Method for teaching an individual to operate a bicycle

A method of teaching an individual to operate a bicycle is provided whereby the bicycle is place in the upright position on a support surface and its seat is adjusted to a height thereabove so that the individual can sit upright on the seat with both soles of his/her feet contacting the support surface and with the individual's hands placed on the bicycle steering mechanism to define a starting position. The individual is allowed to tilt the bicycle between left and right sides of the upright position and to manipulate the steering mechanism in the direction of these tilts, preferably for a selected period of time in a range of 30 to 60 seconds. Thereafter, the individual is repositioned on the bicycle in a ready position wherein the individual is situated upright on the seat with the individual's feet placed on the foot supports and the individual's hands placed on the steering mechanism. The bicycle is held in the upright position while preventing forward motion thereof and selectively titled with a plurality of tilting movements between left and right sides with the individual generating a response to each of these tilting movements, a correct response being a manipulation of the steering mechanism in a same direction as the tilting movement. During this time, the responses of the individual are monitored until the individual reacts with correct responses, each within a selected time interval that is preferably less that one second.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is broadly directed to a methodology that may be used 
to teach an individual to operate a vehicle. The present invention more 
particularly concerns a methodology of teaching an individual of almost 
any age to ride a bicycle in a short amount of time. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
For individuals who have never learned to ride a bicycle, the experience 
can be quite intimidating. Whether the pupil is a child or an adult, most 
fear the prospect of falling off the bicycle or going too fast to maintain 
control over its operation. Though children may be less cognizant than 
adults of the potential, latent dangers associated with operating a 
bicycle, fear is nonetheless prevalent. The psychological impact of this 
initial fear, coupled with an accompanying lack of concentration, can 
prolong the learning process. It is not until such time as this fear is 
overcome, which varies from individual to individual, that riding a 
bicycle becomes second nature. 
In the past, the most prevalent technique employed to teach beginners, 
particularly youngsters, the skills needed to ride a bicycle was through 
the use of training wheels releasably attachable to the rearward frame of 
the bicycle. Training wheels are typically comprised of a pair of smaller 
wheels positioned a common distance from opposite sides of the rear wheel, 
and these smaller wheels operate to prevent the bicycle from toppling over 
while it is being ridden. Tricycles, of course, operate similarly to 
training wheels, with the exception that there is no rear wheel. The 
drawback of using training wheels as a teaching method, or tricycles for 
that matter, is that, although the individual develops steering skills and 
becomes accustomed to the drive train operation of the bicycle, the 
individual does not acquire the necessary balancing response which are 
required once the training wheels are removed. This is generally true 
because the individual has a tendency to become too dependent on the 
training wheels to provide balancing. Accordingly, the youngster still has 
a difficult time operating the bicycle effectively after the training 
wheels are removed. 
Not everyone, of course, had the benefit of learning to operate a bicycle 
through the use of training wheels or tricycles. Older individuals, or 
those who simply did not own tricycles when growing up, likely learned to 
ride a bicycle with adult assistance. For most, this experience was 
memorable because the individual would mount the bicycle and pedal it 
while the adult followed alongside providing support to prevent the 
individual from falling. At some point, though, it would become necessary 
for the individual to pedal and steer the bicycle free of assistance. 
Almost inevitably, the individual would fall as he/she began to lose 
balance because the natural response would be to attempt to counteract the 
bicycle's movement by turning the steering wheel in the wrong direction. 
Of course, this only frustrates the learning experience because the 
individual is forced to overcome natural fears and learn to ride the bike 
through trial and error. 
Accordingly, there remains a need to provide a new and improved method for 
teaching individuals of all ages the proper skills necessary to ride a 
bicycle. There is a further need to provide such a method which 
effectively eliminates much of the fear and anxiety inherent in the 
techniques which have been widely employed in the past. The methodology 
taught by the present invention is particularly adapted to meet these 
needs. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
method of teaching an individual to ride a bicycle. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of teaching 
an individual to operate a bicycle in a time effective manner. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a method which 
may be employed with individuals of all ages with equal efficiency. 
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved method of learning to ride a bicycle which eliminates much of the 
fear and anxiety associated with those techniques which have prevailed in 
the past. 
