Tuesday, March 8, 2016

How to Ride a Bike




Adlemi Rose P. Tupaz
BSE-English 2-1


How to Ride a Bike


              Have you ever wondered how to ride a bike? Are you embarrassed by not knowing how? Well, stop worrying because I will give you all the necessary information that you will need in order to get started.

              The first thing about riding a bike is safety. If it is your first time riding, consider lowering the seat so that you can put most of your feet on the ground while seated. You should check the tire pressure, brakes and such. When it comes to your clothing, avoid long skirts or baggy clothing (which could become caught in the gears or tires) and flimsy or open-toed shoes (which might prevent you from stopping yourself effectively should you opt not to use the brakes). You can try wearing bright colors such as pink, yellow and orange so that everyone will be able to see you. Wearing a helmet is also a must. If you think that you will be falling a lot in the beginning, get some gear. Elbow and knee pads are highly recommended. This brings us to the next step, practice balancing on the bike. Push yourself along a flat surface with your feet and get the feel of how the bike leans and steers. Do this until you have a good feel and some confidence about steering the bike. Try pushing yourself along fast and "gliding" with your feet up in the air, steering only with your hands. Notice the tendency of your body to lean slightly into the curve to keep balance when just using your hands to steer. When you are up to it, instead of using your hands, try to make turns with your body and let the bike follow you; you'll notice that the front wheel will also make the turn automatically. If you’re practicing with a helper, have them hold your bike behind you and try to steady it as you pedal. Take as much time with this step as you need to feel confident. When you already know how to balance yourself, pedal from a complete stop on a flat area. Make sure the pedal your foot is currently on is level with the other pedal, then begin pushing it down with that foot as you lift the other foot onto the pedal and begin biking. Do this until you’re comfortable starting and stopping on a flat surface. The fourth step would be, know how to use the brake. If your bike has brakes on the handlebars, test to see which brake controls the rear tire and which the front, as it varies between countries and can be modified to suit a person’s handedness. To do this, lift the front end of the bike, spin the tire manually, and test both the left and right brake lever separately. The rear brake is normally used by beginners for simplicity. The front brake is much better at stopping the bike, but has the potential to cause a crash if used improperly. If the rear brakes fail then the front brakes should be gradually used until the bike is stopped. It is much better to become comfortable using the front brake to stop, as this will allow you to stop in much less distance than the rear. Also, being familiar with the use of individual brakes is important, in case one does fail. Once you have mastered these steps, find a safe place to practice. If you are already losing hope, just always remember that one can’t ride a bike at the very first instance. One needs practice until one achieves perfection.

          Learning to ride a bike can indeed be exciting as well as painful. It demonstrate a new way to have fun and also illustrates how will-power and perseverance help overcome challenges through life.

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