Learning to ride a MBB - are the difficulties in the mind?

[richa]

Before I got my quest, I'd read a lot about Cruzbikes, including that many find them hard to ride and it takes a while to get used to them. And sure enough, it took me about an hour or so before I could ride relatively straight and turn around in the width of the road.

But my wife had no preconceived ideas when she went to ride. I just told her about the open palms method and in 5 minutes she was as proficient as I was after an hour. And she's no bike savant. Trust me.

Which made me wonder if it's really that difficult or if it was only difficult because I thought it was going to be.

so... I propose that anyone who teaches someone else to ride provide only instructions (open palms, flint stoning maybe), but no data about any perceived level of difficulty. Maybe even just say it's easy. And report back. I'm very curious about how someone's preconceived notions about how difficult the task might be affects their actual progress. I suspect it might be considerably.

 

[John Tolhurst]

I fully endorse your view. We

I fully endorse your view. We are going to have to talk less about learning and more about getting started and first ride.

 

[Kim Tolhurst]

Absolutely

Roll, peddle, relax, (open palms) There you have it.

K.

 

[Eric Winn]

I'm with Kim. Don't over

I'm with Kim. Don't over think it.

-Eric

 

[Robert Holler]

This has been my experience

This has been my experience for just about every recumbent - Cruzbike or not - for people who are new.

If they perceive a lot of learning and learned skill needed, and they have it in mind that "oh my this is going to be hard" it almost ALWAYS is hard. Those folks also tend to give up the fastest. Sometimes after a single attempt.

If the image of success is painted for them with a simple demo, videos of people riding, and a minimal amount of process, and they can see themselves succeeding, they usually do. Even if it doesn't happen immediately they will stay with it longer or until they actually achieve that success they have seen in their mind already.

Robert

 

[Andrew 1973]

Explain, don't demonstrate,

Explain, don't demonstrate, how to ride a bike to someone who has never ridden a bike.

Then, explain to an experienced cyclist how to ride a Cruzbike.

I would bet that the explanation to the first person would be much more basic than the one you would give to the second.

It comes down to preconceived ideas about how we operate a bicycle. There are subtle, and not-so-subtle differences between every type of bicycle, but in the end the rider has to be able to relax, balance, steer and pedal in order to have success. It makes perfect sense why a "non-cyclist" could overcome the perceived adversity in riding a Cruzbike more easily than a seasoned cyclist; preconceived notions aren't factor until the person creates them in his or her own mind.

In short, don't overthink it.

 

[John Tolhurst]

Good post, ratz. 

Good post, ratz.

 

[ratz]

Survey says

So over the holiday weekend. I took 1 of 5 (Samantha) out to the park; put her on the Quest and said; do this; do this and then do this. Stressing that it was easy. She had previously tried a Quest last summer for 15 minutes; and hated it. This time (with the positive approach) in only 1 hour she was bombing down the hills in our neighborhood at 25mph+. The next day she road with me for 10 miles to the lake and back. No issues adapting at all; she has been riding DF's for 50 miles+ for two summers.

Day two I took 2 of 5 (Sabrina) out to the park. Repeated the process. She did just fine; but she is the perfectionist daughter. She declared it a failure because she wasn't perfect on the first try. Interesting what she was expecting. The real facts are that she road it better and easier than anyone in the traiing videos, and far better than Mrs Ratz first 3 Silvio ride. 2's bike experience is limited to puttering around the neighborhood on the big heavy cross bike. We will throw her back on the quest it in a month and I am guessing she will pick it right up and then she'll like it.

The second case show that personality is as important as the approach. So there is some feedback that supports the: Don't tell them it is hard. Just tell them they have to learn a couple of tricks and give their brain 5 minutes to absorb the ideas.

Next up is 3 of 5, he's only 10 but I think we can squeeze the frame down to his size. Later this summer two Adults in their late Sixties that bikes they actually can comfortably ride.

On a side note; a local guy came over to watch 2 learn to ride; he commutes on a Rans V-rex. This guy looked to be about 250lbs and 6'2" we got him on the Quest 451 (tight fit but we did it) He was riding clean in about 4 minutes. Again I just told him it was dirt simple and off he went.