There was a brief moment, while planning this video, where we thought about stabilisers. I'm glad we didn't do that. And I'm glad I crashed at least once.
Today i learned to ride a bike at 18 years old because to this video. I had no interest in doing so but realizing that even someone like Tom who has experienced so many things didn't know how to ride a bike was very encouraging. Thank you!
With how progression goes, sometime in September 2022, we’ll be seeing Tom Scott Plus The Queen in “Tom has never been the Prime Minister of England. Can The Queen teach him in an afternoon?”
What I love about this: Tom has been in centrifuges, in Fighter Jets, strapped on top of airplanes, etc... but if you just put him on a bike, it's exactly the same energy.
@@datdabdoe1417 i think its because most people who are watching know how to ride a bike but almost no one watching knows how to do any of those things,
This is an awesome video! One of my friends at uni grew up never knowing how to ride a bike. His car got totalled and he needed a way to get to work, a 2 mile commute, but not spending two hours commuting on foot each day. So a group of my friends and I spent an afternoon teaching him how to ride a bike. He was bit by the cycling bug and now eight months later he's joining us on a 150 mile, two-day trip along the coast!
@@fabrisseterbrugghe8567 I don't know where OP and friends are from, but a lot of places have insufficient pedestrian infrastructure as well (sidewalks ending abruptly, huge multi-lane mult-directional (st)roads without crosswalks), so traveling by bike over car-centric infrastructure may have been preferential to braving the same route on foot.
Get yourself someone who teaches it to you and shares your joy! Might still have this Video open, cause the guy had good tips. Best of luck and have fun! :)
It's really not that difficult! You just need to stick with it. People try for 5 minutes and say "can't do it" but they don't realise that all the people that do it without even thinking have been doing it for 20+ years.
@@lolgeertlol the script to my recent video about "the wrong way to set speed limits" originally started as a proposed guest video for Tom Scott's main channel that never panned out.
Gotta say, learning that Tom doesn't (or didn't) know how to ride a bike makes me feel a lot better about myself for not knowing either. And actually, more motivated. This was infinitely more helpful than any person who teases or mocks someone for not knowing how to ride one. Thanks Tom.
To be honest, I feel that bike actually made it harder to learn. Mountain bikes and similar bikes are usually more nervous in their reaction. Depending on the frame geometry some bikes are much easier to ride (where you can easily ride without hands on the bar) than others. My road bike is super easy to keep the balance on (though I wouldn't use a road bike to teach somebody due to its seating position).
@@astorMorisson I think the bike being a full sus might have made a difference. Maybe with the shock locked out it might be easier for a beginner to learn. Although the slack head angle of a mountainbike should make the bike more stable when moving. Wider bars probably helped too, due to providing more control to the wheel instead of having it go everywhere in a panic.
After the obvious "HOW CAN TOM NOT RIDE A BIKE?", I would just like to recognize the courage of exposing yourself and your ineptitudes in front of our all. Kudos to you!
I'm not enormously surprised, since I've met people who don't know. Well, one. But I taught her how to ride my old mountain bike and gave it to her as a reward. For me, it was a way of paying back a friend I had in highschool who taught me how to ride a skateboard and then gave me one of his.
For some reason I only just now saw this video, but Tom is the definition of no ego getting in the way of anything. Admitting to millions of people that you don’t know how to ride a bike, and then actually doing something about it is admirable. Same with the rollercoaster. Thank you, Tom!
This was so heart-warming to witness. Maybe Tom had felt a bit of embarrassment over the years that he couldn't ride a bike, so maybe it had built up in his mind a bit? Idk. But with Mike being so encouraging and full of praise, he helped Tom overcome his fears. For Tom to go from "I can't ride a bike" to "I've totally got this on my own now" in half a bloody hour is just amazing! Well done to both of them, but to Tom especially.
I'm over 30 and only learned to swim last year (no fear of water, just didn't get around to it), and also only learned to drive in my late 20s. So I really feel for Tom during these kind of videos he's been making.
I'm always surprised when people say they can't swim, because here in Sweden it's mandatory to learn as a child and is a part of the school curriculum. You have to be able to swim at least 200 meters, of which at least 50 meters has to be on your back in order to pass gym class.
@doobie thats because your lungs are toward your back and while face down their flotation ability is the same but keeps your torso lower in the water. If floating on your back your lungs are actually under your heart and ribs and you're more stable. Plus you can lift your head to get breath without too much loss of float.
@@leetri I did not like swimming classes at all. I think the instance of teaching breaststroke held me back when it came to learning to swim, it was only with moving to front crawl which I found much easier to coordinate and avoided too much water in my face that I finally managed to swim. It might not be a perfect crawl, but it worked and worked well. It didn't help that the swimming teacher did all instructions standing up instead of laying down which made it much harder to wrap around in my head.
@@leetri Same in Norway, but even though I could swim (if not necessary well) as a toddler, I had to re-learn when I was ten due to a prolonged gap in my practice.
Never thought I'd be impressed watching someone ride a bike - but this perfectly captures the essence of learning. It feels embarrassing and awkward until it doesn't anymore. Nicely done, Tom!
This was so eye-opening. As a mountain biker/cyclist, I get so worked up about how I can't bunny hop or ride high drops or keep up with the pros and so on. I so often forget that I taught myself how to ride when I was nine years old and simply enjoyed riding ever since, until I got serious about riding as a sport. Now I've been too obsessed with technique and perfect conditions that I just about never ride. I've taken for granted the fact that I can ride a bike at all, let alone ride technical trails and ride in road traffic. I think it's time I looked at riding like I did when I was a kid.
@@Ardjano234 I've found that it's easiest on mountain bikes with wide tires, since they're more stable and stay straight longer, due to the wide tires.
Riding a bike is something that is quite hard to do before your body learns balance, but once it does, it takes zero effort to maintain that balance and it becomes second nature - it took me around 10 mins to learn with help from my father This video is so wholesome to me because it totally reminds me of my bike riding training with my dad and the joy I felt when I mastered it
@@crazymadstriker766 Absolutely, but it will almost certainly take a bit longer. Learning as an adult takes longer than when you are a kid as well. When Destin from SmarterEveryDay was learning the backwards brain bicycle, he said he practiced for 5 or 10 minutes per day, for like two weeks. Same thing when I learned to ride without my hands steering. Just commit to starting slow, and not giving up. It isn't going to be super easy or quick or fun, but it is definitely possible, and the rewards are great.
@@crazymadstriker766 Yep. learning new motor skills isn't like learning a new language. Contrary to the previous response adults actually can learn how to do these kind of skills as fast or faster than children BUT children are less cautious of hurting themselves and will jump in to it quicker. Adults are generally more cautious (maturity and life experience) and thus may take a little longer learning new tasks that may lead to injury when done incorrectly.
Seeing this level of joy in an adult, not only reminds me of the true power of the bicycle - but also makes me wish I could go back and learn to ride again.
Ive never learned and this made me feel so similarly- I cant wait to learn now! If it wasnt pouring rain and midnight I would be out trying literally right now
Its so wholesome to see a guy talking about computer science, physics and other stuff didn't know how to ride a bike. But has the confidence to show his learning progress to the public. It's just a perfect example That people don't know everything, may it even be such basic thing like riding a bike. Thanks Tom, Love your videos
When you are born in the Alps skiing is a basic skill when you are born in London or Paris it is not. Having a pair of sky at three helps. Having a bike at three helps too.
I love how Mike says "You shouldn't be embarrassed because it's admirable what you're doing". So true, learning new skills on your own time to improve yourself should never ever be embarrassing, no matter your starting point.
Absolutely. Learning a new physical skill as an adult is far more difficult and daunting than as a kid. Adults are more breakable and understand pain and mortality better than children do (plus they're made of rubber while adults are made of glass).
It's also very good for your brain, especially as you get older. People often stop learning new skills and that just makes neural deterioration faster.
This helped me feel less ashamed of myself for not being able to do some stuff people consider "common knowledge" and proves that there is no age limit to learning new skills, thank you Tom.
It's crazy how different the realities of people can be. I use my bike for my daily commute and just to get anywhere (I don't have a driver's license yet) and Tom who knows and does a million things didn't know how to ride a bike until now.
And I can't drive (never will, weird vision) and won't learn to bike (never will, bad balance and weird vision). But I have about a zillion craft hobbies 🙂
@@hammerth1421 it may be more of a challenge than in Germany due to the poor infrastructure, but it's still far far smaller challenge than people think. Cycling, even in the UK, is a safe activity (injuries per hour on a bike etc.), I think you'd have to cycle something like 300,000 miles to statistically be likely to die riding a bike (logically, most people would be old and die long before that!!).
@@ridefree4076 Don't forget that common sense reduces the risk by a lot. Having lights, a helmet, and just acting in a predictable way (like when driving) can go a long way.
