Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by gemma and jacob. gemma and jacob Wonders, “how to ride a bike” Thanks for WONDERing with us, gemma and jacob!
Have you ever felt nervous about doing something that you haven't done in a long time? Will you remember how to do it? Will you look foolish? Along the way, someone is sure to tell you not to worry, because you're sure to remember and pick up right where you left off. They may even say, "It's just like riding a bike!"
If you're a kid, that might not give you much assurance, since riding a bike can seem like a monumental task if you've never taken off the training wheels. If you know how to ride a bike, though, you can understand the sentiment behind the statement. Once you learn how to ride a bike, it's not something your body easily forgets.
Luckily for kids, learning to ride a bike is something that's much easier to do when you're young. If you wait until you're an adult to learn how to ride a bike, it can be much more difficult to master the necessary skills.
Most kids can start learning how to ride a bike between the ages of three and six. Many children begin by riding a bike with training wheels. The training wheels stick out on each side of the rear wheel, preventing the bike from falling over while you're riding it.
Eventually, though, you need to take the training wheels off and learn how to ride on just two wheels. The first and most important step is to master one skill that your training wheels have been helping with all along: balance.
For some kids, mastering balance means that a friend or family member runs alongside you with a hand on the back of your bike until you gain enough forward momentum to balance yourself on two moving wheels. Bicycle experts, however, recommend a slightly different approach.
After putting on a bicycle helmet, which is the most important piece of safety gear you should always wear when riding a bike, you should lower your bicycle seat until you can sit with your feet flat on the ground. Then find a large, flat, smooth area that's away from cars and people.
Begin by scooting the bike forward, using your feet to propel you. Get comfortable with the feel of the bike, and learn to balance it. Since your feet can reach the ground easily, there's no fear of falling over. As you get comfortable balancing the bike, start to raise your feet and coast for longer and longer distances.
When you can balance and coast for long distances easily, incorporate turns and steering. Wide, gentle turns might only require shifting your weight from side to side. Narrow, sharper turns will require you to steer in addition to shifting your weight.
By the time you master turning and steering while coasting, you'll probably realize you're ready to pedal. As you coast along, slowly bring your feet up to the pedals and start pedaling forward, gaining speed and momentum. When you accomplish this, guess what? You're riding a bike!
Once you have the basics down pat, you'll never forget them. Your body's muscle memory will kick in and help you find the necessary balance to ride, even if you haven't ridden a bike in years! Just because you have the basics down, though, doesn't mean you're finished learning.
There are many other basic bicycle riding skills to master, including starting, stopping, and paying attention to traffic laws, so that you're always a safe bike rider. Have fun mastering this rite of passage and creating a memory that'll last forever!