two wheel bike is achieved by minute corrections to the steering which can only be learnt without stabilisers.

If the learner is too big for a balance bike we recommend taking the pedals off, make sure the seat is low enough to get both feet on the floor.

First of all just ‘walk’ along making sure the learner is firmly sat on the saddle (this is why its best to take the pedals off). Find a grass slope and get them to walk down gaining speed slowly, eventually lifting both feet off the ground for a short distance. When they can ‘glide’ several metres try putting the pedals back on (note pedals are handed left and right).

Often the best way to start is with one foot on the pedal (at the bottom of the stroke) and then scoot along before getting the other foot on the pedal. Alternatively giving a good push with both feet to gain speed and then finding the pedals. One thing is very important which is to keep looking forward and not looking down!

It might be useful to raise the saddle at this stage to make getting both feet on the pedals easier. Always make sure that both balls of the feet can touch the ground, if both feet are flat on the floor the saddle is probably too low.

Once balanced and pedalling brakes need to be learnt, its best to pull both brake levers together.

When turning a corner the technique is the learner to turn their head to look where they want to get to, this helps move the shoulders and arms to turn the handlebars.

We can provide cycle training on a one to one basis but we charge £25 per hour. We usually arrange to meet for training at our base in the Queen’s Park north car park. Instructors have tools, spare helmets and different size bikes available there.

Staff who work for Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trust can have two hours free cycle training, see publicity leaflet here.