Get on a Bike
You may be able to ride a bike but without being able to actually get on it, all that knowledge is useless. Here's how to mount a bike and start riding off.
Steps
- Mount the bike. To get on the bike, swing your non-dominant leg over the shaft of the bike. This means if you're right handed, swing your left leg over the bike. If you're left handed, swing your right foot over the bike. You should now be standing up with the bike between your two legs.
- Put your dominant foot on the pedal. You don't want to put so much pressure on the bike that it tips over, only enough to straighten it up without having to pinch the seat with your knees. Put about half the pressure that you use to stand up on the pedal, that's not much at all.
- Push off. Hold on to the handlebars for support and to keep the bike straight. Slowly, push off the ground with your non dominant foot. The motion should look the same as how you push off on a skateboard, rolling your foot forward. Another way to look at it is when you're running and you spring off the ground with the balls of your feet. You don't want to use that much force though, only enough to get the bike rolling. After the bike has started to move, put the pushing foot back onto the pedal.
- Pedal. Keeping your weight center and even, pedal with your feet. This shouldn't be too hard to work out, it's almost as if you're trying to run forward. Be sure not to lean from side to side otherwise your bike will tip over. Hold the handlebars to steer and keep the bike from tipping.
- Stopping. To stop the bike from moving, feather your brakes. This means to squeeze the brakes very lightly. If you continue to squeeze the brakes lightly, the bike won't slow down very much. To stop the bike, you have to continue to add pressure to the brakes. Be sure to start braking very lightly at first though, squeezing the brakes with full force will stop the bike very sharply. However, you will carry on moving and just fly over the handlebars. To get off the bike, just swing you leg over, reversing the motion in step 1.
Tips
- To determine if a bike is the proper size, make sure that when you are siting on the seat your legs are almost fully extended, but your knees are loose.
- Make sure the bike is properly equipped and is the right size.
- Find a long, open area with a smooth ground. This will help in the early stages of the ride, and the you will not have to watch out for objects in front of you.
- Never ever use a bike that's too low for you (like in the pictures) for extended periods of time, make sure the seat is slightly higher than your leg area and you can almost fully extend your legs but can't lock your knees while pedalling.
- Always wear a helmet.
Warnings
- If it's your first time riding, wear pads because falling hurts.
- Don't get angry. It can be hard!
- Do not go faster than what is comfortable to you.
Things You'll Need
- Bike
- Helmet
- Balance