Riding a bike is a very natural sensation, after you get the initial hang of it, your body just sorta falls into autopilot as the bike just becomes an extension of you. It's hard to describe, but everyone who rides a bike knows what I'm talking about. It comes as naturally as walking.
I always described it as utter freedom. I'm petrified of driving a car (I avoid it) but give me a bike and a properly fitted helmet and the world is mine to explore.
@@DSN262 Personally I've learned that riding an e-bike is SUPER weird for me given that I roughly know how far a given pedaling force will propel me forward and the electric support completely messes that feel up for me.
My dad taught me to cycle by having me cycle down a hill. It definitely worked. I think the hill helps keep that momentum. However, it does make the inevitable crashes rather more dramatic.
I've done this with 3 of my kids and they were all successfully riding on their own within 30 min. The trick was finding a medium hill so they didn't get going too fast to begin with.
My older sister gave me a push from top of a small hill. Got the hang of balancing instantly. Tried to turn, crashed, then instantly knew how to turn. Still at it more than 50 years later. Was 9 years old when I learned. Sister decided I needed to learn to ride.
From a Dutch POV, that looks like such an intimidating bike for a learner, haha. But I can totally imagine how hard it would be to learn that initial balancing when you're a fully risk-aware adult. It's amazing how natural it looks after 30 minutes though.
I'm just thinking how I just pushed my kids on their little bikes - "there you go!" Learning as a little less risk aware person is better- bravo tom for picking this up!
This is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. I really love both these guys' channels and just seeing two grown men be vulnerable and encouraging, helping each other grow and learn and being kind and supportive is truly wonderful.
Anyone who dares try something new and go through the really mortifying part of being bad at it, deserves credit in my opinion. Anyone who has the guts to do that with something that is viewed as "basic" and thus bizarrely stigmatised to learn, is being braver than most! You did great, Tom, and I hope you keep enjoying cycling! ^^
As a 23 year old, I've always been ashamed of not knowing how to ride a bike; I've fallen from a bike before learning how to do it when I was about 10 years old and I've been traumatized of that experience since. This year, I've finally gotten the courage and will to learn how to do it, and let me tell you, what you're seeing Tom go through was exactly the same I went through. The same reactions, the euphoria of balancing the bike and pedalling without the support of someone, it's all the same! Thank you, Tom.
I was considered a slow learner as a child. It took my family a while to teach me to tie my shoelaces and learn how to tell time. It wasn't till years later I was diagnosed with dyslexia. Thats why learning to do those simple tasks took me so long. It was a huge relief finding out why I had difficulty learning. There are many reasons why people don't learn certain things.
@@alanhillyard1639 Yup. Biking on hard-packed snow without winter tyres certainly wasn’t my brightest idea. Neither was trying to turn onto the main road below the hill where I live at speed (be a the brakes were in need of some maintenance) on a freezing but snow-free morning when there was quite a lot of loose gravel on the asphalt. (Don’t worry, I didn’t crash into anything, just fell because I lost traction during the turn - both times, though not the same turn.)
@@alanhillyard1639 Oh, I know, I fell off it literally the next day, but the difference, this time, was that I got it. When I was a kid, I was nowhere near learning how to balance the damn thing.
It's one thing to watch Tom learn something so simple, but realizing how many people don't get the experience of learning to ride a bike as a child, I'm glad they'll at least get to experience it through you. 💕
"You're never too old to have a happy childhood." This quote has stuck with me for a long time. I used to think it was stupid because it's not the same when you're an adult with all the fears and cynicism and reality. But I think the idea is to allow yourself the naivety and wonderment of childhood in adulthood.
@@Apudurangdinya The point is that one is stopping us from not feeling the endless wonder and curiosity we had in childhood, "never too old to act like a child" has a completely different meaning.
This is a very brave thing you’re doing Tom. It’s also totally wholesome and an inspiration for anyone feeling embarassed about not knowing some thing in adult life. I learned to drive in my late 30’s, I’ve known people who’ve learned to swim well into their adult life and even a person who learned to read & write well beyond middle age. Absolutely NO ONE has ever regretted doing so. Great work Tom, thank you!
This "brave" is being tossed around so much it has no meaning. You're brave for being alive, brave for walking, brave for talking, brave brave brave. This isn't brave in my eyes, what's brave is something that can risk your life, driving a car into another loaded with explosives because you're a stunt devil? Brave. Astronaut? Brave. Beating speed records? Brave. Wingsuit flying? Paragliding? Base jumping? Fast downhill riding with the bike? Racing? Fighting? Being a soldier? Brave Learning to ride a bike at 5km/h over grass? No not so much. Of course this is just my perspective, I find the word is tossed around and thus loses its meaning. Doesn't mean it's right.
@@sacr3 Doing something even though it is scary and embarassing? That’s the very definition and meaning of brave. And even if it wasn’t, why be a grinch about it? Go do something fun instead of spoiling someone else’s.
@@zl4518 I disagree, a UFC fighter faces extreme bouts of pain for both entertainment as well as money. Admitting to something is brave? Well, let's agree to disagree I suppose since we both have our own viewpoints. It's no wonder in my eyes we have such a sensitive nation if simply saying "I can't ride a bike" is comparable to a pilot landing his plane in water due to a bird strike.
I think when you've had to teach yourself loads of random things that have little carryover you humble yourself and realise how hard some things can be for others. Teaching people a load of random things might be a worthwhile thing for development.
There’s a second where you hear someone yell “oh, nearly!” And I absolutely love to imagine the sheer joy that would be being able to watch an adult stranger learn to ride a bike in real time while you’re just out at the park
love how at 10:33 mike says the bike will ride itself and tom is like "no it bloody won't" and mike proceeds to demonstrate the bike riding by itself. like i knew the physics behind it but it still caught me off guard
When i was a kid i used to ride as fast as possible, just to step off and let the bike go on its own. We even had a dirt pile against a wall and let the bike do backflips on its own by bouncing off the wall.
Tom's joy at achieving something - bike riding, tightrope walking, riding a roller coaster - puts THE biggest smile on my face. Keep being brave, Tom, and encouraging the rest of us!
Gotta say, Mike is a really good coach. It makes sense, with how much time he's spent thinking about learning, but things like having Tom only do a half-pedal to start off or getting him up to speed with his feet on the pedals were great ideas I wouldn't have thought of myself.
Lots of us learned to ride as kids b/c it's a thing parents know they are supposed to teach their kids, but then end up living somewhere bicycle unfriendly for years and forget how to do it, and have to relearn as adults. I learned when I was about 12-14, but living in a car-infested city, if I wanted to ride to school I had to go down a super steep hill with a bus route on it that ends in a very busy intersection of 2 four-lane roads, then take one of those four lane roads through an underpass under a rail line, then past a highway on/off, to another very busy intersection of a 4-lane one-way street and a 4-lane two-way street both of which have bus lines on them across that intersection and then find somewhere to park my bike where there wasn't even a bike rack at the school. And the only mall / hang-out space within cycle distance was the grotty downtown one surrounded by unhoused people where half the stores have gone out of business and are just shuttered up.
I love the Monty Pythonesque vibe of him riding towards the trees and shouting to himself the whole way :) But what I really love is that he has the courage to learn something scary and new as an adult, especially something as fun and healthy as cycling. Like so many things, it's more about attitude and determination and crossing the fear barrier than anything else. Much respect--and to his fine teacher, too.
@@cyan_oxy6734 It's really not even remotely the same. It's expensive but it's no more difficult to ride.. Actually it's easier to ride because it's lighter and has a greater ability to fine tune the gears to make the rider feel comfortable. The only thi g you should look out for is the touchy brakes, but as you seen in this video.. Tom didn't even need to use the brakes. If you're worrying about the expense of the bike, (as if falling off it is going to damage it so you're better off using a cheap bike) it's important to remember that these MTBs are designed with durability in mind because they're going to hit trees and take tumbles down a mountainside throughout their life span.
i'm seventeen and i only just learned how to ride a bike. it felt extremely embarrassing for me and i have scars from all the tumbles i took (plus the whiplash i got from falling into a steep ditch). but i'll never not be proud of myself! massive props tom! it takes a lot of confidence to learn!!
It's so strange to watch someone's joy of learning something that feels so natural to myself. I almost wish I could forget how to ride a bike just to relearn it. Awesome video!
I've been able to ride a bike for over 70 years, so long that I've forgotten about the original learning process. I love Tom's courage and joy. But at 77, although there are other issues in play. I think I could still recreate his original successful ride!
good luck and keep it up, my grandpa is now 85 and still rides at least 20km a day. It kept him really fit and also fresh in the head in his older years
Riding a bike smoothly is all about the tiny micro-adjustments you need to make to keep the bike stable and pointed straight, and that kind of muscle memory can only be built with repetition. To get as far as you did in just a half hour is honestly incredible, if you continue putting in the practice it won't take long at all to master.
