How dead am I if I don't learn to ride a bike in time....

skygnome777 · Post by **skygnome777** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:40 pm

How dead am I if I don't learn to ride a bike in time for burning man?
I'm about 20 years late to learn. I wanted to learn in time. But every bike I try I'm not sure if the bike is too small, or my driveway is too steep, or if I just have no idea what I'm doing.
I probably should suck it up and hit the park, and fall off in public a few times.

Barbie · Post by **Barbie** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:54 pm

We had a guy in camp that we tried to teach to ride a bike... Not pretty - He never got IT! I'll bet he still doesn't know how to ride.

Good News Is that he got around just fine- walking and riding the art cars- sssooooo don't stress yourself out about IT.

The way to learn to ride a bike is the way they teach Us when we're Little- That means you need a friend to hold ya up and run along in back of you while you peddle- then they let go and hopefully you keep going LOL

GOOD LUCK!

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:10 am

in all honesty, and i don't mean to be mean, but it is what it isn't.

if i we're you i would shoot myself.

twice.

or just fucking walk.....duh.

lemur · Post by **lemur** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 2:46 am

get some training wheels...

bring them with you...

ride on them till you dont need them anymore..

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:13 am

Try smooth, level ground.
Don't go too slow.
Harder to ride slow.

Or maybe a trike?
A large trike is good to practice on.
I had to learn on smooth ground to ride on the rough roads I lived on at the time.

Do you think there is a reason you didn't learn to ride a bike before?
Are you bicyclically challenged?

Post by **Sham** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:34 am

Once you get the hang of balancing the bike while it's moving forward, you will be hard pressed to tip it over. It's that very first sensation of shifting your body weight and keeping the bike upright. Once you get this, you never loose it!
Keep trying and good luck!!

skygnome777 · Post by **skygnome777** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:19 pm

Roberto Dobbisano wrote: if i we're you i would shoot myself.
twice. or just fucking walk.....duh.

What caliber gun do you suggest I use?

Yeah worst case scenario I'll walk. I have pretty good balance, it's just getting the damn peddling down that's my problem.

I might be continuing to learn when I arrive in blackrock. Apparently my camp has loner bikes.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:40 pm

Biking is overrated unless you really need to get somewhere quickly, and how often is that?

Timezone LaFontaine · Post by **Timezone LaFontaine** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:50 pm

You should definitely learn to ride a bike in Black Rock City. Option A would be to acquire some training wheels. Option B, your friends jog along and hold you steady while you get the hang of it. You'll get it within an hour. One of my favorite young childhood memories is that moment when I realized I was actually riding a bike by myself. You get to enjoy it as an adult.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:56 pm

skygnome777 wrote:
Roberto Dobbisano wrote: if i we're you i would shoot myself.
twice. or just fucking walk.....duh.
What caliber gun do you suggest I use?

Yeah worst case scenario I'll walk. I have pretty good balance, it's just getting the damn peddling down that's my problem.
I might be continuing to learn when I arrive in blackrock. Apparently my camp has loner bikes.

Dude, (assuming you are a dude) don't do it. You will NUT yourself. The playa, especially this year, is not a place to learn how to ride a bike. Here is what is gonna happen you are going to get on, start peddleing and then you will hit a soft spot, your ass will come off the seat and your balls will get smashed into that fucking stupid bar they put on mens bikes. You will be walking around all week with a bag of ice pressed to your crotch.

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Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:03 pm

ok,, Burning Man is NOT! the place to learn to ride a bike. I'm a good rider & purchased a beach cruiser for this year. I've been practicing with the pedal break for a month now. ( funny. shit you knew as a kid really never comes back )

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:09 pm

Somebody needs to stay behind and watch the camp. Why not you?

swampdog · Post by **swampdog** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:36 pm

Some "teach a kid to ride bikes" books recommend having the kid spend some time just pushing themselves along using their feet on the ground and not on the pedals - some even recommend taking the pedals off. That gives you a chance to feel your way into being balanced without having to get your feet off the ground. When you can coast like that for 10 ft or 20 or so, then start trying with the pedals.

Didn't work that well with my kids, but it's a lot harder to explain concepts to 5 yr olds.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:07 pm

skygnome777 wrote: Apparently my camp has loner bikes.

Watch out for those loner bikes, they can be quite vicious if their solitude is interrupted.

Oldguy · Post by **Oldguy** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:19 pm

Due to the whiteouts last year, most of us walked anyway at times. Don't sweat it.

The Omnibus service will get you out to the Man from the Esplanade stops at 3,6,9 o'clock.

I rode a 4 wheel adult size pedalcar last year until I lost a pedal bolt. I've seen a lot of adult 3 wheelers out there. A lot of us oldtimers lose our balance, no biggy.

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:35 am

The riding isn't a problem for me. I was gifted a bike a few weeks ago and hadn't ridden a bike in 40-50 years. I'm more worried about the sudden stops I've been hearing about when you hit a soft spot on the Playa.

