Well, that was embarrassing

Managed to fall off a shopper bike today while teaching a complete beginner. There is a very small 'lip' on the edge of the pedal and the tread on my shoe got caught on it. Fell sideways like a chopped tree. Until I explained otherwise my trainee thought I was giving a demo of what not to do.
Not quite as bad as the time, again teaching a complete beginner, I was reaching down to grasp the seat pin, to steady her as she rode, and, for some unknown reason, I chose to explain what I was doing with the words "I'm going to do you from behind now". Luckily she was not the nervous type.

Your embarrassing moments while giving Cycle Training?

I hope you wore a helmet.

There is a very small 'lip' on the edge of the pedal and the tread on my shoe got caught on it.

It's called SPD. Needs some practice to get used to. Have you considered taking cycle training?

pre -training really,
doing bike checks-
me at one side with track pump-
4 others opposite me doing various checks, Im just repeatedly fitting and re fitting head of pump to these bikes and inflating, anyway
talking away to group when BANG!
cheap tyre and tube exploded in my face, that kid wasnt very happy that day.

Demonstrating stopping with the pedal set and inadvertantly clipped in my left foot... Went over still attached, in front of a large group of yr 5 children. They said the straining of my neck as I went over was particularly amusing.

Can't happen now as I have junked the SPDs.

Showing off in a school rode down a huge flight of stairs almost made it down but fell at the very end in front of loads of kids. Same place following day decided to ride backwards sat on the handle bars facing backwards: same result.

It's cool. It's character building, innit.

At the end of an individual session I found that I really needed a pee. The trainee was a middle aged man and seemed very laid back. I broke one of the rules and asked if I could pop in for a pee. I was so desperate that I didn't look around the loo till I was half way done. I looked up and saw that the entire place was decorated with a massive collage' of extreme hardcore gay porn. Now I always pee before a session.

Ha, this thread is good. Keep 'em coming!

People are being sly Oliver. Seems like all the real instructors have never embarrassed themselves...........

Yesterday afternoon, going to visit a trainee in Camden, gave myself an hour to get there on the road bike (mostly used for CT).

Little did I realise that the missus lock my road bike with her beater and accidentally took the keys on a little holiday to Peru, cannot take my utility bike as it will take me longer to get there and I need the time to scout the area that the trainee want to ride around.

Reluctantly end up taking the brakeless fixie skidder as a last resort.

It was very hard trying to explain to the trainee why we need to use two brakes to slow down as I have neither, never felt such a hypocrite.

People are being sly Oliver. Seems like all the real instructors have never embarrassed themselves...........

I used to wet my bed
...until I was 3 years old

I used to wet my bed
...until I was 3 years old

That's off topic.... unless you wet yourself DURING cycle training.... when you were under 3.

There was the time, back when I was very new, I was teaching a woman in Victoria Park. Her husband was watching.
I still don't know how it happened but somehow my front wheel went from under me and I flipped right over, landing on my back with the bike above me. All at very, very low speed and almost in slow motion.

Sped off away from trainees on wet tennis court, on little mountain bike borrowed from trainee, accelerated on turn, bike fell away from under me. Road rash burning on left elbow I tried to stand up and smile with what little dignity I had left.

Kate....? Don't be coy.

In a roundabout way, you're being asked to 'fess up...

yes, I fell off my bike on a roundabout in front of 5 10 year olds and a pub terrace full of highly amused adults.

Technically, I was riding my friend's bike and the SPD springs were way tighter than I'm used to and it was a complicated situation and I unclipped the wrong foot.

Really, I'm a dick.

The swearing on the way down was probably the most embarrassing bit.

At the end of an individual session I found that I really needed a pee. The trainee was a middle aged man and seemed very laid back. I broke one of the rules and asked if I could pop in for a pee. I was so desperate that I didn't look around the loo till I was half way done. I looked up and saw that the entire place was decorated with a massive collage' of extreme hardcore gay porn. Now I always pee before a session.

Hippy never told us he had cycle training

At the end of an individual session I found that I really needed a pee. The trainee was a middle aged man and seemed very laid back. I broke one of the rules and asked if I could pop in for a pee. I was so desperate that I didn't look around the loo till I was half way done. I looked up and saw that the entire place was decorated with a massive collage' of extreme hardcore gay porn. Now I always pee before a session.

I never tire of hearing this story.

"It's fifteen years old? Then you really should think about getting a new one" I said, confidently, as I refitted her helmet on her head having adjusted the straps. "These straps are a really old fashioned design, see how the clip is right against your ear?" I asked, confidently. "Is it on back to front?" she asked, timidly. "Er, right, this never happened" I said, less confidently.

Doing a 121 with a secondary school student near Old St. The trainee was 14 and rides from Angel daily. As we got to Old St. roundabout the lights were just going red. I'm like, "OK, check behind and stop in the center of the lane". This young gun decides he can't be bothered to wait and just blatently jumps the light. There's traffic moving on the roundabout and I'm not happy to just let him go it alone, so I hair off after him in my bright orange "Cycle Training" tabard. To all the world it must have looked like I was showing him how to jump red lights.... sigh. Disaproving looks from a Taxi etc. A stern word was had once I got him to the curb. Turns out he always jumps the lights there as he finds it safer/easier than the standing start with the rest of the traffic. I held the party line but he did have a point.

My 29-year old trainee thought I was 36. I'm 27.
Think she was more embarrassed than me.

My colleague thought I was 35. I'm 45.
All that rubbing extract of sheep's placenta in to my face every morning for 20 years is finally paying off.

I did use the dread phrase "get your leg over" today while teaching a CB how to get on the bike.

teaching a CB

Teaching a ChainBreaker?