Riding a bike smoothly is about not using the handlebars to balance but instead use your body. I feel like I lean and my hands to hold the handlebars, not move them.
@@dumbasswithadiesel I took a break from riding my bike and went from being able to ride my whole way back from school without hands (downhill and 2 km) to not being able to ride with 1 arm.
@@leonhardfrommhold8463 him saying "the faster the more stable" and "you need the gyroscopic effect" is actually wrong. The only way to stabilize yourself on a bike is by steering, trying to move the bike towards underneath you so that the center of mass stays within the bike. You can't do that if the bike's not moving. But when someone engineered a bike so that it can't steer, even experienced bikers can't balance the bike at all, no matter how fast they go.
@@chrisi7127 Heh, similar experience here. As a kid I was always on my bike, pedaling around the neighbourhood. Later it also became my primary means of transportation for school, sports club, going out, visiting friends, ... About 20 years ago I stopped riding the bike, and picked it up again a couple of years ago. While you don't forget the basics, I'm nowhere near as confident on that thing as I used to be.
Agreed. I love Mike's videos, so having him as a guest on Tom's show is just phenomenal-they're both incredibly personable, great communicators, and have such passion for their craft. This video is so wholesome, it made my day!
Weeks ago i taught my friend how to ride a bike. Then he's sending me this video. I'm still 18 and i feels like a proud father after teaching him how to ride a bike.
Tom hints at a very important part of cycling: looking up and looking where you want to go. A lot of newer cyclists get themselves into trouble because they fixate on an obstacle they want to avoid, rather than focusing on the path they want to take.
@@DinnerForkTongue That’s how people drive their car. Accidents happen when people look at something they aren’t supposed to and the car screws off into the wrong direction.
I don't know whether Tom types his own subtitles or buys them, but I'm not even five minutes in and _(titters and cackles)_ and _(choking groans)_ are already sending me. Seriously folks, if you're not watching with subtitles, they will massively improve your viewing experience, 10/10 (I am also in the boat of _learnt to ride a bike as a small child but never did it again,_ in my case due to a childhood injury that screwed my knee for a good decade plus, and Tom relearning as an adult has persuaded me that maybe I can do the same once I'm done with this surgery and physio)
According to his Twitter, the subtitles here in this channel are worked on by Caption+, with a focus on making it clear who is talking. On regards to relearning how to ride a bike: I don't know if this will help, because the longest I spent without riding a bike was maybe 5 years, but a lot of what we learn we don't really forget, and can remember again after trying it for a bit, but you should take it slow at the start to let yourself remember the basics, and adjust it for your difficulties, which in your case, probably is your knee.
You go mate, I don't know what kind of injury you had but, aside from physio, cycling was the best thing I could do for my knee right after the OP. The beauty of cycling is that, due to the gears, you can choose your effort. Lot of motion ad light load was what did the trick and brought my knee back inline.
3 days ago, i learned to ride a bike because to this video. I had no interest in doing so but realizing that even someone like Tom who has experienced so many things didn't know how to ride a bike was very encouraging.
Fantastic! I didn't know how to ride until I was 18. Decided to do so one day just for the hell of it. Did the waddle thing, then pedalling/braking, then turning.
There's something really comforting about seeing someone with Tom's CV being a novice at something that most people have done all their lives. We all have something to learn about something. 😀
This was an absolute joy to watch! I had my best mate teach me how to ride a bike at 20 years old, in preparation for a night cycling outing THE NEXT DAY 😅 I survived! This video brought back great memories ❤️ Congratulations!
and then, he still would learn as he doesn't know anything else. Normal people are just 100% muscle memory on normal bikes eventually. I haven't ridden a bicycle for 10+ years, but happily step on and drive away (but maybe dutch genes give a + on bicycle driving :) ) Tom wouldn't know anything else, so probarly learns just as fast on the reverse bike compared to normal bike. But then when he steps on a normal bike he has a problem.
This reminds me of the recent Taskmaster episode with a bike-riding task, and Victoria Coren Mitchell not knowing how to ride. You two deserve all the respect for doing this in public!
That "OH!" at the 10:58 mark was a joy to behold. That's the exact moment Tom learned to ride. The realisation that human does not master the machine but becomes an organic part of a larger machine. Once that stage is reached, progress ramps up exponentially. Keep at it Tom, it WILL become easier as you relax into it.
And at 2:40, 15 years later I finally understood why I faceplanted on the Westminster Bridge having to break abruptly during a bike tour. Thank you UK bike breaks!
There are MANY things I love about this video, but one I have to highlight is that I LOVE watching a good teacher work. Patience, correction, praise, demeanor. Heartwarming.
I'm 58 and can't ride a bike. I have known several people who died and several who were seriously injured with lasting brain damage from drivers crashing into them while they were riding bikes, so I am not bothered about learning.
What we've learned here: You CAN forget how to ride a bike - but with a good teacher, you can relearn in about half an hour. Also, great video for Tom Scott Noises™.
It was great watching him accept his abilities and embrace learning something that has haunted him for a long while. The end bit where he did crash reminded me of when I was learning. I was riding on the sidewalk and my brain said "avoid mailbox" well, now I am looking at the mailbox... the mailbox needed a new stand after that. Just like I am sure his brain was like "avoid tripod" and then he focused intently on it leading to the crash.
I know exactly how Tom feels because I had to relearn how to ride a bike twice in my life. Once after being paralyzed from a stroke and later after having a pretty nasty bike crash that trashed my shoulder, I needed to learn how to overcome my fear. Still to this day I bike pretty much everywhere in any weather, from shining bright summer sun to 4am ice and snow packed roads in winter.
There are occasional 'proud dad' vibes here. With people meeting indoors less at the moment again, a quick aimless bike ride is a really great way to meet up with friends. You stay warm, don't need to have a destination necessarily. If that can be combined with a bit of a lesson, fantastic. I would love to teach someone how to ride.
When I heard that, I started second guessing everything I know. I wonder how seamless it is for someone to transition back and forth from bicycles to motorcycles where the clutch is on the left hand and front brake is on the right hand?
The rest of the world where they drive on the right. On the left of the road you need to rear brake with the left hand whilst signalling with the right and crossing traffic to the right for turns. Apparently.
When the seat finally got raised I was so relieved, the cramped position looked so uncomfortable and was probably making things difficult. Good on you for sticking with it!
the problem is, on a most bikes, when the seat is properly aligned you shouldn't be able to reach the ground with your feet. But that's confusing for beginners, because you need to get in the habit of getting off the seatpost when stopping
To minimise strain, you want the seat raised higher, increasing the leverage and cranking force so pedalling is less fatiguing. But when you're just learning, it's better to have it lower so you can keep yourself upright with your feet when you lose balance.
These videos always have me cheering at the end. The raw, unscripted Tom Scott is such an incredible dork, I love watching him come out of his shell. Tom overcoming his weird, dorky fears is always so god damn endearing.
I'm 19 and never learned to ride a bike when I was younger, and this is a really inspiring video to watch. Maybe that's a goal for the new year, when the weather is a bit more suited to it :)
Do it! Riding a bike is incredibly fun! (And healthy, and, depending on where you live, actually quite practical. And cheap: You really don't need a fancy bike at all.)
Like you saw, it's not difficult. Keep your eyes ahead and it will help your sense of balance, and it's all about just subtly shifting your weight and minor steering corrections to keep the bicycle underneath you. You'll instinctually pick it up it after a short while.
It's so surreal watching a 37 year old man learn how to ride a bike. It legit didn't cross my mind that there are adults that can't do that. And it's great to see the joy in your face as you make progress.
As someone who is 18 and just recently learned how to ride a bike, it's remarkable how similar the experience is, but also how natural it feels one something clicks.
Its incredibly weird definitely. Im 19 an just learned how to ride a bike. I dont understand how it works and how to balance it, but it just clicks at some point and my bike stayed stable. Its so weird
i would watch 1000 hours of Tom being less-than completely competent. I genuinely, REALLY love just watching Tom be a guy and try stuff that isn't necessarily for a specifically educational purpose. Just Tom being Tom.
It would have been really interesting to see Tom, a person who has no experience in riding bikes, learning this new skill on the "Backwards Brain Bike" that Mike featured in one of his older videos. How would the learning process compare to someone who has been riding conventional bikes for their intire life? We will never know
Yes we will. It will depend on where your plasticity is at. If you're young it will be the same for both styles, independent of already learned behavior. There has been extensive study here with opposite vision for instance. For adults your plasticity has to be "activated" in order to learn anything. So, for someone with no prior knowledge we can assume the same scenario as if you were young but with the addition of focused learning. For adults with plasticity in place from normal biking, you would essentially need to rewire existing biking neurons or perhaps more likely, rewire some other motoric part of the brain to accommodate opposite cycling. Again, that adult learning will simply be down to your own preparation of modulating plasticity. In a focused environment we can assume that initial bike learning would be unaffected and therefore the learning will have to be fairly substantial, and take longer than a young person.
