Skills and Techniques

The skills needed to riding a bike are unique. They require balance and practice, but once you learn, you are likely to never forget. Review each of these skills and practice them the next time you ride.

STARTING

When you get onto your bicycle, first stand over the frame in front of the saddle by grabbing the handlebars. Back pedal until one pedal is forward and high. Place your foot on the high pedal and kick off with the other foot. Once you start moving, place the other foot on its pedal.

BRAKING

Use the front and rear brakes to stop. Apply pressure first to the rear brake and then to the front brake. Gradually brake harder until you come to a stop. If you start to skid, let up on the brake levers until the wheels turn again. Do not use the rear brake in traffic because it can’t provide enough deceleration to stop in the event that you run into trouble. Also, never brake hard with only the front brakes, as you may be thrown forward over the handlebars. Be careful when riding in the rain. It takes a longer distance to stop. To prevent a rear wheel lock-up on steep hills or wet roads, continue to pedal lightly when braking.

man stopped on a bike looking behind him

STOPPING

When you’re coming to a stop, stand on one pedal, and slide forward off the saddle. Lean the bicycle a little to the side and place your free foot on the ground. When stopped, raise one foot and its pedal into the starting position so you are ready for a quick start.

STEERING

Steering is done more by leaning than by turning the handlebars. When the cyclist is in the saddle, a light tip to the right or left will turn the front wheel in the same direction.

CONTROL AND BALANCE

Cycling on the road requires straight-line riding: the ability to maneuver quickly around obstacles, the ability to stop quickly without skidding or being tossed over the handlebars, and the ability to glance back at traffic without losing your balance. You can practice in an empty parking lot by using chalk and setting up cones, or whatever you have, to mark lanes.

GEARING AND CADENCE

The purpose of gearing is to be able to maintain a steady pedaling cadence, regardless of terrain, weight carried, wind, or weather conditions. The mark of a good bicyclist is the smooth, steady way in which he or she pedals the bike. The bicyclist is most efficient when pedaling at a constant rate in revolutions per minute (one revolution is two strokes, one from the left leg and one from the right).

There are several gearing errors commonly made by beginners. Many people gear too high and pedal too slowly. They don’t feel like they are doing any work unless they are pushing against resistance. This is inefficient and can produce sore knees. It is better to pedal quickly against less resistance in lower gears. While beginners may pedal at a cadence of 60–70 rpm, experienced bikers often maintain cadences of 90–100 rpm.

Second, in climbing a hill, beginners often wait to shift until they are halfway up the hill and pedaling cadence has slowed. To maintain your cadence, downshift before you need to.

Finally, beginners seldom downshift when approaching stop signs or stop lights. They end up having to stand up on the pedals to get going again. While it takes practice to coordinate the downshift, signal, and braking, it is more efficient to pull away from an intersection in a low gear, up-shifting as speed increases.