To accomplish these objectives, a methodology is provided to teach an 
individual to operate a bicycle in a time efficient manner. The bicycle 
has a first wheel controlled by a steering mechanism, a second wheel 
controlled by a drive assembly which includes a pair of foot supports, and 
a seat. Broadly, the methodology according to the invention comprises the 
following steps. First, the bicycle is placed in an upright position on a 
support surface. Next, the individual is positioned on the bicycle in a 
ready position wherein the individual is situated upright on the seat with 
each of the individual's feet placed on a respective one of the foot 
supports in with the individual's hands placed on the steering mechanism. 
The bicycle is then held in an upright position, with its forward motion 
prevented, and the bicycle is thereafter selectively tilted with a 
plurality of tilting movements between left and right sides of the upright 
position. This can be accomplished either manually or otherwise. A 
response to each of these tilting movements is generated by the 
individual, with a correct response being the manipulation of the steering 
mechanism in a direction that is the same as each of the tilting 
movements. Finally, the individual's responses are monitored until the 
individual reacts to the tilting movements with a correct response within 
a selected time interval, preferably less than one second. 
Once the individual has become conditioned to respond properly, the 
methodology may include the step of advancing the bicycle in a forward 
direction for a selected distance while maintaining support on the 
bicycle. Thereafter, the support of the bicycle may be released so that 
the individual can operate the bicycle independently of assistance. 
The method according to the present invention also contemplates the 
incorporation of at least one or more steps prior to the steps of 
positioning the individual on the bicycle in the ready position and 
selectively tilting the bicycle with the tilting movements. For example, 
the individual may initially be positioned on the bicycle in a starting 
position wherein the individual is situated upright on the seat with the 
individual's hand placed on the steering mechanism. Preferably, the seat 
is adjusted to a selected height so that the soles of individual's feet 
contact the support surface. The individual is then allowed to tilt the 
bicycle between the left and right sides of the upright position 
independently of assistance, and to manipulate the steering mechanism in 
the direction of tilt. These steps allow the individual to become 
accustomed to the feel of the bicycle prior to the remaining steps being 
performed. It is preferred that the individual be allowed to tilt the 
bicycle independently of assistance for a selected period of time which is 
in a range of approximately 30 to 60 seconds. 
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily 
appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed 
description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention when 
taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT 
The methodology according to the present invention provides a new and 
improved technique for teaching an individual to operate a bicycle within 
a short period of time, typically about five (5) minutes. From the 
discussion to follow, it should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill 
that the methodology contemplated herein may be used to teach individuals 
of all ages to ride a bicycle, and it is particularly adapted to condition 
the individual to rapidly overcome any initial fears commonly associated 
with this learning process. 
The method of the present invention is generally illustrated in FIGS. 
1-3(b). Here, a conventional bicycle 12 is provided that has a first wheel 
14 controlled by a steering mechanism 16 and a second wheel 18 which is 
controlled by a drive assembly 20. Steering mechanism 16 is in the form of 
a conventional handle bar assembly having a pair of hand grips 22 and 
drive assembly 20 includes a pair of foot supports 24, or pedals, which 
rotate to impart forward or reverse motion to bicycle 12. Bicycle 12 is 
represented in FIGS. 1-3(b) to be a typical all-terrain vehicle, but it 
should be appreciated that the present invention contemplates a method of 
teaching an individual to operate a variety of different types of 
bicycles. 
As shown in FIG. 1, it is preferred that bicycle 12 initially be placed in 
an upright position on a support surface 28 and that an individual 30 be 
positioned on bicycle 12 in a starting position. In this regard, it is 
preferable that support surface 28 is a relatively level unobstructed 
area, such as a parking lot, to provide an open and safe environment for 
learning. In the starting position, individual 30 is situated upright on 
the bicycle's seat 26, with each of the individual's feet 30 placed on 
respective ones of the foot supports 24 and with the individual's hands 34 
placed on hand grips 22. It should be noted that seat 26 is selectively 
adjusted to allow individual 30 be situated on bicycle 12 in the starting 
position. Accordingly, seat 26 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be positioned 
at its lowest vertical setting on seat post 28 to allow individual 30 to 
plant the soles of his/her feet 32 firmly on support surface 28. 