It's great to normalise learning such "asumed" skills later in life. I would guess not many people do it and definitely would not want it to be broadcasted. Therefore i hope this Video does inspire a lot of them.
There was a brief moment, while planning this video, where we thought about stabilisers. I'm glad we didn't do that. And I'm glad I crashed at least once.
cool
Cool
I'm not going to lie, the thought of you on stabilisers is utterly brilliant. Congrats on learning to ride.
And I'm glad you told me you crashed before I watched, so I know to watch the whole video. Thanks, Tom!
Tom again how many times do I have to tell you to stop time traveling
Tom is likely the only person ever to have learned to fly a jetpack before learning how to ride a bike.
this is so funny
that's rad
And (kind of) a wingsuit!
Underrated
Hahaha
Thanks for having me on the channel Tom. Amazingly fast learning 💪
Great video and guidance Mike!
This video is definitely one of my favorite collabs on Tom's channel
This needs a Pin!
Really nice job on supporting him while giving him enough space to figure it out himself, well done buddy! 💪🏼
next, the reverse steering bike.... and more padding...
Today i learned to ride a bike at 18 years old because to this video. I had no interest in doing so but realizing that even someone like Tom who has experienced so many things didn't know how to ride a bike was very encouraging. Thank you!
Tom Scott also learned to fly a jetpack, so you've got work to do. . .
Great 🎉
How's your experience so far?
@@surbhi_27 it was all good till he was accused of stealing bikes, now is learning not to drop soap
Congrats! 🎉
I feel like Tom Scott not knowing to ride a bike is just the universe making sure it's one of the mildly interesting things he can do in a video
Exactly my thought!
With how progression goes, sometime in September 2022, we’ll be seeing Tom Scott Plus The Queen in “Tom has never been the Prime Minister of England. Can The Queen teach him in an afternoon?”
Representing, of course, Yorkshire
@@Thebrooky12 *waits for Yorkshire chants*
@@GreatLordEli but it's one of those things if your parents or school never taught you it is unlikely that you will learn it as an adult.
Mike: "Do what a toddler does"
Scott: "Cry and scream?"
About a minute later:
*Scott making very convincing toddler noises*
Time?
9:58
Great video Tom! Really enjoyed
@@emab thank you
@@bigrealm8156 @5:06
Which the CC describe as tittering throughout the video XD
What I love about this:
Tom has been in centrifuges, in Fighter Jets, strapped on top of airplanes, etc... but if you just put him on a bike, it's exactly the same energy.
Not even, Tom is More squeamish on a bike than any of those.
@@datdabdoe1417 i think its because most people who are watching know how to ride a bike but almost no one watching knows how to do any of those things,
This is an awesome video! One of my friends at uni grew up never knowing how to ride a bike. His car got totalled and he needed a way to get to work, a 2 mile commute, but not spending two hours commuting on foot each day. So a group of my friends and I spent an afternoon teaching him how to ride a bike. He was bit by the cycling bug and now eight months later he's joining us on a 150 mile, two-day trip along the coast!
2 miles should be a 30 to 40 minute walk. I used to walk 2.6 miles each way to my job and it took under an hour.
@@fabrisseterbrugghe8567 I don't know where OP and friends are from, but a lot of places have insufficient pedestrian infrastructure as well (sidewalks ending abruptly, huge multi-lane mult-directional (st)roads without crosswalks), so traveling by bike over car-centric infrastructure may have been preferential to braving the same route on foot.
2 miles, 2 hours? bro wtf 🤣
2 miles is a 1 hour trip max and that's if you take breaks.
@@NoMoreForeignWars you failed to consider that its a 2 mile commute both ways 🤦🏻♂️ 4 miles in 2 hours is still fairly slow though
As someone who, at 48, has never learned to ride but always wanted to, this makes me think I could actually learn.
Absolutely you can! Cycling is liberating. You might very much enjoy it, just find yourself a safe environment and a patient and calm teacher.
Get yourself someone who teaches it to you and shares your joy! Might still have this Video open, cause the guy had good tips.
Best of luck and have fun! :)
Absolutely. You won't regret it.
It's really not that difficult! You just need to stick with it. People try for 5 minutes and say "can't do it" but they don't realise that all the people that do it without even thinking have been doing it for 20+ years.
I'm sure you can learn it. I believe in you :)
So nice to watch a father-son bonding experience. Tom's a great kid
The oldest kid
Lolol
I was thinking the same thing 😂 he even held him by the shoulders and guided him. True fatherly moment
Such a nurturing parent
@talion more like the middle child (forgotten)
Well done, Tom! Now, come down to Amsterdam and I'll take you out in rush hour bike traffic. ;)
As a Dutch guy, I need to see this. Also, the city planning things you tell could probably work on Tom's channel!
@@lolgeertlol the script to my recent video about "the wrong way to set speed limits" originally started as a proposed guest video for Tom Scott's main channel that never panned out.
@@NotJustBikes wow that's some cool NJB lore
I wonder if he'd hate coaster brakes as much as I do! I love living in Amsterdam but Dutch bikes are not for me
yo Jason can you do a video about Münster? Many see this as the definitive bike-friendly German city, but is it?
Gotta say, learning that Tom doesn't (or didn't) know how to ride a bike makes me feel a lot better about myself for not knowing either. And actually, more motivated. This was infinitely more helpful than any person who teases or mocks someone for not knowing how to ride one. Thanks Tom.
Did you learn how to ride a bike yet?
Absolutely
Did you learn how to ride?
@@joakimberg7897 not yet... I promise that I'll learn by 1 year from now and give an update!
@@bread8465Goodluck!!
That might be the most overkill bike someone has ever learned to ride on. I wish I had me a carbon frame! So cool to see Tom learning.
For real. I wish I had a bike half as nice.
To be honest, I feel that bike actually made it harder to learn. Mountain bikes and similar bikes are usually more nervous in their reaction. Depending on the frame geometry some bikes are much easier to ride (where you can easily ride without hands on the bar) than others. My road bike is super easy to keep the balance on (though I wouldn't use a road bike to teach somebody due to its seating position).
@@astorMorisson I think the bike being a full sus might have made a difference. Maybe with the shock locked out it might be easier for a beginner to learn. Although the slack head angle of a mountainbike should make the bike more stable when moving. Wider bars probably helped too, due to providing more control to the wheel instead of having it go everywhere in a panic.
I'm envious of the fox 36 suspension... My stumpjumper has fox 35, though so I can't even complain
Cries in 100$ MTB
After the obvious "HOW CAN TOM NOT RIDE A BIKE?", I would just like to recognize the courage of exposing yourself and your ineptitudes in front of our all. Kudos to you!
I'm not enormously surprised, since I've met people who don't know. Well, one. But I taught her how to ride my old mountain bike and gave it to her as a reward. For me, it was a way of paying back a friend I had in highschool who taught me how to ride a skateboard and then gave me one of his.
For every thing I know how to do well, there are at least a thousand that I am completely inept at.
I find that such thoughts keep me sensible. :)
If you look at his whole channel there is now a multitude of areas he has a higher-than-average skill of now so I think it makes up for it.
@@naverilllang I mean, in the end he's just 31:14 minutes behind
As a keen and frequent cyclist, it almost feels a little weird how proud and joyful this made me. Congratulations on joining the cycle world Tom!
I had the exact same feeling. 👍
I just kept having to tell myself I was not watching a dad teach his kid. It has the same sort of energy. :)
Came here to say much the same. Having got my youngest riding very recently I recognise a few parts of the process!
Yes, I was smiling like an idiot...
Well said. Nice to have another cyclist.
For some reason I only just now saw this video, but Tom is the definition of no ego getting in the way of anything. Admitting to millions of people that you don’t know how to ride a bike, and then actually doing something about it is admirable. Same with the rollercoaster. Thank you, Tom!
Excellent work Tom, inspiring! Let me know if you’d like to take off that training wheel and give unicycling a go…
Hi Ed!
Tom Scott Unicycling - come on 2022 bring the one wheel action!
Yaaas, love your channel dude!
we want tim alive! haha
Love your videos
Mike:"Hes got balls, this guy's got balls"
Tom: "Im very aware of that thanks to the saddle"
Just hilarious
7:21
Didnt notice, that was funny
Seeing this right after getting penile numbness from biking is certainly an experience.
I gotta tell ya riding a bike is way more comfy without them than with
I’m really enjoying these “Tom makes himself giddy doing something we all take for granted” videos. Keep it going, Tom!
And "Tom makes himself giddy riding with the Red Arrows", but slightly different energy
I love that is is unintentionally implying that blacksmithing is something we all do regularly
@@jeravogel Yea and I do aerobatics all the time
He's right on track to be a normal human one of these days
This was so heart-warming to witness. Maybe Tom had felt a bit of embarrassment over the years that he couldn't ride a bike, so maybe it had built up in his mind a bit? Idk. But with Mike being so encouraging and full of praise, he helped Tom overcome his fears. For Tom to go from "I can't ride a bike" to "I've totally got this on my own now" in half a bloody hour is just amazing! Well done to both of them, but to Tom especially.
