Will I fall off if I learn to ride a bike?

by Phil

One of our customers asked me this recently. “Everyone falls off”, she had been told.

There is a risk of falling off a bike. The point, however, is not to focus on the risk of falling, but to find ways to reduce the risk.

When learning to ride, you are most at risk of falling when:

  • getting on and off the bike
  • braking
  • cycling in new places
  • colliding with other people, e.g. people out walking in the park, or animals.

The way we teach you helps to reduce these risks.

  • There is a right and a wrong way to get on and off a bike. It’s easy to get it wrong. We teach a simple method for getting on and off the bike that will make you feel more safe and secure.
  • We will teach you the correct body position to make sure you are in control of the bike, making you feel more safe and secure.
  • Using brakes to make a bike stop seems like an easy task. This is also something that it’s easy to get wrong, and our observations as cycling instructors tell us that most people riding bikes are not using the correct braking technique. This makes braking feel wobbly and unsafe. We pay a lot of attention to correct braking techniques when teaching learn to ride. This will help you to feel more in control, and more safe and secure, when braking.
  • When you arrive for your first lesson, we will find somewhere as peaceful as possible to start off with. We know all the good spots. We will only venture further afield when we are happy that you are ready to do so. This reduces the risk of you losing control of the bike because you are in an unfamiliar place. We will also teach you techniques to anticipate hazards such as people walking, potholes etc, and to negotiate them safely.

If you’re ready to take the first step towards being a more confident and safe cyclist, then please visit our booking page.  We can teach all levels and abilities.

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