Kids Bike Taupō teaches 70-year-old to ride a pedal bike

Bike Taupō coordinator Cath Oldfield demonstrates the running motion used on an adult's balance bike. Photo / Rachel Canning

Lady Cath's latest accomplishment is teaching a 70-year-old to ride a bike.

Kids Bike Taupō co-ordinator Cath Oldfield recently taught man to ride an adult-sized balance bike. He then progressed to learning to ride a bicycle.

In her day-to-day work, Cath teaches about 200 kids per year who are new to bike riding, and takes a varied programme to the community, all in the name of making biking accessible to children and families in the Taupō District.

She says the 70-year-old is too shy to speak to the Taupō & Tūrangi Herald, but gave permission for Cath to recount his story on behalf.

"He says he was a stubborn child, and because he couldn't immediately conquer bike riding, he gave up. It was a lifelong regret that he didn't ever learn to ride a bike," Cath says.

His parents "wrapped him in cotton wool" and actively discouraged him from doing anything slightly dangerous such as bike riding.

"He says he over-compensated with his own kids, and had them out mountain biking, skiing, scuba diving."

At the moment, he is in France visiting a friend who lives next to a mountain biking trail, and Cath says he was highly motivated to master bike riding before this trip.

"The first step was to teach him how to mount a bike. For non-bike riders, this is not obvious."

For this step, a balance bike is laid on the ground, and the person stands astride the bike, then raises it up. The person will probably throw one leg over to dismount and then be encouraged to mount the bike using this method.

Woohoo! Cath Oldfield from Kids Bike Taupō on a balance bike, the first step for adults before they learn to ride a pedal bicycle. Photo / Rachel Canning

The next step is to get the adult to learn to operate the balance bike. A long gentle slope is required, and the rider can put their feet down if they feel the bike has become unbalanced. A little bit of practice is required, and then people can understand the concept of stability while the bike is in motion.

"Again, this is not obvious to someone who hasn't ever learned to ride a bike."

These lessons are all put together in the final stage, where the rider is introduced to a small pedal bike where they can put their feet down if they feel wobbly.

"He did go over the handlebars of the balance bike, the hill he was on was too steep and not long enough."

Cath frequently teaches primary pupils to ride bikes, visiting schools all over the Taupō District with her Kids Bike Taupō van loaded up with up to 30 pedal bikes and balance bikes. She says the 70-year-old's stubborn personality trait resonated with her, as she has seen many kids refuse to learn.

"If they can't do it straight away, they abandon it. They don't want to admit they can't do it.
It's also partly to do with not wanting to look silly in front of their peers."

These kids respond well to being taught separately and usually catch on pretty quickly.

"My job is to be a bit bossy and help those kids get over themselves."

The adult-sized balance bikes are specially made for Bike Taupō from unclaimed bikes donated by the police. Prisoners at Tongariro Prison take the pedals off and paint the bikes blue and yellow.

She also takes the balance bikes up to the students in the Tauhara College special needs unit Whare Mahana.

"It's really gutsy to learn as a teenager."

She is especially proud of one student who took five years of practice before they learned to ride a bike.

"I had to make a chocolate cake for the whole class."

She laughs about another time when she was accosted at the supermarket by a mother who had just spent $2000 on a trike for her son, only for the son to learn to ride a pedal bike.

"She said to me, 'are you that bike lady?' "

Lots of kids call her that, although the sign writing on the door of her van says "Ricky Biker", and the Bike Taupō newsletter talks about "Lady Cath".

The Details

Kids Bike Taupō
What: Free learn to ride a bike programme for kids, adults, and students in the Taupō District. Kids Bike Taupō is part of cycling advocacy group Bike Taupō.
Who: Run by Cath Oldfield - admin@biketaupo.org.nz
Free Weekly Programmes: Mondays meet at the Taupō BMX track 3.30pm to 5pm, Tuesdays meet at the Spa Park pump track 3.30pm to 5pm, Thursdays, great for families, meet at the Craters of the Moon mountain bike park top carpark 3.30pm to 5pm.
Donate: www.biketaupo.org.nz/donate