I'm over 30 and only learned to swim last year (no fear of water, just didn't get around to it), and also only learned to drive in my late 20s.
So I really feel for Tom during these kind of videos he's been making.
I'm always surprised when people say they can't swim, because here in Sweden it's mandatory to learn as a child and is a part of the school curriculum. You have to be able to swim at least 200 meters, of which at least 50 meters has to be on your back in order to pass gym class.
@@leetri its easier to do it on the back tbh
@doobie thats because your lungs are toward your back and while face down their flotation ability is the same but keeps your torso lower in the water. If floating on your back your lungs are actually under your heart and ribs and you're more stable. Plus you can lift your head to get breath without too much loss of float.
@@leetri I did not like swimming classes at all. I think the instance of teaching breaststroke held me back when it came to learning to swim, it was only with moving to front crawl which I found much easier to coordinate and avoided too much water in my face that I finally managed to swim. It might not be a perfect crawl, but it worked and worked well. It didn't help that the swimming teacher did all instructions standing up instead of laying down which made it much harder to wrap around in my head.
@@leetri
Same in Norway, but even though I could swim (if not necessary well) as a toddler, I had to re-learn when I was ten due to a prolonged gap in my practice.
Never thought I'd be impressed watching someone ride a bike - but this perfectly captures the essence of learning. It feels embarrassing and awkward until it doesn't anymore. Nicely done, Tom!
seeing two grown men get as excited as I felt when i taught my friend how to ride a bike as a kid was wonderful
Mike too bro hes a great teacher.
This was so eye-opening. As a mountain biker/cyclist, I get so worked up about how I can't bunny hop or ride high drops or keep up with the pros and so on. I so often forget that I taught myself how to ride when I was nine years old and simply enjoyed riding ever since, until I got serious about riding as a sport. Now I've been too obsessed with technique and perfect conditions that I just about never ride. I've taken for granted the fact that I can ride a bike at all, let alone ride technical trails and ride in road traffic. I think it's time I looked at riding like I did when I was a kid.
That's a nice perspective. As we reach a "pro" or advanced level in a skill, we tend to forget how far we've come to get there.
Bro I feel the same way with my drums and musics
Some people even cycle without hands. I never could.
@@Ardjano234 i just learnt that about a month ago, the trick Is to take your hands off longer and longer until it works
@@Ardjano234 I've found that it's easiest on mountain bikes with wide tires, since they're more stable and stay straight longer, due to the wide tires.
Riding a bike is something that is quite hard to do before your body learns balance, but once it does, it takes zero effort to maintain that balance and it becomes second nature - it took me around 10 mins to learn with help from my father
This video is so wholesome to me because it totally reminds me of my bike riding training with my dad and the joy I felt when I mastered it
Is it possible to self learn it?
@@crazymadstriker766 Absolutely, but it will almost certainly take a bit longer. Learning as an adult takes longer than when you are a kid as well. When Destin from SmarterEveryDay was learning the backwards brain bicycle, he said he practiced for 5 or 10 minutes per day, for like two weeks. Same thing when I learned to ride without my hands steering.
Just commit to starting slow, and not giving up. It isn't going to be super easy or quick or fun, but it is definitely possible, and the rewards are great.
@@crazymadstriker766 Yep. learning new motor skills isn't like learning a new language. Contrary to the previous response adults actually can learn how to do these kind of skills as fast or faster than children BUT children are less cautious of hurting themselves and will jump in to it quicker. Adults are generally more cautious (maturity and life experience) and thus may take a little longer learning new tasks that may lead to injury when done incorrectly.
Seeing this level of joy in an adult, not only reminds me of the true power of the bicycle - but also makes me wish I could go back and learn to ride again.
Learn something else, like roller skating or skate boarding or skiing or take the next 2 wheel step to a motorcycle, learning new skills is satisfying
@@rustyshackleford9632 You're dead right, fella!
Ive never learned and this made me feel so similarly- I cant wait to learn now! If it wasnt pouring rain and midnight I would be out trying literally right now
@@katwilliams5661 Yes Kathleen! Get a friend to give you a few lessons. Relax, look ahead and enjoy the ride!
To make you jealous i have yet to learn about how to ride a motorised two wheeler and how to drive a car.
:>
Its so wholesome to see a guy talking about computer science, physics and other stuff didn't know how to ride a bike. But has the confidence to show his learning progress to the public.
It's just a perfect example That people don't know everything, may it even be such basic thing like riding a bike.
Thanks Tom,
Love your videos
Equal parts confidence and humility
Just really delightful to watch someone learn a new skill like this
The most valuable thing you can know is how much you really do not know. Makes life so much more interesting.
When you are born in the Alps skiing is a basic skill when you are born in London or Paris it is not. Having a pair of sky at three helps. Having a bike at three helps too.
I love how Mike says "You shouldn't be embarrassed because it's admirable what you're doing". So true, learning new skills on your own time to improve yourself should never ever be embarrassing, no matter your starting point.
Absolutely.
Learning a new physical skill as an adult is far more difficult and daunting than as a kid. Adults are more breakable and understand pain and mortality better than children do (plus they're made of rubber while adults are made of glass).
Facts!
it's embarrassing when u spent so much time and u don't improve
It's also very good for your brain, especially as you get older. People often stop learning new skills and that just makes neural deterioration faster.
That advice sounds so good to hear ❤
This helped me feel less ashamed of myself for not being able to do some stuff people consider "common knowledge" and proves that there is no age limit to learning new skills, thank you Tom.
Can't wait for "Things you might not know" or "Amazing Places" episodes in a few months where Tom tells the story while riding a bike.
Omg yes!!!!! That's the follow up video we NEED!
It's crazy how different the realities of people can be. I use my bike for my daily commute and just to get anywhere (I don't have a driver's license yet) and Tom who knows and does a million things didn't know how to ride a bike until now.
this might be weird but by any chance dutch?
And I can't drive (never will, weird vision) and won't learn to bike (never will, bad balance and weird vision). But I have about a zillion craft hobbies 🙂
@@steinschwarz4674 Nope, German. Not dying in traffic as a bike rider is a bit more of a challenge here.
@@hammerth1421 it may be more of a challenge than in Germany due to the poor infrastructure, but it's still far far smaller challenge than people think. Cycling, even in the UK, is a safe activity (injuries per hour on a bike etc.), I think you'd have to cycle something like 300,000 miles to statistically be likely to die riding a bike (logically, most people would be old and die long before that!!).
@@ridefree4076 Don't forget that common sense reduces the risk by a lot. Having lights, a helmet, and just acting in a predictable way (like when driving) can go a long way.
I learnt how to ride a bike this week, at the age of 17, because of this video. Thank you for the confidence!
Good job dude. Welcome in the biking community
Love it 💪🏼
Absolute unit
Go you!
👍👍👍
Riding a bike is a very natural sensation, after you get the initial hang of it, your body just sorta falls into autopilot as the bike just becomes an extension of you. It's hard to describe, but everyone who rides a bike knows what I'm talking about. It comes as naturally as walking.
I always described it as utter freedom. I'm petrified of driving a car (I avoid it) but give me a bike and a properly fitted helmet and the world is mine to explore.
@@kamicokrolockwait until you discover moterbikes 😯
@@DSN262 Personally I've learned that riding an e-bike is SUPER weird for me given that I roughly know how far a given pedaling force will propel me forward and the electric support completely messes that feel up for me.
I hope so, I took a lesson yesterday and still don’t get it
@@DSN262 If someone's terrified of driving a car (lmao), then motorbikes are likely out of the question.
My dad taught me to cycle by having me cycle down a hill. It definitely worked. I think the hill helps keep that momentum. However, it does make the inevitable crashes rather more dramatic.
I've done this with 3 of my kids and they were all successfully riding on their own within 30 min. The trick was finding a medium hill so they didn't get going too fast to begin with.
same for me, but i think when you are smaller its a much bigger effort to spin the crank so the hill helps more drastically
My older sister gave me a push from top of a small hill. Got the hang of balancing instantly. Tried to turn, crashed, then instantly knew how to turn. Still at it more than 50 years later. Was 9 years old when I learned. Sister decided I needed to learn to ride.
I had stabilisers and still crashed a few times
I learned how to properly ride when one of the stabilisers fell off
This is what happened to me, except a macadamia tree was waiting at the other end for me
This is endearing as all heck. Fun to watch.
:)
Max Box is alive???
get good get lmaobox
From a Dutch POV, that looks like such an intimidating bike for a learner, haha. But I can totally imagine how hard it would be to learn that initial balancing when you're a fully risk-aware adult.
