Originally Posted by
chaadster
This is an interesting case, because I think most of us learn to ride and develop our confidence on a bike when we are kids. Sure, we may not develop good techniques at that time, but we learn to balance and have that youthful fearlessness that lets us get into, and respond, to challenging situations. Through this process, most kids learn how to ride a bike pretty well.
As an adult learning to ride, she's probably a lot more fearful and less committed to the activity (in terms of concentration), and so she's probably also a lot more careful. Is that how you'd characterize her mental state?
If so, I'd say that it's probably going to take a lot more time and work for her to develop the confidence and competency to ride with surety...which is exactly what one needs to pilot a bicycle safely. Practicing the "power start" is essential, I think, not for the sake of the "power start," but for developing core confidence in bicycling.
By the way, when you say "trail riding," I presume you mean paved bike/multi-use paths (MUPs) and not singletrack, right?
Keep her practicing the power start. It's an important element of safe riding. I think.
She certainly was starting out. She's a lot less fearful now, and we only started two weekends ago. She's had two or three actual falls, but gotten back up and tried again. I did realize we should have gotten her a beater, as it seems right now her biggest fear is damaging or scratching her bike. Fortunately she's mostly to the point of being able to stop herself from falling. I'd been looking at adult training in the past, and some of the advice on forums and a LBS was to push her down a big hill and keep doing it until she didn't fall. I didn't think that would really work with her, plus as you say, an adult learning is different from a kid. They're used to falling a lot, got more rubber bones, and don't fall as far. Plus they don't feel they lose some dignity if they end up on the ground.
Yes, the trails I'm meaning are shared use pedestrian/bike paths. We're lucky enough to be fairly accessible to several, including one that goes at least 70 miles, adding more if Cincinnati's bike plan is actually followed through on in the next 20 years.