Learning to ride a bicycle

Looking at the Dutch cyclists, both young and older, you may think that everybody in this country was born on a bicycle. You will find that most people are very skilled cyclists since they were encouraged and trained by their parents from a very young age. In general, parents will first teach their children the basic skills of balancing and stopping. Kids are then encouraged to go out and play on the bicycle. Eventually, parents take their children onto public roads, their children cycling safely next to them.

If you feel like you do not posess all the required cycling skills yet, get some practice and keep the following basic tips in mind.

• Practise on a bicycle with the saddle very low. Make sure you can put your feet flat on the ground. Your fear of falling will be minimized, since you can always put a foot down to break your fall.
• If you are having trouble keeping your balance, keep in mind that you need to have enough speed in order to be able to cycle. Cycling too slowly will cause you to have a very unstable balance. Keep your head upright and look ahead.
• Practise in a calm area without traffic first, until you feel confident enough to ride in traffic. Avoid peak hours, as there are many people on the cycle tracks that do not expect unexperienced cyclists.
• Always look ahead, don't soley focus on the bits of road just in front of you, try to keep a good overview of all other road users around you. 

If you need any assistance, do not hesitate to contact the following organisations that organise different courses for the students of Wageningen.

IxESN Wageningen

IxESN Wageningen is a student association that is connected to the International Erasmus Student Network. The association’s goal is to promote integration of the international exchange students that study and work in Wageningen. One of their initiatives is to let bicycles to students that are in Wageningen for a short stay. They request a small fee for this service.

ISOW, For Students, By Students

ISOW is an International Student Organisation in Wageningen that has the goal to support the integration of international students by organizing educational and social activities. Also, ISOW introduces international students to each other and if needed ISOW represents the interests of the students.