About This Article
To learn to ride a bicycle, first find a flat, open area that’s far from traffic. Put on a helmet in case you fall, and consider wearing knee and elbow pads when you’re first learning. Place your bike on a flat surface, and adjust the seat so both of your feet can touch the ground while you’re seated. Before you try riding your bike, walk next to it and practice pressing on the brakes until you get a feel for how they work. Then, sit on your bike, place one foot on one of the pedals, and place your other foot on the ground. When you’re ready, push off with your foot that’s on the ground, and see how long you can glide on your bike without pedaling. Keep your eyes forward and look toward where you want to go, which will help you balance. If you feel yourself starting to tip, place your foot back on the ground to catch yourself. Keep doing this until you’re comfortable balancing on your bike. Then, do the same thing again, but this time start pedaling with your feet. Continue pedaling and steering in the direction you want to go. The faster you pedal, the easier it will be to balance. If you need to come to a stop, stop pedaling and press down on the brakes. Consider asking a friend to spot you as you practice pedaling farther distances! Keep reading to learn how to ride your bike on a slope!
- Send fan mail to authors
Owner, Huckleberry Bicycles
This article was co-authored by Jonas Jackel. Jonas Jackel is the Owner of Huckleberry Bicycles, a bicycle retail store based in San Francisco, California. Jonas has over 20 years of experience managing bicycle retail stores and has operated Huckleberry Bicycles since 2011. Huckleberry Bicycles specializes in servicing, repairing, and custom building road, cross, gravel, touring, folding, and e-bikes. Jonas was also previously sat on the Board of Directors for Bike East Bay, a bicycle-advocacy non-profit organization based in Oakland, California.
Co-authors: 222
Updated: March 26, 2020
Views: 1,592,717