Learning to Ride a Bicycle as an Adult

Growing up, I was embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know how to ride a bicycle. It was embarrassing not being able to do an activity that seemingly anyone and everyone could do. I didn’t think I would be learning to ride a bicycle as an adult.

I never learned how to ride a bicycle properly as a child. One of my first learning experiences was with my father and sister on a 10-speed bike. I don’t know how old I was, but I know I wasn’t tall enough for my feet to reach the ground. Probably not the best for someone just starting. What I remember from that experience was being afraid to fall and hurt myself.

I vaguely remember a different time riding a bike with training wheels, but those things don’t work. If anything, it becomes a crutch. The only time I remember actually riding as a child was during a visit with family friends in upstate NY. All the kids were riding around the neighborhood, and I borrowed a small enough bike that my feet reached the ground. Though a little nervous, I could balance on the bike enough to get around, albeit slowly. It wouldn’t be until I was an adult that I would get back on a bike.

Trying to Ride a Bike as an Adult

About six years ago when I lived in Atlanta, my friends wanted to ride on a section of the Atlanta BeltLine. If you’re unfamiliar with the BeltLine, it’s a network of public parks and multi-use trails along a 22-mile railroad corridor. It gets busy with pedestrians, bikers, rollerbladers, skateboarders, etc., sharing the path.

I rented a bike that felt a bit bulky and heavy. It had been years since I tried riding, and I was nervous. I can’t recall if I was forthcoming with my friends about my lack of riding skills, but it would soon become apparent. It was challenging keeping the bike straight, almost mowing into oncoming pedestrians more than once. Someone on the trail even berated me, saying this wasn’t the place to learn how to ride. Even though he was right, it made me feel worse. I felt so embarrassed. By the time we made our way to a less crowded park, I felt defeated and ready to quit. I walked the bike back when my friends were done riding.

Getting Back on a Bicycle

Now, after all these years, I’m getting back on a bicycle with the encouragement of my husband. Unable to find a place with bike riding lessons, my husband’s friend John offered to help me. I also reached out to a Facebook friend who shared her experience learning to ride a bicycle as an adult. She gave me tips that might help me learn, such as gliding before pedaling on a slight incline to help with balance.

Two weeks ago, I agreed to try riding at a park. It started out rough. John brought his bicycle, but I was convinced it wasn’t going to work as soon as I saw it. I was under the impression that I would be learning on a “smaller” bike and was nervous about getting on the one that he brought. His bicycle had a high crossbar that made it harder for me to mount. My feet barely touched the ground when I sat on the seat. Although I didn’t want to do the same thing that had not worked in the past, I still tried because I didn’t want to be difficult or quit even before trying.

We started in the grass next to the park’s parking lot, and John did his best to coach and hold me up as I first started pedaling. It was too bumpy, and I didn’t have confidence or control of the bike, so I didn’t get very far. I was too worried about crashing into a tree or parked car. I can only imagine how much effort John exerted to keep me from falling over. When I mentioned how my friend suggested gliding, John agreed it was a good idea, so he took out his scooter for me to practice on. I can’t explain the feeling of frustration of going from a bike to a scooter and still having trouble balancing. A scooter is easier, but I didn’t feel confident on that either.  

Falling and Getting Back Up

This particular learning experience would have ended abruptly had my husband and John not found the bicycle rentals at the park. I felt way better getting on one of their smaller step-through bikes. Without help, I could push off and pedal, even if only for a short distance.

Still, I was nervous, stressed, and tense. I lost control of the bike at one point and didn’t slow down. I panicked and forgot I had to pedal backward to brake. Falling onto the grass may have softened the blow, but I scraped my knee and bruised my calf and upper arm when I fell. John said getting back on the bike and riding was the best thing to do. Putting aside my ego and frustration, I got back on the bike. I kept going, sore knee and all.

Everyone’s learning experience is different. Many of us have some fear when trying something new. It’s easy to judge someone when you already know how to do the very thing they’re trying to learn. If you haven’t faced a similar learning challenge, putting yourself in their shoes might be challenging. Fortunately, John and many people on the trail were supportive and encouraging, unlike in my BeltLine experience. 

Throughout much of my time at the park, I had a mental and emotional wall up. Following that rough start, I got stuck in a negative mindset even after I could ride. And although John was very encouraging, I felt like I wanted to be by myself.

Removing Obstacles to Learning

If I were to advise someone having a hard time learning how to ride a bike, I would try to find out what their obstacles are. What might be blocking them from learning? 

While some of my learning challenges have been mental due to past experiences, eliminating physical blocks and using the right tools can help remove the mental blocks and improve the learning experience. Learning to ride on an appropriately sized bike was very important. Part of my mental block disappeared when I got on a step-through bike in which my feet reached the ground. I felt more comfortable on a better-fitting bike and could ride without anyone holding or pushing me.

I was also nervous and had a fear of falling and looking stupid. Learning in a location like a parking lot (with few cars) or a park feels safe. Wearing protective gear (which I didn’t have) helps prevent injury and lessens the fear of hurting oneself. It also helps to have a patient and encouraging teacher, as does having a sense of humor and not taking yourself so seriously. Luckily, I was able to ignore the people in the park and not care how I looked. 

Even though I didn’t leave that experience super excited, I’m glad that I tried and kept going when it was easy to quit. Though stressful and riddled with anxiety, I experienced happy moments when I was riding. When I was gliding or staying on a straight path, wondering how I wasn’t falling over, avoiding oncoming cyclists and pedestrians, and riding further than I can remember ever riding were personal wins. I’m sure it will get even better each time I get on a bike. I’ll build confidence, have more fun, and celebrate my wins rather than being too much in my head to enjoy it.