Learning to bike

Reading of bike sharing system, I was reminded of how we rented bikes before we learnt how to ride them. We stayed at one end of the town. To get to a rental place we had to walk a good mile. And after returning the bike, we had to walk it all back. I dont think this ever deterred us from renting them. At first we rented tiny bikes so we could put our feet on earth whenever we felt we were about to fall. When I looked at a big rock in front of me. Instead of averting it, how much ever I wanted to, I realised that the bike would only go in that direction.
Its remarkable how some kids learn to ride bicycles bigger than them by managing to put their feet on the pedals but without sitting. Its referref to as 'kainchi' or the scissor style.