Adult cycling class or beginners how-to

[maryjane9]

Sad to admit, but I can't ride a bike if my life depended on it. I have decided to take this feat by the horn, and I was just wondering if there might be those that are in similar situation as mine. Anyone knows of a class like that her in the Helsinki area?

Or suggestions for cycling beginners (like suitable bicycles, accessories and gears) will be really appreciated!

Thank you very much and have a nice day!

PS I'm a girl

[onkko]

I dont know about helsinki area, there that could be common and help is available, i talk about north.
I would post in public area in your apartment building, i would say that someone is willing to help. Thats not something "why the @#$%, is she idiot" because you arent finnish but more like "aww, we have to help that poor foreigner who cant do what our kids can do".
Be warned that common way to teach is to push you and laugh if you fall, Thats how i learned and everyone i know learned. "bicycle, hill, push, look and laugh"
For self learning, its like normal learning withouth laughing, find a hill. In top of hill sit on bicycle and just let it go. You will soon learn how to steer and not fall, i call this muscle memory because it hurts your muscles if you @#$% up. Pedaling will be next you learn and youll learn it when bicycle slows down.
In the end its easy, i did manage to hurt myself with rose bushes but i did learn that you can break too. No scars and no permanent mental injury. I were about 5 then tho.

That speed from hill is vital, you just cant pedal and keep your speed when you are learning.

[Rip]

That speed from hill is vital, you just cant pedal and keep your speed when you are learning.

Really? I would have suggested the same I did with my kid (I was not going to try running behind to give some speed). I put the seat lower than usual, so one could reach the ground with feet easier than usual. Kick from the ground for little speed, try to pedal. Repeat. Less likely to fall down or hit rose bushes.

[onkko]

That speed from hill is vital, you just cant pedal and keep your speed when you are learning.

Really? I would have suggested the same I did with my kid (I was not going to try running behind to give some speed). I put the seat lower than usual, so one could reach the ground with feet easier than usual. Kick from the ground for little speed, try to pedal. Repeat. Less likely to fall down or hit rose bushes.

But you agree speed is vital? downhill is more speed. How you get speed is irrelevant really. I do understand differences but speed is vital, even in your case speed was commanding thing.
Yes i have teached my cousin and i just pushed her, i can run fast and thats same as downhill, speed was relevant.

[Rip]

You need to keep the bicycle moving (or balancing comes a considerably more difficult act), but I would not say you need a lot of speed or a hill.

[Ligence]

It shouldn't be hard to keep it upright even at fast walking speed.
Danger always increases with speed, no matter how experienced the rider is, so I would most certainly start like Rip suggested.

Do make sure you have an open frame bicycle, it's easier to mount and thus you're less likely to fall down when trying to get on it

[maryjane9]

Thank you all so much for your inputs! Going bicycle shopping by the end of the week. Wish me luck!

[Jukka Aho]

You need to keep the bicycle moving (or balancing comes a considerably more difficult act), but I would not say you need a lot of speed or a hill.

Yes. Brisk walking speed is all you need for the bicycle to basically self-balance, with very little effort on the driver’s part to maintain that balance.

If you just keep pedaling and maintain the speed above that certain threshold, you get this stability almost as if by magic.

Once you let the speed wind down below the said threshold, maintaining the balance becomes an increasingly harder affair, and keeping upright calls for ever more drastic corrective steering motions... which in turn tend to start making the ride (and your balance) wobbly and erratic. At that point you will likely feel the urge to step off before you will actually lose your balance.

But you get no such problem if, at the end of you ride, you just brake and kill the speed in a sufficiently quick and determined fashion, and then step off the bike just when it has come to a complete halt.

[jahasjahas]

Cycling school for immigrants in Helsinki: http://www.hepo.fi/2014/05/27/adultcycleschool/