H.G.Crosby · Post by **H.G.Crosby** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:38 am

the back of your ticket says you may die...

bicycles are the LEAST of your worries, suckers.

Artemis · Post by **Artemis** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:40 am

I wouldn't try and learn to ride in Black Rock City. It's not ordinary bike riding there and would be MUCH easier to learn on level pavement.

Both my sister and mother learned to ride as adults (mom at 40, sister at 25) so contrary to what anyone else says it's completely possible to learn as an adult, I just wouldn't recommend doing so in the desert.

AND you don't need to learn before you come. It's totally doable to walk around. Besides, this year they made the city smaller than last year so distances will be shorter.

Abductor · Post by **Abductor** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:23 am

Two things, forgive me if they've been said (tl;dr)

1. I have a friend who feels a bike detracts from the experience. He takes great pleasure from walking everywhere, and the reason is obvious to all who have been. Every block has a bar waiting for you to slide up to and have water or an adult beverage. Every block has art or music or a game to share with you. You'll be fine!

2. If you are with friends, for a few bucks you can put pegs on the back of a bike. These are horizontal bars designed for you to stand on the back of the bike and put your hands on the shoulders of the driver. Probably costs less than $60 installed.

Marscrumbs · Post by **Marscrumbs** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:35 am

I love my meridan trike. A big basket for ice, art or what have you and it goes to zero in a crowd and you can sit on it in open playa. They are slightly hard to transport but well worth having. I've had little problem on last years soft dust but they travel half as fast as a mountain bike.

Marscrumbs · Post by **Marscrumbs** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:37 am

I love my meridan trike. A big basket for ice, art or what have you and it goes to zero in a crowd and you can sit on it in open playa. They are slightly hard to transport but well worth having. I've had little problem on last years soft dust but they travel half as fast as a mountain bike.

Token · Post by **Token** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:29 pm

Learn on the Playa.

Post an event in the WWW guide.

Do it daily at Deathguild/Thuderdome.

Wear only knee/elbow pads, helmet and good boots. Ask folks to hold the seat and jog along. You MUST be bare assed for that part.

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:54 pm

Token, that's a great idea. There should be lots of open space to learn, and all sorts of folks who would enjoy helping. If the surface is decent, there's nothing flatter and it would be a good place to learn. You can pretty easily get away from any traffic areas. It's a huge place. You could even get a Student Rider sign. Here's something I remember about pedaling: don't think of your feet going around in circles. just think of them going up and down. pushing down one side and then the other.

skygnome777 · Post by **skygnome777** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:29 pm

Token wrote:Learn on the Playa.

Post an event in the WWW guide.

Do it daily at Deathguild/Thuderdome.

Wear only knee/elbow pads, helmet and good boots. Ask folks to hold the seat and jog along. You MUST be bare assed for that part.

Documenting it is definitely an interesting idea. Also, if I dress like that, I may have the advantage in a number of strip poker games!

mayermar · Post by **mayermar** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:41 pm

I have a trick. I can teach any small child to ride a bike in 10 minutes. I have done it with many kids whose parents could not do it. Its very simple but you have to do it cuz I'm not able to stand beside your retarded ass and guide you through it.
Listen to me and do what I say.
Get on the bike. Start peddling and IMMEDIATELY start wiggling the handlebars right and left while you are peddling.
Don't ask why, just do it
Most kids just peddle and fall to the side.
Bikes work on the basis of reverse steering. Which means that when you turn the bars to the right the bike wants to go left and vice versa.
By wiggling the bars (not a jiggle, a vigorous wiggle, you pussy) your body will learn very quickly the balance that is all about riding a bike.
I'm dead fucking serious that this works. Try it on your kids,

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:57 pm

Riding a bike is like, riding a bike. Once you learn, you won't forget.
I was around 5 when my dad tried to teach me how to ride a two-wheeler. He pushsed me and let go and I went straight for the trash can. I would'nt turn that thing to save myself.

There are some pretty decked out three-wheelers like the ones that elderly folks or some how challanged folks would ride that people bring. One problem is they would take up quite a bit of space in whatever transported it. And they can be pricey!

skygnome777 · Post by **skygnome777** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:31 pm

Yeah buying a fancy new bike for the playa is a non-option for me at this point. I'm flying into LA, and the plan was to buy a cheap bike to toss in the van. If I can get riding down in time. I should be practicing and not posting here.

Playa Tom · Post by **Playa Tom** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:52 am

Riding a bike is just like sex, you may fall off a few times but if you keep trying you will eventually get the hang of it.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:26 am

Token wrote:Learn on the Playa.

Post an event in the WWW guide.

Do it daily at Deathguild/Thuderdome.

Wear only knee/elbow pads, helmet and good boots. Ask folks to hold the seat and jog along. You MUST be bare assed for that part.

you don't need no "knee/elbow pads, helmet and good boots" fuck that shit, you gotta protect the NUTS.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:41 am

you may wanna go "industrial"

How dead am I if I don't learn to ride a bike in time....

How dead am I if I don't learn to ride a bike in time....

Trike's rule at BM

Trike's rule at BM