Is it hard to ride a bicycle?

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Hello,
I you want to learn to ride a bicycle can you tell me is it hard to do? I didn't learn and I spend most of my time in my bedroom with my guinea pig and hamster. How long will it take to learn to ride? Is it noisy?

How old are you?

Riding a bike will probably take at least a week. Don't bother with training wheels, and wear knee and elbow pads at first until you get used to riding. Eventually it will become second nature.

I can't remember how long it took me to learn. I think I was about seven when my dad taught me. I actually learnt how to ride a bike by riding on the grass. It provides a little more friction so you won't go as fast and little padding if you fall. Riding a bike isn't that difficult and it's said that once you learn you never forget how to do it.

I took me the whole summer of 1986 to learn to ride my bike. Eventually I got it, but it took me a while.

For some reason the biggest problem I had was making right turns.

However, the whole thing has to do with developing a sense of balance, and using the gyroscopic effect of the wheels to keep up right while moving.

And yes, once you learn to ride, you don't forget how.

Start with training wheels. Shouldn't be too hard. Then once you've been on training wheels for awhile, take them off and you won't notice the difference.

Thats how I learned.

I reccomend you google* the subject (is there anything Google* can't do)

The main thing to learn, is that you need to turn into a fall. You must learn that if you feel you are falling to the left, you need to turn left, and the same with the right, of course.

*I believe my capitalization is correct. I capitalized the word Google when I used it as a proper noun, but not when I used it as a verb. Are there any hyperlexics out there who will correct me if I'm wrong?

erm... for me, yes. never managed to get the hang of it, which is anathema to my "eco warrior" mind, as i have to drive if somewhere isn't walking distance.

i CAN ride a bike, but find starting and stopping more than a bit of a challenge. put it this way - my method of stopping is by a) crashing into something, or b) falling off. not ideal, i'm sure you'll agree.

Hello,
I am 19 years old. I like the advice you all gave me and I you will try to learn! Thank you all!

It's not hard.

The thing is, you need to ajust the seat so you can ride it comfortably. You have to hop on and start biking straight away, If you don't pick up enough speed it will wobble.

Take a firm hold on the handles. It's not noisy.

I have such a horrific sense of balance that I was never able to learn how to ride a bike

I taught myself to ride my bike on the very day my father brought it. I did not use training wheels.

I think I was 5/6 years old. . .I was pretty determined to find out how to do stuff for myself.

I still ride my bike as much as possible. . . .

I find that the skinny road tires make me nervous b/c they look so darned fragile!

THAT was the toughest thing for D to learn. We actually purchased this tape http://www.pedalmagic.com because nothing else worked.

The trick is, as Scoot said, to learn to turn the handle bar into the fall. Think about it guys, if you are falling to the left, the natural instinct is to turn the handle right but that just dumps you on the ground. You need to turn the handle left.

Good luck Puzzler, let us know how it goes.

BeeBee

Good luck and you'll get it!

I learned to ride a bike when I was 10. I used training wheels. It took me about a month, and then suddenly one day I decided to dismantle the wheels and it then took me about a half hour to get it down pat. And by the time my mother got home, I was riding around the block and back. She seemed happy (no doubt I was happier though, hehe).

Puzzler, what kind of bike do you have? Hope it's not one of the ten-speed cycling bikes. Those are hard as hell to handle, especially while learning. I should think the bikes that are used in similar arenas as skateboards and rollerblades are the easiest. Hope you have one of those.

I only have vague memories of learning, but I don't think it took me very long. It probably helps to be 5 or so and only have a 50cm fall to the ground though.

Now I regularly cycle 30km in a day to commute to places. Btw, try to get tyres that have kevlar armour in them. It'll save you a lot of punctures, they'll last far longer and they're only twice the price (which I consider good value based on my experiences).

Thank you everybody I you like all your help I feel more comfortable to learn now I know what could happen thank you.