Cycling nerves

[summerfish]

I've just bought a bike!

I literally haven't even sat on a bicycle (excluding exercise bikes) since I was about 12 and am a bit worried I'm going to have to learn all over again, and worried it will be a bit terrifying!

Any tips?

you need to try somewhere away from roads to get your confidence back

Perhaps there might be one of these course on near you: bikeability.org.uk/

Don’t have your seat too low- It’s harder to keep your balance . Raise the saddle until your tiptoes touch the floor when you’re sitting on the saddle.

Thank you! I will definitely be trying away from roads. We're lucky to live in a town with good cycle paths, so hopefully I won't have to be on the road too much at all, even when I get confident. It's more about making sure I'm under control as cycle paths here are often shared with pedestrians, so I want to feel confident I can anticipate and avoid obstacles, kids running out, dogs etc. I drive a car, so not at all worried about hazard perception - it's more about physically having control.

I will check out the Bikeability link - thanks.