Hi.

Welcome to City Bike Coach!

I’m so glad you could stop by today.

Today’s topic is about the one thing you need to ask out loud before registering a loved one for a Learn-to-Ride session.

The one thing that comes up so frequently is….drum roll, please….: Rider Readiness!

Just how ready to learn is your loved one?

Often, folks will call – either for their children or a significant other – to schedule a Learn-to-Ride session.

For parents of children, ages 4 years to 7 years, the main theme is, “It’s time that Johnny and Susie learn to ride! What’s the earliest appointment available?”

For significant others, I hear a lot of this: “I want him/her to ride with me on the weekends. It’ll be so much fun to be able to spend more time together doing what I love!”

Sometimes, the same people will have already booked a session online and then call for the details.

But here’s the thing: Are you the one who wants the student to ride? Or, has the student stated a strong desire to learn? In most cases, when the targeted student does not want to learn a session can be a disaster. Truly.

You may ask, “But how can learning to ride a bike be that hard? Get outta here! That’s just what you do when you’re a kid. I did it, I fell, I got over it, and look how I turned out!”

Well, let me tell you.

First, if a student – no matter the age – has a real fear of riding, that fear must be addressed first. Maybe you were forced to do it, too, but was that fun?

Second, perhaps the student has no interest in learning. In our worlds, this can be unfathomable, but think of all the things your family and friends love to do yet you have no desire to even try. Um, baking with cricket flour, anyone?

Third, maybe the student is not ready developmentally. For children, there is no set time for physical fluency. For example, a four-year-old who is flying on her balance bike may find that her legs shut down once pedals are introduced.

Now, if a student has fear and/or physical fluency factors but really wants to learn how to ride a bicycle, then there’s your green light! We’ll take it one session at time until the student is rolling on two wheels.

This is why at City Bike Coach, we must know and feel that the following is true: The student must state a desire to learn – or at least be curious enough to try. It’ll be the first thing I’ll ask anyone calling for a session. So please ask your loved one first; it will save you unnecessary stress, time, and money. Trust me :).

City Bike Coach, L.L.C. is Manhattan’s fun bicycle riding school and coaching service for all ages, individuals and companies. CBC also leads private rides as well as hosts a riding group, NYC Fun Cyclers, on Meetup.com. Incidentally, CBC produces the annual NYC Pilgrim Pedal Thanksgiving Day Morning Ride (for Diner Pancakes). Join us, won’t you?