LEARN Support Resources – Learning to Ride

Outcomes

• Progression from a complete beginner to a cyclist with basic skills.

• Participants feel more confident and relaxed with their balance on a bike.

Exploration

Example activity:

• Remove pedals from participant’s bike.

Information

Note: This advice is for beginners, if participants are returning to cycling after an extended break then please watch this Cycling UK video

• Ask participant to sit on saddle and push off with both feet at the same time. Let them glide for 10–20m with their feet raised and then ask them to push off with both feet again. Repeat until they are comfortable with this exercise. Don’t let them push with one foot at a time because this won’t help them get used to the feeling of having both feet off the ground, as you do when cycling.

• Once the participant feels comfortable with this, you can reattach the pedals and begin teaching them how to push off on their right foot. Participants will likely struggle to find the pedal with their left foot at first – and will wobble and then stop – but they will eventually manage exploration it. Continue until participant is comfortable reaching the pedals with both feet. Remind them that they are more stable when pedalling.

• Once they are comfortable with this, place 2 or 3 cones in a straight line about 40m long. Ask the participant to ride between them until they feel comfortable and able to do this in a straight line. They can get off and push to turn their bike at first if they feel more comfortable.

• Slowly encourage them to turn between each stretch, reminding them it is alright to put their feet down if they need to. Once they’ve mastered cycling in a straight line and turning, they will feel much more confident. This activity could take up to 2 hours depending on progression and energy level of the participant. It is important participants progress at their own pace. The tutor should demonstrate each of these manoeuvres before the participant goes ahead.

• Stopping under control

• Environment: traffic free, flat, gentle slope, smooth

• Bike, clothing, helmet check

• Getting on and off the bike – using brakes, getting on from the left

• Setting off

• Stopping under control – using brakes, then feet

• Gliding/coasting

• Cornering

• Putting it together with a skills course

Next steps:

• Adding pedals

• Pedaling

• Using gears to match speed

Materials needed

Bikes for participant and tutor, tools for removing pedals, cones and chalk for marking activity areas, camera to record participant (the latter is optional – it is useful for showing the participant areas to improve but you must remember to ask permission to record them first and discard the recordings after the session).

wikiHow – how to take the pedals off a bike

Location:

A paved/tarmac and flat area is essential (e.g. school playground or car park). Alternatively a flat dry grassy area could work equally as well.

Costings

• Marker cones from £12 for a dozen

• Pavement chalk from £6 for 24

• Pedal wrench/adjustable spanner/8mm allen key from £6

The session

Up to 2 hours (depending on age and ability of rider – shorter sessions are best for less confident riders and riders with additional needs).

Helpful links

Outdoors

Participant numbers –maximum 4 per session. Ideally, aim for each session to be 1:1, especially with less confident riders.

Cycling UK – advice for beginners

Cycling Scotland – choosing road positioning

Cycling UK – teaching an adult to ride a bike