Wheeling in the years: You’re never too old to learn to ride a bike

I hated the phrase ‘as easy as riding a bike’, because I didn’t know how to until my husband taught me, says Nuala Woulfe.

I HATED the phrase ‘it’s as easy as riding a bike’ because, until last year, I had not learned to cycle. ! Why? I was the youngest child, so possibly my parents forgot, and, at five, the age most children learn, I broke my arm. When I was a teenager, wobbling on a bike wasn’t ‘cool’ and I thought I would never zip down country lanes or have cycling holidays in France — that is, until I had daughters.

My husband, Ed, taught all three of our girls to cycle, by attaching a tagalong to his own bike, so they could learn balance, and then by using bikes with stabilisers. Last year, when the children were at school and he was working from home, Ed convinced me that I, too, could learn to cycle.

In the mornings, Ed took me cycling around local estates. Initially, it was scary, but I got my balance early on and faced my fear of being chased by dogs or having to negotiate kerbs. At first, I was too afraid of on-road cycle lanes and busy traffic, but soon I progressed to pavements and dual cycle/pedestrian ways – once or twice I even crashed into a bush!

Everything people who’ve been cycling since childhood take for granted was an enigma to me. Gears: how did you know which one to use? How high should the saddle be? With an experienced cyclist by my side, I learned the answers. When my six-year-old daughter got rid of her stabilisers last year, I, too, finally conquered the wobbles — we learned to cycle together, taught by her Dad.

Finally came the present I was waiting for my whole life — my first bike. Now, a year on, cycling is part of who I am: but I wondered how adult novices, who don’t have a helpful partner learn to cycle?

Rothar is a Dublin community bike organisation set up by a Parisian, Anne Bedos, in 2008. Staffed by volunteers, Rothar’s three shops recycle, resell and rent out donated bikes, but Anne also offers bike classes for adults.

“About 150 people have learned to cycle with me over the years; people who’ve never cycled, people who can cycle a bit, but are nervous, and people who have, maybe, had an accident and need to build confidence, but most are middle-aged women who have never learnt or have been busy with kids. Lessons are one-to-one, as people can be embarrassed or lack confidence. We find routes that are safe and quiet, and we provide bikes, if needed. Some learners are naturals and have good balance, some people take a few lessons, but people always get there in the end,” Ms Bedos says. She has a UK cycling instructor qualification and says there should be an equivalent here. “I’ve found it difficult to get people who want to be teachers, but there’s a definite demand out there for people who can teach,” Ms Bedos says.

There has been a shift in Ireland towards cycling. When Ms Bedos came to Ireland in the middle of the Celtic Tiger, there was no interest in cycling, “it was all big, luxury cars. But when the recession hit, people were open to a new experience.” She cites the Bike to Work government tax-back scheme, new bike lanes, and the successful public bike scheme in Dublin (550 bikes are provided in stations around the city) as reasons.

By the end of this summer, Cork, Limerick and Galway will also have public bike schemes. Public Transport Minister Alan Kelly says the public bike scheme tender “is allowable to expand into other cities and towns. I know Waterford wants to go next with a bike scheme. I’d be disappointed if I’m not announcing something in the next year or so,” Mr Kelly says.

“Cycling has gone through the roof. The success of the Mayo Greenway has been phenomenal and there are three more greenways coming, in South Kerry, West Waterford and Galway, which I announced last month,” he says.

Managing attitudes towards cycling can be challenging, as Cork City Council’s John Stapleton, senior executive engineer in Roads Design and Construction, knows only too well. In Cork, the building of new cycle routes irritated motorists, but Stapleton says “things have completely died down”. A report from the National Transport Authority is expected soon to decide taxi-rank issues, a problematic plinth at Washington Street has been resolved with signage, and when the final phase at O’Donovan’s Road is completed, within a month, traffic should no longer be congested.

“We had to reduce down to one lane (O’Donovan’s Road) and that’s causing a back-up effect on Washington Street, but when we are finished, things like turning lanes will be reintroduced,” he says.

When people see cyclists out on bikes, they are encouraged to cycle. Once the skill is learned, it’s there for life. “It’s like riding a bicycle, Stapleton says. “Once you learn, you never forget” — another phrase I hated. Nowadays, it brings a smile to my face.

The nuts and bolts of biking

Organisations to help you with your biking expertise.

- Rothar, in Dublin, offer workshops in bike maintenance, including ‘build your own bike’ courses, and will rent you a space for you to repair your bike — they provide a work surface, overalls, gloves, grease and tea.

www.rothar.ie

- In Limerick, sustainable travel organisation, Smarter Travel, runs cycle training and Dr Bike workshops in schools, sometimes in conjunction with An Taisce. They run bike exchanges (where you can swap bikes or get a second-hand one).

Smarter Travel also promotes the Women on Wheels Programme, which helps women to cycle safely.

www.smartertravel.ie

- In Cork, Cillian Read sells and rents bikes at The Bike Shed, but he also runs a free on-campus Bike Doctor service for UCC students. The college also provides an allowance, if small parts are needed.

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bike-Shed-Cork/