It's amazing how natural it looks after 30 minutes though.
I'm just thinking how I just pushed my kids on their little bikes - "there you go!" Learning as a little less risk aware person is better- bravo tom for picking this up!
That mtb is probably more expensive than my motorcycle
@@Daniel-dj7fh For real.
@@sarahprunierlaw9147 At most with a helmet, but probably without that even.
Absolutely. Een standaard fiets = much easier
This is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. I really love both these guys' channels and just seeing two grown men be vulnerable and encouraging, helping each other grow and learn and being kind and supportive is truly wonderful.
Anyone who dares try something new and go through the really mortifying part of being bad at it, deserves credit in my opinion. Anyone who has the guts to do that with something that is viewed as "basic" and thus bizarrely stigmatised to learn, is being braver than most! You did great, Tom, and I hope you keep enjoying cycling! ^^
Then add an audience! Now that's scary!
This is how I feel about skateboarding. It’s really cool to see people push themselves and succeed
Veritasium: “Bikes do not use gyroscopic motion to balance”
Mike Boyd: “This is a GYROSCOPE, GO FASTER”
Same, I watched that Veritasium video right before this one!
@@alexanderzieschang2664 also same
well it also will help a bit
Derek did explain that gyroscopic precession is at least partly responsible for the bike's tendency to right itself.
Hahah same!!
As a 23 year old, I've always been ashamed of not knowing how to ride a bike; I've fallen from a bike before learning how to do it when I was about 10 years old and I've been traumatized of that experience since. This year, I've finally gotten the courage and will to learn how to do it, and let me tell you, what you're seeing Tom go through was exactly the same I went through. The same reactions, the euphoria of balancing the bike and pedalling without the support of someone, it's all the same!
Thank you, Tom.
Everyone falls off a bike
@@alanhillyard1639 "Why do we fall sir? So we can learn to pick ourselves up"
I was considered a slow learner as a child. It took my family a while to teach me to tie my shoelaces and learn how to tell time.
It wasn't till years later I was diagnosed with dyslexia. Thats why learning to do those simple tasks took me so long. It was a huge relief finding out why I had difficulty learning.
There are many reasons why people don't learn certain things.
@@alanhillyard1639
Yup. Biking on hard-packed snow without winter tyres certainly wasn’t my brightest idea. Neither was trying to turn onto the main road below the hill where I live at speed (be a the brakes were in need of some maintenance) on a freezing but snow-free morning when there was quite a lot of loose gravel on the asphalt. (Don’t worry, I didn’t crash into anything, just fell because I lost traction during the turn - both times, though not the same turn.)
@@alanhillyard1639 Oh, I know, I fell off it literally the next day, but the difference, this time, was that I got it. When I was a kid, I was nowhere near learning how to balance the damn thing.
It's one thing to watch Tom learn something so simple, but realizing how many people don't get the experience of learning to ride a bike as a child, I'm glad they'll at least get to experience it through you. 💕
"You're never too old to have a happy childhood."
This quote has stuck with me for a long time. I used to think it was stupid because it's not the same when you're an adult with all the fears and cynicism and reality.
But I think the idea is to allow yourself the naivety and wonderment of childhood in adulthood.
Being a child is literally needed for a childhood, unless the saying goes "you're never too old to act like a child" yes it is
Wise
@@Apudurangdinya The point is that one is stopping us from not feeling the endless wonder and curiosity we had in childhood, "never too old to act like a child" has a completely different meaning.
"with all the fears and cynicism and reality"
bruh what i thought that was something you always had
@@kiwi_2_official "reality" for a kid is often a small isolated bubble world with twisted concepts and no perspective.
This is a very brave thing you’re doing Tom. It’s also totally wholesome and an inspiration for anyone feeling embarassed about not knowing some thing in adult life. I learned to drive in my late 30’s, I’ve known people who’ve learned to swim well into their adult life and even a person who learned to read & write well beyond middle age. Absolutely NO ONE has ever regretted doing so.
Great work Tom, thank you!
I honestly this is one of the best videos Tom has ever made.
My great grandmother learned how to swim at age 80 or so! Never stop learning and you’ll stay young!
This "brave" is being tossed around so much it has no meaning. You're brave for being alive, brave for walking, brave for talking, brave brave brave.
This isn't brave in my eyes, what's brave is something that can risk your life, driving a car into another loaded with explosives because you're a stunt devil? Brave. Astronaut? Brave. Beating speed records? Brave.
Wingsuit flying? Paragliding? Base jumping? Fast downhill riding with the bike? Racing? Fighting? Being a soldier? Brave
Learning to ride a bike at 5km/h over grass? No not so much.
Of course this is just my perspective, I find the word is tossed around and thus loses its meaning. Doesn't mean it's right.
@@sacr3 Doing something even though it is scary and embarassing? That’s the very definition and meaning of brave. And even if it wasn’t, why be a grinch about it? Go do something fun instead of spoiling someone else’s.
@@zl4518 I disagree, a UFC fighter faces extreme bouts of pain for both entertainment as well as money.
Admitting to something is brave?
Well, let's agree to disagree I suppose since we both have our own viewpoints. It's no wonder in my eyes we have such a sensitive nation if simply saying "I can't ride a bike" is comparable to a pilot landing his plane in water due to a bird strike.
What a fantastic teacher Boyd is. Patient, attentive and totally without ego or barriers. It was a joy watching Tom learn this.
I think when you've had to teach yourself loads of random things that have little carryover you humble yourself and realise how hard some things can be for others. Teaching people a load of random things might be a worthwhile thing for development.
@@hugodogobob I have always learned a lot more from teaching than from learning and I've learned everything from learning.
I love how excited and enthusiastic Mike is with Tom, he makes a good teacher
It's fascinating to see someone knowing the physics of riding a bike before actually doing it.
There’s a second where you hear someone yell “oh, nearly!” And I absolutely love to imagine the sheer joy that would be being able to watch an adult stranger learn to ride a bike in real time while you’re just out at the park
6:50
I think it was the camerawoman
@@wiley-harris-anderson I like to envision it being his mom.
XDDD
Yes!
love how at 10:33 mike says the bike will ride itself and tom is like "no it bloody won't" and mike proceeds to demonstrate the bike riding by itself. like i knew the physics behind it but it still caught me off guard
Ghost ride the whip
There were competitions to prove how bikes stay up by themselves
When i was a kid i used to ride as fast as possible, just to step off and let the bike go on its own. We even had a dirt pile against a wall and let the bike do backflips on its own by bouncing off the wall.
I used to jump off the back of my bike and see it riding on for a few more feet
you should see a ghost motorcycle they can got for miles
Tom's joy at achieving something - bike riding, tightrope walking, riding a roller coaster - puts THE biggest smile on my face. Keep being brave, Tom, and encouraging the rest of us!
Well put ❤
This must be how parents feel when their kid does something cool. I feel parentally proud of Tom Scott.
Yes, that's very much true. Teaching your kid to ride a bike is a wonderful experience.
15:15 seeing your kid ride off into the sunset.. *proud parent sounds*
I taught my youngest to ride yesterday, and I felt exactly the same as this
It's kind of incredible how much of riding a bike is just getting yourself to trust that it behaves consistently
I think this might apply to the learning of anything
It's intuition and muscle memory
@marcoscolga24 I mean bike riders should watch out for traffic laws and road hazards too, but I get your point
Gotta say, Mike is a really good coach. It makes sense, with how much time he's spent thinking about learning, but things like having Tom only do a half-pedal to start off or getting him up to speed with his feet on the pedals were great ideas I wouldn't have thought of myself.
I am Dutch and to have someone te live this long and not ride a bike is insane to me. I love his dedication to learn!
Same
Another Dutch here! I completely agree with you; hopes he keeps cycling enough to not unlearn cycling again.
He said he apparently did ride when he was younger.
Lots of us learned to ride as kids b/c it's a thing parents know they are supposed to teach their kids, but then end up living somewhere bicycle unfriendly for years and forget how to do it, and have to relearn as adults. I learned when I was about 12-14, but living in a car-infested city, if I wanted to ride to school I had to go down a super steep hill with a bus route on it that ends in a very busy intersection of 2 four-lane roads, then take one of those four lane roads through an underpass under a rail line, then past a highway on/off, to another very busy intersection of a 4-lane one-way street and a 4-lane two-way street both of which have bus lines on them across that intersection and then find somewhere to park my bike where there wasn't even a bike rack at the school. And the only mall / hang-out space within cycle distance was the grotty downtown one surrounded by unhoused people where half the stores have gone out of business and are just shuttered up.
I'm calling it: Within about a year, Tom is going to be jumping over buses on a motorbike.
That's a mental image I'm never getting out of my head. Thanks!
