BICYCLE INITIATIVE
PHASES IN BICYCLE TRAINING
Watch these two videos. The stages in Bicycle Training are explained in detail.
Bicycle Training Stage 1; Getting to Know the Bicycle
Bicycle Training Stage 2: Pedaling and Riding
What is a Bicycle? What is Balance? Stages of Overcoming Fears
Age, height and weight do not matter when learning to ride a bike. The important thing is to be patient with constant repetition and not to rush.
As age progresses, reflexes weaken and the fear of falling increases. For this reason, we ensure that there is no rush during training and that problems such as falling and accidents do not occur.
EXERCISES TO BE DONE:
1) GETTING acquainted with the bike
First, walk the bike by hand. Always hold the bike to your right and carry it with 2 hands. Make full turns to the right and left with the bike. During this time, be careful not to hit the pedals of the bike with your feet. Experience the brakes separately while walking the bike by hand.
2) CARRYING THE BICYCLE WITH ONE HAND
Now carry the bike with one hand (right hand). In the same way, carry the bike straight and then try to carry it in zig-zag motions. During this time, the bike may be heavy and you may have difficulty turning.
3) CARRYING THE BICYCLE FROM THE SADDLE
After carrying it with one hand for a sufficient time, now walk the bike by holding it with one hand (right hand) from the saddle. In the same way, carry the bike straight and then try to carry it in zig-zags. Make full turns to the right and left with the bike. During this time, do not stop constantly moving the bike, that is, pushing it forward. It may be a little difficult at first, but after a while it will become easier. Carrying it by pushing it from behind will greatly benefit you in terms of balance.
These three exercises will teach you that the bike will not always be kept upright, that it actually has to lean to the right and left, and will allow your body memory to feel these leans. These stages are very important and do not rush while doing these stages.
4) BICYCLE SITTING EXERCISE
The instructor stands at the front of the bike and holds the bike steady. The student squeezes the brakes and sits on the bike. At this stage, the student puts his feet in the guard position. In other words, the two pedals are at equal level and parallel to the ground. After sitting on the bike for a while, stand up while in the guard position. Standing up on a stationary bike helps the student get rid of his fears.
5) TAY TAY RIDING
Lower the saddle of the bike all the way down. Sit on the bike saddle completely, start walking with your two feet wide apart. After you have a comfortable walk, speed up and try to lift your feet off the ground as much as possible.
6) ONE-LEG RIDING
Remove the bike saddle. A bike without a seat will seem unsafe to the student, but don't worry, it is actually safer this way!
Lean the bike to the left and always try to keep it leaning to the left.
Place the right foot firmly on the right pedal.
Try walking briefly by pushing the body forward and supporting yourself with your left foot.
As your walking with one foot improves, accelerate a little more.
When you can accelerate with one foot, try to get on your right foot.
The one-foot stage is the most important stage before riding. Never try riding before all these processes are completed.
Sometimes, one day of exercise may not be enough for this stage.
Continue this work until you can safely walk on the bike with one foot.
There is no serious fall at these stages. There is no such thing as success or failure in these exercises. Just try to do it.
Your getting to know the bike, feeling it in your hands, and doing short walking exercises together will become easier with each passing hour.
The last exercise, "one leg", varies from person to person. If you are still having trouble at this stage, complete this stage by trying again and again.
BEFORE THE BICYCLE RIDING PHASE
When you have completed the exercises we have given above, we can move on to the bicycle riding phase. Trying to ride the bicycle without carrying it comfortably and without moving comfortably with the bicycle in stages without the risk of falling will demoralize you.
MAIN PROBLEMS IN NOT BEING ABLE TO RIDE A BICYCLE
BEING IN A HURRY, BEING FOCUSED ON SUCCESS
Those who cannot ride a bicycle have common stories; "I tried to ride a bicycle but I couldn't balance, I keep falling...." Because those who want to learn to ride a bicycle are immediately made to sit on the bicycle and asked to pedal and go. This is the biggest mistake!.
One of the biggest problems of our age is fast life, being on time, being in a hurry, impatience, wanting it to happen right away....
Do not expect to be able to do these exercises right away, give them time, remember that the exercises will improve over time.
Also, do not make the exercises focused on success, do not compare yourself with anyone, do them in a more playful and fun way without tiring yourself.
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BICYCLES
When you look at a bicycle from the outside; you think you sit on the seat, pedal and turn right and left with the steering wheel.
But the truth is not like that!
Have you ever thought about how you find your way while walking on the road, how you turn right or left?
Try to understand how you turn right and left while walking, how you find your way.
You will see that it is not possible to explain this with words.
Riding a bicycle is an action that we do very simply and ordinary with an automatic reflex that cannot be explained with words.
Although it may seem contradictory to you with the explanation, in fact, a bicycle is not ridden by sitting. The saddle that looks like a seat is for support purposes and the feet should be pressed fully on the pedals for a real balanced ride.
The handlebar that looks like a steering wheel is not for turning right and left, but for providing balance.
A bicycle naturally leans to the right and left, in other words, it does not go upright.
