Not everyone learns how to ride a bicycle as they grow up. In China, one postgraduate student noticed this gap and turned it into an unexpected source of income. He has earned 270,000 yuan (approximately
Rs 35.19 lakh) over the last two years by teaching adults and children how to ride bicycles.
According to a report in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the man was identified by his surname Li. He is a third-year master’s degree candidate at Shanghai University of Sport (SUP), where he is studying sports education.
Chinese Student Teaches Adults How To Ride Bicycle
As per the report, several years ago, Li and his friend realised that a surprising number of people around them did not know how to ride a bicycle and were actively looking for help. They initially planned to build something together around this demand. But the partnership did not last long. Li’s friend soon stepped away after securing a stable job in Shanghai, while Li chose to continue exploring the idea independently.
Once he was admitted to SUP, Li began using his spare time to teach bicycle riding. Li did not rely only on personal contacts to find students. He began posting short instructional videos on social media platforms. Within two months of posting content online, Li received his first paid request.
The Bicycle Package
For each lesson, Li looks for open and spacious areas near his customers’ homes. His most popular offering is a success-guarantee package priced at 800 yuan (around Rs 10,420).
For adults, it usually includes two sessions, each lasting between one and a half to two hours. Children often need more sessions, but their classes are shorter, usually under one and a half hours, due to their physical stamina.
Teaching Across Generations
As per the report, Li has taught around 700 people. His students range in age from four to 68 years. While learners come from all age groups, most of his customers are in their 20s and 30s. Around 70 per cent of them are women.
Li admitted that he did not expect the demand to be this high. He explained that people approach him for different reasons. “One major group of customers learns to bike-ride to make their commute to work more convenient. Others have an urgent need; for instance, some companies organise team-building activities centred around biking, necessitating quick skill acquisition,” he said as quoted by the outlet.
Learning Driven By Unfinished Childhood Goals
For some students, learning to ride a bicycle is deeply personal. One female customer shared that she joined the classes to address a long-standing regret from her childhood.
“When I was young, I always walked to school and never had the opportunity to ride a bicycle. I developed a desire to ride last year when I saw my daughter learning to ride,” she said.
She did not ask her husband to teach her, as it would have meant holding the bicycle and running beside her, which he was unable to do. With Li’s guidance, she learned to ride in just one hour.
After the session, she immediately called her daughter and said, “Baby, I can ride a bike now!” to share the moment.
Looking Ahead After Graduation
Li is expected to graduate with his master’s degree in June. After completing his studies, he plans to further refine his bicycle training methods and focus on expanding his services. His next areas of focus include Shanghai and neighbouring provinces such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu in eastern China.