In a year remind me or I’ll remind you, I don’t think I will
And traversing Britain with his motorbike and jetpack
Mike: He's got balls
Tom: I'm very aware of that, thanks to the saddle
Creasing 🤣🤣🤣
Dammit, spoiler
@@XDarkGreyX Spoiler: Tom has balls.
5:05 Aaaa
There are bike seats made for men. They have a strategic depression in the seat located where men would find them very handy.
That's the second time on this channel Tom has been very aware of his balls causing potential discomfort.
Hearing Tom’s cheers each time he achieves a progression in ability is incredibly heart warming.
I love the Monty Pythonesque vibe of him riding towards the trees and shouting to himself the whole way :) But what I really love is that he has the courage to learn something scary and new as an adult, especially something as fun and healthy as cycling. Like so many things, it's more about attitude and determination and crossing the fear barrier than anything else. Much respect--and to his fine teacher, too.
This is actually a good blueprint of how to teach someone (usually a child) how to ride a bicycle. Mike Boyd knows what he's doing.
Just don't use a high end bike. Learning on such a bike how to use it is like learning how to drive a car with a Ferrari with carbon brakes.
@@cyan_oxy6734 but the ferrari is automatic ususally so it is easier than trying it on a 20 year old manual car with no power to get started.
@@cyan_oxy6734 It's really not even remotely the same. It's expensive but it's no more difficult to ride.. Actually it's easier to ride because it's lighter and has a greater ability to fine tune the gears to make the rider feel comfortable. The only thi g you should look out for is the touchy brakes, but as you seen in this video.. Tom didn't even need to use the brakes.
If you're worrying about the expense of the bike, (as if falling off it is going to damage it so you're better off using a cheap bike) it's important to remember that these MTBs are designed with durability in mind because they're going to hit trees and take tumbles down a mountainside throughout their life span.
@@cyan_oxy6734 people should use what they can afford. If they can afford to crash a $20k bike like nothing, then do it.
@@mega20able they said usually a child, because usually it's a child who is learning. Usually.
ah yes, someone finally proved the saying wrong. *You can, in fact, forget how to ride a bike.*
So it took 30 years to forget it
@@kaikart123 Write it down!
and swimming. i forgot how to swim. still can’t 😂
@@stegothedino that’s not good
@@kaikart123 So 29 is the limit...
Mike Boyd is an incredible teacher, you did well in picking someone to guide you through acquiring an emotionally fraught skill.
i'm seventeen and i only just learned how to ride a bike. it felt extremely embarrassing for me and i have scars from all the tumbles i took (plus the whiplash i got from falling into a steep ditch). but i'll never not be proud of myself! massive props tom! it takes a lot of confidence to learn!!
It's so strange to watch someone's joy of learning something that feels so natural to myself. I almost wish I could forget how to ride a bike just to relearn it. Awesome video!
Mi li sin toki e ni
It's fascinating to see somebody learn this while being able to articulate the challenges and thought processes in this much detail.
I've been able to ride a bike for over 70 years, so long that I've forgotten about the original learning process. I love Tom's courage and joy. But at 77, although there are other issues in play. I think I could still recreate his original successful ride!
Goodluck on it pal! Wishing you the best.
good luck and keep it up, my grandpa is now 85 and still rides at least 20km a day. It kept him really fit and also fresh in the head in his older years
I would like this video, but it's at 777 and you're age 77 and the numbers just line up so perfectly, you know? Thanks for sharing your experience!
@@kilo3989 No i don't know. WTF is the alignment of 7s supposed to mean?
@@skipgilbrech5598 LMFAO
“You’ve got time to think.” There is profound wisdom in that one line.
I thought that 20 minutes of 'Tom Scott learns how to ride a bike' would be tedious.
I was so wrong - this was entirely joyous!
Same! Love Tom haha
Likewise!
Riding a bike smoothly is all about the tiny micro-adjustments you need to make to keep the bike stable and pointed straight, and that kind of muscle memory can only be built with repetition. To get as far as you did in just a half hour is honestly incredible, if you continue putting in the practice it won't take long at all to master.
Riding a bike smoothly is about not using the handlebars to balance but instead use your body. I feel like I lean and my hands to hold the handlebars, not move them.
@@dumbasswithadiesel I took a break from riding my bike and went from being able to ride my whole way back from school without hands (downhill and 2 km) to not being able to ride with 1 arm.
@@leonhardfrommhold8463 him saying "the faster the more stable" and "you need the gyroscopic effect" is actually wrong. The only way to stabilize yourself on a bike is by steering, trying to move the bike towards underneath you so that the center of mass stays within the bike. You can't do that if the bike's not moving. But when someone engineered a bike so that it can't steer, even experienced bikers can't balance the bike at all, no matter how fast they go.
@@othamneil8958 Looks like someone whatched the same video latedly as me
@@chrisi7127 Heh, similar experience here. As a kid I was always on my bike, pedaling around the neighbourhood. Later it also became my primary means of transportation for school, sports club, going out, visiting friends, ... About 20 years ago I stopped riding the bike, and picked it up again a couple of years ago. While you don't forget the basics, I'm nowhere near as confident on that thing as I used to be.
Got to say, Mike Boyd is definitely your best option for riding a bike, good choice!
Agreed. I love Mike's videos, so having him as a guest on Tom's show is just phenomenal-they're both incredibly personable, great communicators, and have such passion for their craft. This video is so wholesome, it made my day!
As someone who can't ride a bike I wish I could get Mike Boyd to help me.
Weeks ago i taught my friend how to ride a bike. Then he's sending me this video.
I'm still 18 and i feels like a proud father after teaching him how to ride a bike.
Tom hints at a very important part of cycling: looking up and looking where you want to go. A lot of newer cyclists get themselves into trouble because they fixate on an obstacle they want to avoid, rather than focusing on the path they want to take.
I had the same exact issue when I was learning to drive a car
Aye. When moving, humans literally look where they're going and go where they're looking. This is a big part of how to pick lines in mountain biking.
@@DinnerForkTongue That’s how people drive their car. Accidents happen when people look at something they aren’t supposed to and the car screws off into the wrong direction.
@@markm0000
"EYES ON THE ROAD" is an old warning for good reason!
Goes double for riding a mototcycle. You end up where you're looking but much faster.
I don't know whether Tom types his own subtitles or buys them, but I'm not even five minutes in and _(titters and cackles)_ and _(choking groans)_ are already sending me. Seriously folks, if you're not watching with subtitles, they will massively improve your viewing experience, 10/10
(I am also in the boat of _learnt to ride a bike as a small child but never did it again,_ in my case due to a childhood injury that screwed my knee for a good decade plus, and Tom relearning as an adult has persuaded me that maybe I can do the same once I'm done with this surgery and physio)
(Blabbers) and (yelps) are golden!
According to his Twitter, the subtitles here in this channel are worked on by Caption+, with a focus on making it clear who is talking.
On regards to relearning how to ride a bike: I don't know if this will help, because the longest I spent without riding a bike was maybe 5 years, but a lot of what we learn we don't really forget, and can remember again after trying it for a bit, but you should take it slow at the start to let yourself remember the basics, and adjust it for your difficulties, which in your case, probably is your knee.
You go mate, I don't know what kind of injury you had but, aside from physio, cycling was the best thing I could do for my knee right after the OP.
The beauty of cycling is that, due to the gears, you can choose your effort.
Lot of motion ad light load was what did the trick and brought my knee back inline.
I never thought seeing a grown man learn to ride a bike would be this cool.
how can anyone think this is cool? its embarrassing and cringeworthy
@@TheWeardale1 how is watching someone learn a skill not cool?
@@TheWeardale1 ratio then
@@TheWeardale1 It's like learning to swim. A lot of adults don't know how to swim and it's the same as riding a bicycle. Learning is always cool.
Have you seen Victoria Coren Mitchell learn to do it? It's a thing of beauty
3 days ago, i learned to ride a bike because to this video. I had no interest in doing so but realizing that even someone like Tom who has experienced so many things didn't know how to ride a bike was very encouraging.
Nice!
Fantastic! I didn't know how to ride until I was 18. Decided to do so one day just for the hell of it. Did the waddle thing, then pedalling/braking, then turning.
@@oz_jones Thank you
There's something really comforting about seeing someone with Tom's CV being a novice at something that most people have done all their lives. We all have something to learn about something. 😀
other than Tom. Riding a bike was the last thing on his list of things left to learn
Agree 100%. The coffee episode has the same energy, and I love it!
You have to know something about something or you couldn't tie your shoes?!
Oops... Wrong channel
This was an absolute joy to watch! I had my best mate teach me how to ride a bike at 20 years old, in preparation for a night cycling outing THE NEXT DAY 😅 I survived! This video brought back great memories ❤️ Congratulations!
Thats lovely
True friendship.
Best way to learn is to jump in at the deep end.
This is impossible in the netherlands. Once you are physically able to ride a bike, you ride a bike here
@@romkeveenkamp9987 I thought you guys could ride a bike straight out the womb?
imagine how evil Mike could've been by giving Tom the backwards bike to start with
actually it would have been a really good experiment, to see how someone learning from scratch would find it.