It is impossible for a moving bicycle to fall due to the laws of physics.
LACK OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND INCORRECT SITTING AND WALK WAYS
It was observed that most people who participated in bicycle training had problems with their daily habits, being in sedentary environments due to their jobs, lack of physical exercise, "trotting" habits with bent shoulders and feet close to the ground, and incorrect and bent sitting.
Riding a bicycle is just like walking on the road. Therefore, we need to correct our walking and upright posture before trying it on a bicycle.
UNNECESSARY FEARS AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE
Environmental influence is also a big factor.
If your family and friends around you start talking like "Oh, you'll fall" when you say "I want to ride a bike", that's the problem.
Again, one of the biggest problems of our day is spreading fears, a society of fear, seeing the negative side of everything, wrong suggestions made in the name of goodness....
Especially if you took these people with you to help you ride a bike and expected help from them, woe to you :)
Usually, trying to ride a bike with your family and close circle is fruitless and even causes arguments. Make sure that the person who will support you is patient and positive. Impatient people will cause you to fall even if you can ride a bike.
BICYCLE RIDING IS NOT BASED ON KNOWLEDGE, IT IS AN AUTOMATIC REFLEX
Watch how even people who can ride a bike have problems with a small change in the video below. In this video, experiments prove that bike balance is provided by the handlebars and that it can be improved with constant exercise.
We do ordinary movements in our lives without thinking. Walking, blinking, putting the spoon in our mouth while eating, etc. If we try to do these movements by thinking, it will be a problem for us.
Bike balance is also an automatic reflex and can only be gained with experience.
WRONG WAYS OF TEACHING
Riding a bike is different from teaching it.
For a person who can ride a bike, it is very simple and he will immediately sit you on the bike and ask you to pedal, he will hold you from behind and then let you go!!!....
The result will inevitably be falling, and after unsuccessful first attempts, you will be afraid to try again.
WHAT WE KNOW IS WRONG
"I CAN'T STAND ON THE BIKE"
One of the phrases we hear frequently is "I can't stand on the bike"....
You can't stop anyway and not only you, no one can stop; you will fall unless you move.
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE IS TRYING TO KEEP THE BIKE UPRIGHT!
The biggest mistake of those who try to ride a bike is trying to keep the bike upright.
You will see in all of the two-day exercises that; when you try to keep the bike upright, you can neither walk it in your hands nor get on it with one foot!
The bike has to lean to the right and left while moving.
We have to swing to the right and left even to walk on the road.
As long as you pedal, these swings to the right and left will decrease.
Keep yourself upright but let the bike swing under you.
PRESS THE PEDALS TIGHTLY
During the bike riding trial, make sure that the soles of your feet are completely on the pedals and that you press the pedals firmly.
As long as you press and turn the pedals firmly with both feet, you cannot fall off the bike.
If you do not press one foot fully on the pedal during the trial phase, the weight of the bike will lean towards the side where your other foot is and you will panic. First of all, stay calm and pedal the pedals tightly...
LET'S START THE BICYCLE RIDING PHASE!
CALM DOWN EVERYTHING IS OKAY
The bike riding phase is easier than the exercises you have done so far (Of course, if you and your assistant do not rush)
First of all, you need to make the first move on the bike while standing.
Do not try to sit on a stationary bike.
The most difficult part of cycling training is getting up and stopping.
When you can push yourself forward in the first movement on the bike, start pedaling continuously with support from the seat.
Your assistant should support you with light contact from the shoulder area and help you gain momentum.
After the bike gains momentum, pedal while looking ahead.
Don't worry, the first attempts may fail, but that's okay. Take frequent breaks and try again.
ARE YOU CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING AT THE GROUND?
The basic rule for cycling is "Constantly look ahead and pedal"
If your gaze is still on the bike and you are looking at your feet, it means that you have not switched to automatic reflex. Do you look at your feet while walking on the road?
You cannot control yourself by looking at your feet and the bike!
ARE YOU TRIGGING AT MOVING AND STATIONARY OBJECTS ON THE PLACE YOU ARE TRYING?
You no longer look at the ground to ride a bike, but this time there is another problem!
Children are playing in the place where you are trying out, motorcycles are passing by or there are poles around you.... You cannot ride in balance as long as you get caught up in the objects around you.
Find a flat and empty area for the test ride.
"I AM RIDDING BUT WHAT IF I CAN'T STOP!"
Yes, this is an important issue!
You have experienced the brakes during the first exercise "carrying the bike with two hands" in order to be able to stand safely on the bike.
There are two brakes on the right and left. The right brake is for the rear wheel, the left brake is for the front wheel.
ATTENTION! Always use the right brake.
Do not use the left brake (front wheel) until you move on to the advanced riding phase.
Always keep your fingers on the right brake while riding and do not squeeze the brakes suddenly.
When you stop the bike, take your left foot off the pedal and get off the seat. Get up from the seat and step on the ground as soon as the bike stops.
When you can stand safely, cycling will become easier.
Do not rush while doing the exercises given in Bicycle Training, repeat the exercises by spreading them over time.