The bike whisperer

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Tuesday, August 22nd. Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Nick Eicher.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown. Coming next on The World and Everything in It: taking off the training wheels.

For some kids, learning to ride a bike can be a time of skinned knees and frustrated parents. But in Louisville, one teacher specializes in helping children safely overcome their fears, and take to the streets and sidewalks with confidence. WORLD Associate Correspondent Travis Kircher has the story.

TRAVIS KIRCHER, ASSOCIATE CORRESPONDENT: It’s a muggy summer morning and the sun is beating down on Motor City Church in Louisville, Kentucky, as cars pull into the parking lot.

One-by-one, children and their parents emerge from the vehicles, each group lugging a small bike. Some of the parents look worried. Some of the kids look downright scared. They’re here for one purpose: to learn to ride a bike without training wheels – and they’re hoping one man will make it happen.

His name is Brian Lindsey. The kids know him as Mr. B. Many of the parents know him by his other nickname: The Bike Whisperer.

BRIAN LINDSEY: A granddad dubbed me that, because I got his granddaughter up and riding in maybe 20 minutes. Do I think I’m the Bike Whisperer? I go with it. I go with it.

At Mr. B’s Bike Camp, Lindsey works with children for one hour a day for five days – or until they learn to ride. Today, Bob Borgerding brought his son Walker to the camp.

BOB BORGERDING: We are teaching our 9-year-old to finally ride a bike. After we’ve tried several different methods on our own, we figured it was time to leave it up to one of the professionals.

WALKER B.: Yeah, I’m a bit scared because I fell off a bike multiple times – and that scares me.

Seven-year-old Olivia Siegelstin is here with her grandmother and is eager to show off her bike.

OLIVIA SIEGELSTIN: It’s a Spiderman bike with a unicorn slap bracelet. My daddy put it together a couple of days ago.

But even with superpowers and Spidey-sense, Olivia admits to some trepidation at the thought of getting on a bike.

SIEGELSTIN: I’m a little nervous.

Brian Lindsey understands their fears. He remembers when he first learned to ride.

LINDSEY: So growing up in the 80s, I think we all learned pretty much the exact same way. So I got on. Dad shoved me. I pedaled and went straight into a sticky bush that was bigger than me. Right? Bigger than me. But I learned how to ride. It was scary, because I didn’t want to get a whoopin.

He says many families use those same teaching techniques today – and in his view, they just don’t work.

LINDSEY: We get parents and grandparents that call and say, ‘Hey, we really need you. My back is hurting because I can’t keep up with them.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Why are you running in the first place?’ And I’ve had friends and people say, ‘Oh so you run with the kids?’ Heck no! Heck no! I’m not running with them! I’m not holding them! Like, they can learn how to do all this.

Instead, Lindsey has taught roughly 600 kids over the past seven years using his own method.

Brian Lindsey with a student in his bike camp Photo courtesy of Travis Kircher

In step one, the kids straddle the bikes and walk with them through the parking lot. In step two, they pick their feet up and coast for one second, every time Lindsey says the word “Up.” In step three, they coast for several seconds – as long as they can. Lindsey says that’s about teaching balance. And in step four, they are awarded their coveted pedals – and they finally learn to ride.

Today, in this hour, Lindsey is teaching five students.

LINDSEY: Every time I say, ‘Up,’ you’re gonna pick both feet off the ground, let the bike roll and then put your feet down. Alright let’s walk. Let’s walk. Up. Up.

Lindsey says part of his ability to work with kids comes from his other job as a P.E. teacher at Jefferson County Public Schools. He also serves as a youth pastor at Motor City Church.

LINDSEY: I’ve always prayed for these kids on Monday. Before I show up, I pull out my calendar. I pray for – by name – all the kids on that list. Because I don’t know what I’m dealing with. Don’t know. We’ve seen parents break down and cry. Especially parents who had kids with tumors and been in surgery. They’ve been told their kids would never-ever ride. Like, that’s a big deal.

Near the end of today’s class, 6-year-old Rett Rust is about to experience a moment that will change his life forever. After Rett shows that he can maintain proper balance, Mr. B. finally awards him his pedals.

LINDSEY: You sir, when you go, ‘one, two, three, four,’ you’re gonna put your feet on your pedals and start pedaling.

And with that, Rett Rust is riding his bike for the first time in his life.

KIRCHER: He just got it.

LINDSEY: Yeah he did!

The first thing Rett does after his momentous accomplishment is bask in the limelight.

KIRCHER: What did you just do?

RETT RUST: Um, I started biking and I did pedaling and I just learned how to do it now! I felt the breeze and it felt very good. Fun too!

Then, Rett runs to share the good news with his mother.

RETT: Mom! Mom! I learned how to ride a bike!

LYNSIE RUST: Really?

RETT: Yeah!

LYNSIE: Awesome!

RETT: Mr. B. helped me and then I started pedaling and I did it!

For Lindsey, this moment is a gratifying experience. He remembers how learning to ride on two wheels changed his life.

LINDSEY: Learning how to ride as a kid was wonderful. Gave me freedom. I was all over the city with my bike. I don’t know if my mom and them knew that. Mom, if you’re listening, sorry.

It’s a childhood experience he wants his students to have too.

LINDSEY: I feel like I’m putting little bodies out, I’m sending little minions out into the world to go ride their bikes and take over the city.

For his part, Rett may not take over the city, exactly. But he’s got big plans.

KIRCHER: What are you going to do now that you can ride?

RETT: Probably stay home riding my bike all day. My brother likes taking laps all round our neighborhood, and now I’ll probably do that with him now a lot.

He’s gone from four wheels to two. At least for a while. In about 10 years or so, he’ll be ready for another transportation milestone. But that will be another story.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Travis Kircher, in Louisville, Kentucky.

LINDSEY: Arlo, pick ‘em up higher. Yes – just like that. Good.

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