That would be a cool idea
I think SmarterEveryday did exactly that
and then, he still would learn as he doesn't know anything else. Normal people are just 100% muscle memory on normal bikes eventually. I haven't ridden a bicycle for 10+ years, but happily step on and drive away (but maybe dutch genes give a + on bicycle driving :) )
Tom wouldn't know anything else, so probarly learns just as fast on the reverse bike compared to normal bike. But then when he steps on a normal bike he has a problem.
@@kanarie93 Being so new to the concept, he might just go "ok this one works in reverse" and go on with it without even thinking that was odd.
I love that Mike’s commentary can sound like a parent filming a home video, a nature documentarian, or a golf announcer!
Taskmaster had Victoria Coren Mitchell learning how to ride a bike for a task as her lack of knowledge was unknown to the producers and task writers
You mean Old Goosebump Arm!
This reminds me of the recent Taskmaster episode with a bike-riding task, and Victoria Coren Mitchell not knowing how to ride. You two deserve all the respect for doing this in public!
That "OH!" at the 10:58 mark was a joy to behold. That's the exact moment Tom learned to ride. The realisation that human does not master the machine but becomes an organic part of a larger machine. Once that stage is reached, progress ramps up exponentially. Keep at it Tom, it WILL become easier as you relax into it.
And at 2:40, 15 years later I finally understood why I faceplanted on the Westminster Bridge having to break abruptly during a bike tour. Thank you UK bike breaks!
There are MANY things I love about this video, but one I have to highlight is that I LOVE watching a good teacher work. Patience, correction, praise, demeanor. Heartwarming.
I wouldn't bring Patience for this video though. It was just 30 minutes. Tom was a fast learner.
Most teachers won't be frustrated within 30 minutes
@@anomanderrake5434 It's edited down.
@@CariettaW its still 30min in real time. The 30min were cut down to like 16min
Thank you for being so honest! It´s not embarassing to not have learned something, it´s embarassing to refuse to keep on learning.
I'm 58 and can't ride a bike. I have known several people who died and several who were seriously injured with lasting brain damage from drivers crashing into them while they were riding bikes, so I am not bothered about learning.
@@pattheplanter
Sounds like the drivers in your area could use some lessons on how to share the road with cyclists.
@Dango United Kingdom. Causing death by dangerous driving had never been taken seriously as a form of murder until very recently.
What we've learned here: You CAN forget how to ride a bike - but with a good teacher, you can relearn in about half an hour.
Also, great video for Tom Scott Noises™.
It was great watching him accept his abilities and embrace learning something that has haunted him for a long while. The end bit where he did crash reminded me of when I was learning. I was riding on the sidewalk and my brain said "avoid mailbox" well, now I am looking at the mailbox... the mailbox needed a new stand after that. Just like I am sure his brain was like "avoid tripod" and then he focused intently on it leading to the crash.
Genuinely enjoy seeing Tom be proud of himself for achieving something.
Makes me wonder what I can achieve in 31 minutes. 🤔
I know exactly how Tom feels because I had to relearn how to ride a bike twice in my life. Once after being paralyzed from a stroke and later after having a pretty nasty bike crash that trashed my shoulder, I needed to learn how to overcome my fear. Still to this day I bike pretty much everywhere in any weather, from shining bright summer sun to 4am ice and snow packed roads in winter.
There are occasional 'proud dad' vibes here.
With people meeting indoors less at the moment again, a quick aimless bike ride is a really great way to meet up with friends. You stay warm, don't need to have a destination necessarily. If that can be combined with a bit of a lesson, fantastic. I would love to teach someone how to ride.
It's so nice seeing adults learning to ride a bike. I learnt to ride a bike when I was 20 and I was so embarrassed that I didn't learn it earlier.
Wait, british bikes have the front brake on the right? That's not just different in EU, that's different every where else in the world lmao
When I heard that, I started second guessing everything I know. I wonder how seamless it is for someone to transition back and forth from bicycles to motorcycles where the clutch is on the left hand and front brake is on the right hand?
Maybe it's because they ride on the left or something.
Damn Brits...
We're such wankers that we do it on the bike and need our right hands free.
The rest of the world where they drive on the right. On the left of the road you need to rear brake with the left hand whilst signalling with the right and crossing traffic to the right for turns. Apparently.
When the seat finally got raised I was so relieved, the cramped position looked so uncomfortable and was probably making things difficult. Good on you for sticking with it!
mike should have told him not to sit on the seat but to stand on the pedals, the seat is really only for relief
The seat was still too low in the end.. Usually you want your legs almost completely stretched when the pedal is in the lowest position.
the problem is, on a most bikes, when the seat is properly aligned you shouldn't be able to reach the ground with your feet. But that's confusing for beginners, because you need to get in the habit of getting off the seatpost when stopping
To minimise strain, you want the seat raised higher, increasing the leverage and cranking force so pedalling is less fatiguing. But when you're just learning, it's better to have it lower so you can keep yourself upright with your feet when you lose balance.
Exactly my thoughts. He should have had it in the right position right away, otherwise he'll end up dropping the pedals like he did
I've been a cyclist for 53 years and a teacher for 33 years and I found this video thought-provoking, fascinating and delightful. Thanks!
These videos always have me cheering at the end. The raw, unscripted Tom Scott is such an incredible dork, I love watching him come out of his shell. Tom overcoming his weird, dorky fears is always so god damn endearing.
I'm 19 and never learned to ride a bike when I was younger, and this is a really inspiring video to watch. Maybe that's a goal for the new year, when the weather is a bit more suited to it :)
I learned recently and it is very fun once you get it down, gl! :)
Good luck :) I hope you ace it and enjoy it. Cycling can be really fun and healthy to introduce into your lifestyle. There is no harm in learning
Do it! Riding a bike is incredibly fun! (And healthy, and, depending on where you live, actually quite practical. And cheap: You really don't need a fancy bike at all.)
Why not do it now so you enjoy all your riding in the great weather next year? Good luck!
Like you saw, it's not difficult. Keep your eyes ahead and it will help your sense of balance, and it's all about just subtly shifting your weight and minor steering corrections to keep the bicycle underneath you. You'll instinctually pick it up it after a short while.
It's so surreal watching a 37 year old man learn how to ride a bike. It legit didn't cross my mind that there are adults that can't do that. And it's great to see the joy in your face as you make progress.
Watching as a Dutchie I was also watching something I've never seen before. Also how scared/uncomfortable Tom is. Cycling is second nature for me.
It's probably a lot more common that you'd think, I have multiple friends that don't know how to ride a bike
Fairly common, unfortunately, if you live in a non-bike friendly place.
@@cosmicreciever Depends on where you live. I personally don't know anyone who doesn't know how to ride one.
Very common. I, like a lot of my friends can't ride bikes. But, I can swim, which a lot of people can't
As someone who is 18 and just recently learned how to ride a bike, it's remarkable how similar the experience is, but also how natural it feels one something clicks.
Its incredibly weird definitely. Im 19 an just learned how to ride a bike. I dont understand how it works and how to balance it, but it just clicks at some point and my bike stayed stable. Its so weird
The joy on his face when he finally got it made me genuinely smile. He's going to have a blast riding a bike for the rest of his life.
i would watch 1000 hours of Tom being less-than completely competent. I genuinely, REALLY love just watching Tom be a guy and try stuff that isn't necessarily for a specifically educational purpose. Just Tom being Tom.
It would have been really interesting to see Tom, a person who has no experience in riding bikes, learning this new skill on the "Backwards Brain Bike" that Mike featured in one of his older videos.
How would the learning process compare to someone who has been riding conventional bikes for their intire life? We will never know
Slightly harder than a normal, but nowhere near as difficult as someone who already has the muscle memory for a normal bike.
Yes we will. It will depend on where your plasticity is at. If you're young it will be the same for both styles, independent of already learned behavior. There has been extensive study here with opposite vision for instance.
For adults your plasticity has to be "activated" in order to learn anything. So, for someone with no prior knowledge we can assume the same scenario as if you were young but with the addition of focused learning.
For adults with plasticity in place from normal biking, you would essentially need to rewire existing biking neurons or perhaps more likely, rewire some other motoric part of the brain to accommodate opposite cycling. Again, that adult learning will simply be down to your own preparation of modulating plasticity. In a focused environment we can assume that initial bike learning would be unaffected and therefore the learning will have to be fairly substantial, and take longer than a young person.
Or the new locked-steering bike that Veritasium just aired.
It's great to normalise learning such "asumed" skills later in life. I would guess not many people do it and definitely would not want it to be broadcasted. Therefore i hope this Video does inspire a lot of them.
Im currently learning to ride a bike and seeing tom struggle with the same things I struggle with is comforting
you can do it bro
How's it gone