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Learning how to ride a bicycle
Hello,
I have a friend (~ 25 years old) that never had a chance to learn how to ride a bike. After a couple of years in Paris, she is now considering the idea of eventually learning it, starting with an electric bicycle. That idea, of starting with an electric bicycle, surprised me, and I am not convinced it would be the best way to start. Now, that being said, I am not too sure of myself either, so maybe she is right and it would be easier or more efficient. Would you have any advice on this matter, or some experience to share about the same? Since there is a bicycle school near her place, I am also suggesting her to go there anyway. -- Tanguy |
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#2
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Learning how to ride a bicycle
For your reference, records indicate that
Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, I have a friend (~ 25 years old) that never had a chance to learn how to ride a bike. After a couple of years in Paris, she is now considering the idea of eventually learning it, starting with an electric bicycle. That idea, of starting with an electric bicycle, surprised me, and I am not convinced it would be the best way to start. Now, that being said, I am not too sure of myself either, so maybe she is right and it would be easier or more efficient. Would you have any advice on this matter, or some experience to share about the same? Since there is a bicycle school near her place, I am also suggesting her to go there anyway. I’m not sure what a “bicycle school” is or why it would be needed. I’ve taken motorcycle safety courses, though, and one of the stats that gets mentioned is that you’re more likely to get into an accident on a new/unfamiliar vehicle. So my advice to your friend would be to pick the kind of bike she wants to ride first, and then use it to learn. For an adult especially, it’s not exactly a complicated process, either. Most of the difficulty in learning to ride for kids is that they are small, weak, and uncoordinated. The old-school approach was to remove the pedals and lower the seat so your feet could reach the ground. Then you can just use it as a balance bike to coast around and get a feel for steering, braking, etc. Once you’re comfortable with all of that, you put the pedals back on and worry about powering the vehicle. If she chooses an electric bike, that *might* change how she approaches things. Some are pedal-assist, and some are more like mopeds/motorcycles with throttles. Whether or not that makes it easier or harder probably depends on how well she can coordinate the power with the steering of the bike. I would think it’s still probably going to be safer to get comfortable with it unpowered first. -- "Also . . . I can kill you with my brain." River Tam, Trash, Firefly |
#3
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Learning how to ride a bicycle
Doc O'Leary wrote:
For your reference, records indicate that Tanguy Ortolo wrote: Hello, I have a friend (~ 25 years old) that never had a chance to learn how to ride a bike. After a couple of years in Paris, she is now considering the idea of eventually learning it, starting with an electric bicycle. That idea, of starting with an electric bicycle, surprised me, and I am not convinced it would be the best way to start. Now, that being said, I am not too sure of myself either, so maybe she is right and it would be easier or more efficient. Would you have any advice on this matter, or some experience to share about the same? Since there is a bicycle school near her place, I am also suggesting her to go there anyway. I’m not sure what a “bicycle school” is or why it would be needed. I’ve taken motorcycle safety courses, though, and one of the stats that gets mentioned is that you’re more likely to get into an accident on a new/unfamiliar vehicle. So my advice to your friend would be to pick the kind of bike she wants to ride first, and then use it to learn. For an adult especially, it’s not exactly a complicated process, either. Most of the difficulty in learning to ride for kids is that they are small, weak, and uncoordinated. The old-school approach was to remove the pedals and lower the seat so your feet could reach the ground. Then you can just use it as a balance bike to coast around and get a feel for steering, braking, etc. Once you’re comfortable with all of that, you put the pedals back on and worry about powering the vehicle. If she chooses an electric bike, that *might* change how she approaches things. Some are pedal-assist, and some are more like mopeds/motorcycles with throttles. Whether or not that makes it easier or harder probably depends on how well she can coordinate the power with the steering of the bike. I would think it’s still probably going to be safer to get comfortable with it unpowered first. I would think human powered would be the way to initially get into bicycling. A powered electric bike (whether electric or small gas engine) may have a mind of its own! I remember my sister careening across the lawn because she wasn't sure how to work the throttle and a best friend running through our hedge one a Honda 250 Elsinore because he got the throttle operation mixed up! But I think the real challenge will be riding the bike (powered or by legs) in Paris (or any urban area). There's a real art of riding while sharing a road with motor vehicles, some techniques of which may be initially thought of as suicidal! SMH |
#4
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Learning how to ride a bicycle
On Mon, 13 Aug 2018 16:57:25 -0400, smharding
wrote: But I think the real challenge will be riding the bike (powered or by legs) in Paris (or any urban area). There's a real art of riding while sharing a road with motor vehicles, some techniques of which may be initially thought of as suicidal! Or at least counter-intuitive: I remember thinking that I couldn't ride my bike unless I had a sidewalk to ride on -- and I was nearly thirty! Once she learns how to balance and pedal at the same time, she needs a structured course from an expert instructor. Unfortunately, those are very rare. The last time I did a search, I couldn't find even one instructor in my entire state. -- Joy Beeson joy beeson at comcast dot net http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/ --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com |
#5
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Learning how to ride a bicycle
Joy Beeson, 2018-08-14 00:23+0200:
Once she learns how to balance and pedal at the same time, she needs a structured course from an expert instructor. Unfortunately, those are very rare. The last time I did a search, I couldn't find even one instructor in my entire state. Well in that case, there is one! I mentionned there was a bicycle school near her place: it is an urban cycling association that provide courses to learn first how to ride, then how to ride in the city. -- Tanguy |
#6
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Learning how to ride a bicycle
On Tue, 14 Aug 2018 07:46:24 -0000 (UTC), Tanguy Ortolo
wrote: Joy Beeson, 2018-08-14 00:23+0200: Once she learns how to balance and pedal at the same time, she needs a structured course from an expert instructor. Unfortunately, those are very rare. The last time I did a search, I couldn't find even one instructor in my entire state. Well in that case, there is one! I mentionned there was a bicycle school near her place: it is an urban cycling association that provide courses to learn first how to ride, then how to ride in the city. Cool! -- Joy Beeson joy beeson at comcast dot net http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/ --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com |
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