When in the starting position, the individual is then allowed to tilt 
bicycle 12 between left and right sides of the upright position and to 
manipulate steering mechanism 16 in the direction of this tilting. This 
permits individual 30 to become accustomed to the feel of bicycle 12 and 
to condition himself/herself to turn first wheel 14 in the direction of 
the tilt, as discussed in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3(a) 
and 3(b). Such a response is important because most beginners do not 
appreciate that a correct response to a tilting movement of bicycle 12 is 
to manipulate steering mechanism 16 so that first wheel 14 is turned in 
the direction of the tilt. The result of doing this is to urge the bicycle 
12 back towards the upright position. It is preferred that individual 30 
perform this step of tilting bicycle 12 between left and right sides of 
the upright position for a selected period of time. Typically, 
approximately 30 to 60 seconds is sufficient to allow individual 30 to 
become accustomed to the feel of bicycle 12. 
Next, individual 30 is repositioned on bicycle 12 in a ready position 
wherein individual 30 is again situated upright on seat 26 with the 
individual's hands 34 placed on steering mechanism 16. Now, however, the 
individual's feet 32 are placed on respective ones of the foot supports 24 
so that individual 30 assumes a riding position as shown in FIG. 2. 
Bicycle 12 is then held in the upright position and prevented from moving 
forwardly by an instructor 40 who is positioned rearwardly of bicycle 12. 
The instructor preferably grasps a rigid frame portion of the bicycle 
located proximately to the seat 26, such as the rear seat stay 27. Now, 
instructor 40 selectively tilts bicycle 12 between left and right sides of 
the upright position with a plurality of tilting movements. Because 
individual 30 can no longer rely on support surface 28 to retain balance, 
individual 30 now generates a response to each of these tilting movements 
as before, with a correct response being a manipulation of steering 
mechanism 16 in the same direction as each tilting movement. 
With reference to FIG. 3(a) then it may be appreciated that as bicycle 12 
is tilted to the left side, as represented by arrow "a", the correct 
response is for individual 30 to manipulate steering mechanism 16 so that 
first wheel 14 turns in the direction of arrow "a'". Similarly, and with 
reference to FIG. 3(b), as bicycle 12 is tilted by instructor 40 to the 
right side in the direction of arrow "b", a correct response is for 
individual 30 to manipulate steering mechanism 16 so that first wheel 14 
moves in the direction of arrow "b'". 
It is preferred that instructor 40 repetitively tilt bicycle 12 to the left 
and right sides and concurrently monitor the responses of individual 30 
until individual 30 reacts to these tilting movements with correct 
responses within a selected time interval. Typically, individual 30 has 
been conditioned to generate correct responses when less than one second 
elapses between the initial tilting of bicycle 12 by instructor 40 and the 
generation of a proper response by individual 30. 
Once individual 30 has been conditioned to respond properly to the tilting 
movements by generating consecutive correct responses, at least ten (10) 
for example, without error, bicycle 12 may be advanced in a forward 
direction. Instructor 40, thus, may initially urge bicycle 12 forward and 
individual 30 is encouraged to pedal bicycle 12 in the forward direction 
to maintain forward progress. At this point, instructor 40 releases 
support of bicycle 12 so that individual 30 may operate bicycle 12 
independently of assistance. At this time, individual 30 will be able to 
operate bicycle 12 properly because, he/she has now been trained to 
correctly react to any tilting which might occur. 
Based on the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the steps of having 
an instructor tilt the bicycle between left and right sides could instead 
be accomplished by an appropriate device which operates to function in the 
same manner. Moreover, this same device could also be constructed to urge 
the bicycle forward once the individual has been conditioned to generate 
correct responses. Accordingly, while the methodology herein has been 
discussed in the context some of the steps being performed manually by an 
instructor 40, this is not necessary. One of the advantages, though, of 
having another person present while the beginner is learning to ride the 
bicycle is that this person can verbally encourage the beginner during the 
learning process. 
It should also be understood from the foregoing that not all of the steps 
discussed herein need to be performed in order for an individual to learn 
to operate a bicycle effectively. For example, the initial steps whereby 
the individual was positioned in the starting position with the his/her 
feet contacting the support surface and thereafter allowed to tilt the 
bicycle between left and right sides of the upright position would not 
necessarily be required in all circumstances. Thus, the methodology 
discussed herein can be appropriately tailored to the particular 
individual to be taught. 
Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degree of 
particularly directed to the exemplary embodiment of the present 
invention. It should be appreciated, though, that the present invention is 
defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so 
that modifications or changes may be made to the exemplary embodiment of 
the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts 
contained herein.