Why Do I Keep Falling Off My Bike?

You won’t be laughing if the same thing happens to you. Let’s hope it did when no one was watching as you tried showing off a few moves while cruising.

My embarrassing downfall kept repeating itself for many days. It led me to the inevitable question – why do I keep falling off my bike when there isn’t any obstacle?

While searching for the answer, I came across various forums for bike riders who experienced something similar.

At last, I could solve the matter before causing an accident due to this recurring imposition. Let me tell you why it happens to understand how to overcome it.

Why Do I Keep Falling Off My Bike?

First, let me point out the reasons my bike riding expert friend strictly mentioned. I say strictly because half of what he said turned out to be true. 

Admitting them was harder than falling face-first on the gravel surface twice. Still swallowing my pride, I began following my friend’s advice.

If you do any of the following, I welcome you to join my mission to perfect the bicycle ride.

Going Beyond Experience

My first instinct was to follow the suit of others. I didn’t realize that I was still a noob at this. When attempting to exceed the experience level with riding bikes, we often miscalculate the movement.

It is one of the reasons why I kept falling off my bike.

Going Wild with CG

CG means the center of gravity, a crucial feature to adapt and master when riding the bicycle. I remember tumbling left and right to steady my balance and, in the process, going overboard.

This fast-paced leaning to the right or left also causes the bike to lose control, aka you fall on one side.

Unforeseeable Road Condition

Sometimes you might not be at fault, well, not entirely. Some new riders will only focus on the small distance that is in front of them. But, you should also ensure not to ride over a pothole or small objects. And for that, you need to pay attention to most of the road that is in fromt of you.

I once fell off my bike on a road bump because I wasn’t paying attention to the ground surface until too late.

Use of the Wrong Bike

Perhaps you obtained the bike from a family member with a different build. The bicycle may have been proper for him/her, but it could be uncomfortable for you.

Using improper bike size and design that doesn’t suit your flexibility makes the rider fall off at trivial bumps, holes, and obstacles.

On the other hand, I made the mistake of taking my road bike for a nice and breezy ride on a small trail. Since it wasn’t that rough, I thought, why not?

This act of boldness was soon weakened when I fell and went to the emergency room for several stitches.

Do You Panic?

While it didn’t happen to me, it’s more common than one admits. If you panic the first time learning to ride the bike, it’s completely okay!

However, this activity also teaches us to be patient and steady-minded. Of course, practice is essential.

So maybe you feel afraid of hitting the pavement, light pole, or garbage cans so much that your hands reflectively jerk the handles to the right or left.

It makes the rider fall off without delay.

Things You Can Try to Prevent Falling off the Bike

Whether you are an adult or a kid trying to ride a bike, these tips are helpful for all.

• First, modify your bike to your level. Adjust it to your height and make sure the ride is ideal for you to handle.
• Choose a larger area to practice. Repetition is important to learn from mistakes.
• Try to master pedaling in circles, then left and right. Most newbies find these turns complex, making them fall.
• Practice slalom – a technique that involves laying down some soft objects at a particular spacing (approx. 1.1 m), then riding between the objects.
• Slow down in advance to prevent clashing. Keep an eye on the distant road.
• Ask friends for help; even a neighbor bike rider will give you some pointers if you ask.
• Wear comfortable and not slippery clothes when seated on a bike cushion.

Conclusion

Fortunately, I have significantly improved since my last humiliating face-down fall before a crowd. But others still have the desperate query – why do I keep falling off my bike instead of looking into the answer.

Hopefully, this short guide can break this pattern and help you regain the confidence to retry riding without falling. Good luck, and don’t overdo it!