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Learning to ride a bicycle



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 15th 03, 01:28 PM
Sue
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

In message , AnyBody43
writes
(Header change - sorry - and crosspost)

I agree with the idea that there is something different about bad light.

For many years I was a lead skier in whatever group I was with
EXCEPT in bad light. Then I trailed around at the back.

It was very weird.


Yeah, you can't see the shape of the surface you're sliding over, it
just looks white. Goggles bring out what contrast there is.

I don't have any idea what the difference was but suddeny bad light
was no longer a problem.

I think perhaps that it is a bit like learnig to ride a bicycle,
suddenly you can do it whereas a few minutes before you couldn't.


I expect you're right about skiing in flat light, but there's obviously
something I don't know about learning to ride a bicycle. I have an
adult friend who'd like to ride but is deterred by the learning stage,
especially the possibility of falls.
How should he go about learning to ride in a few minutes?

--
Sue ])
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  #2  
Old November 15th 03, 05:36 PM
Just zis Guy, you know?
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

Sue wrote:

I have an
adult friend who'd like to ride but is deterred by the learning stage,
especially the possibility of falls.
How should he go about learning to ride in a few minutes?


Get a bike, put the saddle down low, remove the pedals, place at the top of
a gentle hill. Sit on bike, coast down hill. Once steering and braking
have been mastered, refit pedals and try pedalling.

--
Guy
===
WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk
  #3  
Old November 15th 03, 05:40 PM
Graham Bowers
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle


"Sue" wrote in message
...
In message , AnyBody43
writes
(Header change - sorry - and crosspost)

Snip
I have an
adult friend who'd like to ride but is deterred by the learning stage,
especially the possibility of falls.
How should he go about learning to ride in a few minutes?

--
Sue ])

Take the pedals off the bike, lower the seat so his feet easily reach the
ground and ride it like a dandy bike, walking it along and then raising the
feet and coasting when confident.
Add pedals and raise seat as confidence increases.
Cheers
Graham


  #4  
Old November 16th 03, 12:35 AM
Carl_M
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

"Graham Bowers" wrote in message ...
"Sue" wrote in message
...
In message , AnyBody43
writes
(Header change - sorry - and crosspost)

Snip
I have an
adult friend who'd like to ride but is deterred by the learning stage,
especially the possibility of falls.
How should he go about learning to ride in a few minutes?

--
Sue ])

Take the pedals off the bike, lower the seat so his feet easily reach the
ground and ride it like a dandy bike, walking it along and then raising the
feet and coasting when confident.
Add pedals and raise seat as confidence increases.
Cheers
Graham


THere is a difference between balancing on a bike while sitting still
and while pushing the pedals. You can get stabalisers for a bike,
they are designed for kids bikes but should work on any bike with
fairly small wheels. Stabalisers are extra wheels that go to the side
of the rear wheel (attached to the rear wheel hub), they should be set
so that they are just of the ground when the bike is vertical so they
stop the bike toppling over if balance is lost (similar to a tricycle)
as confidence increases the wheels are raised so that they only come
into effect if the bike tips more and more until they never touch the
ground and the rider can happily ride without them.
  #5  
Old November 16th 03, 01:02 AM
AndyMorris
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

Graham Bowers wrote:
--

Take the pedals off the bike, lower the seat so his feet easily reach
the ground and ride it like a dandy bike, walking it along and then
raising the feet and coasting when confident.
Add pedals and raise seat as confidence increases.


Borrow some kids scooters, go to local park, splif up and mess around.


--
Andy Morris

AndyAtJinkasDotFreeserve.Co.UK


Love this:
Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/


  #6  
Old November 16th 03, 04:03 AM
Pete Biggs
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

Carl_M wrote:
THere is a difference between balancing on a bike while sitting still
and while pushing the pedals.


Not a major one. The subconsious part of the brain responsible for
steering and balancing (the most alien, difficult and important things for
a non cyclist to master) is still doing the same thing - it's just that
more actively is added on top. Pedalling is much easier if you don't have
to worry so much about balancing because you've already learnt it.

In any case, you don't have to go straight from straddling with low saddle
& no pedals to riding entirely properly. Saddle can be gradually raised
and more pedal strokes done between freewheeling, etc. The gentle
downwards gradient will help a great deal.

I doubt stabilisers will be necessary and they'd be a lot of trouble to
find and fit and would add to the embarrassment.

Despite grass being softer to land on, it's relatively difficult to ride
on. Bike will practically roll along by itself on road or pavement -
which is what you want. Your friend won't fall if saddle is very low to
start with, Sue - and won't fall once able to pedal properly.

~PB


  #7  
Old November 16th 03, 04:06 AM
Pete Biggs
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

I wrote:
Carl_M wrote:
THere is a difference between balancing on a bike while sitting still
and while pushing the pedals.


Not a major one. The subconsious part of the brain responsible for
steering and balancing (the most alien, difficult and important
things for a non cyclist to master) is still doing the same thing -
it's just that more actively

^^^^^^ activity

is added on top.


~PB


  #8  
Old November 16th 03, 09:38 AM
Tony Raven
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

Carl_M wrote:

THere is a difference between balancing on a bike while sitting
still
and while pushing the pedals. You can get stabalisers for a bike,
they are designed for kids bikes but should work on any bike with
fairly small wheels.


With an adult they will not work well and even with children they are
much worse than the taking the pedals off method. Children with
stabilisers start by riding three wheeled with the bike leaned over on
one stabiliser or maybe bouncing alternately between stabiliser
wheels. Over time they learn to dispense with that third wheel
dependency.

With adults the weight is much higher than with a child and the centre
of gravity is much higher so the forces on the stabiliser wheels are
much higher than they were designed for and they are too far inboard
for the stability you need. You may get away with it depending on the
weight and height of the adult but its not a good idea.

Tony


  #9  
Old November 16th 03, 09:48 AM
Dave Kahn
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 03:03:21 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
wrote:

I doubt stabilisers will be necessary and they'd be a lot of trouble to
find and fit and would add to the embarrassment.


Besdies, stabilisers become a crutch that is hard to throw away. When
they are close to the ground the learner tends to ride along on one
stabiliser and so is not learning proper balancing and cornering
tecnique. When they are high from the ground they kick in suddenly and
can be unsettling. Learning without stabilisers is generally much
quicker and more effective than with. The low saddle, pedals off
method is best. Method 2, which is to have someone trot behind holding
the saddle and letting go when they feel the learner is balancing is
not as effective, but is still orders of magnitude better than
stabilisers.

--
Dave...
  #10  
Old November 16th 03, 09:05 PM
Sue
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Default Learning to ride a bicycle

In message , John Hearns
writes
On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 12:28:49 +0000, Sue wrote:

Depends what area you are in, but Greenwich Cyclists
are organising free cycle training for beginners on 16th November.
This takes place beside the Woolwich Leisure Centre, on a big flat
area beside the Thames.

http://www.greenwichcyclists.org.uk/Events03/nov03.html


Unfortunately we live in Reading.

Thanks everyone - there's a cycleway in Palmer Park on a gentle slope,
with grass either side to slow him down if necessary.
I look forward to seeing him wobble inexorably towards the nearest
tree...
--
Sue ];(
 




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