aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,522
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
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I've taught several adults to ride. I also remove the pedals and drop the saddle very low.
Some people, especially adults, are scared of falling. I have a method to reduce that fear. Take them to a grassy place with soft ground. Practice a "stage fall" where you fall to your side: ankle, knee, hip, elbow, shoulder. Do it in slow motion. Not only does this allay fear, it's also good practice. Since devising this method, I do it once a year myself. And since I ride a lot, I have occasional falls. When I get up, I notice that my fall went according to my rehearsal, and it really minimizes pain and injury. I once went over fast, and the nearby people ran up to me because they thought I was very hurt. But because of my rehearsal, I wasn't hurt!