Learn to ride a bike without embarrassing myself?

Question

hiya,i'm a teenager who didn't learn to ride a bike wen i was small because i didn't have one.

How could i privately learn because i'm so determined to learn but don't want my m8's to know i can't ride a bicycle because,they would laugh at me.

and secondly,i want it to be my new hobbie

i know how to balance but don't know how to control the bike

any tips

THANKZ 4 ANSERWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

1. Ride your bike early in the morning or in a secluded spot.

2. Don't practice on the road first. Try a driveway or blacktop

3. Practice standing with the bike (feet on ground, not on pedals)

4. Try putting one foot on a pedal and pushing off (hopefully you are on a straightaway or just a really large area). Keep your hands on the handlebars and continue to pedal with both feet.

5. It is best to go straight first, and once you are comfortable with that, you can try turning.

* Always wear a helmet (esp because you are just starting) and be prepared for a lot of bumps and bruises!*

6. Keep it up, and do it as often as possible

ps. just a side note, your friends may not laugh at you. Ask a really close friend, and they might just help you.

Answer 2

Find a single speed cruiser with good wide tires and start with that. Make sure you have a good large area to practice going straight. NOT a basement. the faster youre going, the easier the balance it. the wheel create a gyro that will help you maintain your uprightedness. I suggest going to the parking lot of a large office complex on a sunday afternoon when it is dead.

a) lower teh seat so you are comfortably sitting with your feet PLANTED on teh ground.

b) push off and kick with your feet on the ground to propel you slowly and practice coasting with your feet out.

C) once your comfortable with this, do that and after you have control of the balance, put your feet on the pedals and start pedaling to maintain that propulsion.

d)get good and solid and riding straight and braking, then slowly begin to turn by slightly leaning.

e) PRACTICE PRACTICE HAVE FUN PRACTICE HAVE FUN

Don't ever be embarassed about falling. No one in teh history of the world hasridden a bike and never fallen. Even pro's still fall, and its often their own fault. it happens.

Answer 3

Welcome to the cycling world. Smart move.

Worry not about your friends laughing. Who cares? And if that is the only thing they have to laugh about then you are alright and they have a problem.

Visit a good bike shop and ask is they know of someone to teach you to ride a bike (it is in their own interest for you to do so), or if they know where you can learn. They will give you some good guidance.

You will learn in no time. A bike in motion is easier to control and balance than a standing one, so you will have no problem learning.

Here are some good web pages for you to check out too:

http://www.ctc.org.uk

www.timeoutdoors.com

Enjoy

Answer 4

i know you said you know how to balance but i would ride along beside the garage wall if you have enough room then you could use that as a stabiliser if you lose control gentle practising your breaks and stuff , just be careful you dont bash yourself off the wall :-)

Answer 5

I read a magazine article about this very subject just a few months ago.

The writer suggested that firstly you should remove the pedals from the bike and then lower the saddle so that you could easily reach the ground with your feet whilst you a sitting in the saddle. The bike is now like an old 'hobby horse'.

You can now, with confidence, move the bike along (either scooting with your feet whilst sat astride the bike or roll down a local hill) and get used to steering and the use of the brakes.

Once you are totally confident with this you can return the bike to the way it should be and follow the wealth of advice that has already been offered.

I wish you the best of luck and congratulate you on taking this important and life changing decision.

Answer 6

I don't know any trick but i am proud of you!

Answer 7

Trouble is, bikes have got so much more sophisticated.  When I was little I had a bike, 3 gears, a bone rattler.  I was lucky because I did find somewhere quiet to practise and practise, but also I lived miles away from school so I needed to learn how to ride a bike.  I don't know where you live but there are adverts in local and national papers where people guarantee that they can teach you something (like riding a bike) in less than a day (or your money back).

You know how to balance - that's a big start - so it shouldn't take you very long at all to master the control of the bike.  Also, cycling is a great hobby.  I don't own a bike these days but I occasionally hire one for a weekend and go biking all over the place, the quieter the better ...

Good luck.

Answer 8

find an empty lot or a basement or something and just practice there, or take it to a park or something out of yoru town if you're worried about people seeing you, then you can practice out in public without having to know anyone

Answer 9

otto's is the best answer, sarah's is second best.. I second lowering the seat until you're comfortable with handling the bike. then reposition the seat to its correct height (foot flat, leg slightly bent at the bottom of your pedal stroke). if you haven't got you're own bike yet, even better! try out some of your friends' rides to see what you like/dislike about their bikes and tell your LBS your observations when they're fitting you for your bike! it will assist them in helping you find the right ride!