Two men riding bicycles. Illustration photo by Pexels
Li Longshun, majoring in sports education at Shanghai University of Sport, shared he has taught roughly 700 people ranging in age from four to 68, according to the South China Morning Post. Most of his students are in their 20s and 30s, and about 70% are women.
He said the idea emerged several years ago when he and a friend noticed a lack of professional bicycle-riding instruction for adults. The pair initially planned to start a business together, but the partnership ended after his friend secured a stable job in Shanghai. Li decided to continue on his own, beginning by sharing instructional videos on social media, which quickly attracted attention.
Within two months, he received his first paid booking. Li typically holds classes in open spaces near his clients’ homes and offers a “success guarantee” package priced at 800 yuan, promising that students will be able to ride independently by the end of the course. For adults, the package usually includes two sessions lasting between 90 minutes and two hours each. Children often require more sessions, as their lessons are shorter due to lower physical stamina.
According to AsiaOne, Li has earned as much as 2,100 yuan in a single day.
Many of Li’s clients learn to ride bicycles for practical reasons, such as making their daily commute easier, he said. Others seek quick instruction for specific needs, including company team-building activities centered on cycling.
One female student of Li told local media she decided to learn after watching her daughter take up cycling. Having never learned as a child, she wanted to fulfill a personal goal and chose professional instruction rather than relying on family members. After just one hour of training, she was able to ride on her own and immediately called her daughter to share the news.
Li credits his success to his academic training and teaching approach. As a sports education major, he said he can quickly identify a student’s weaknesses and estimate how long it will take them to master the skill, often finding they progress faster than expected. Patience, he added, is just as important.
“Many people fear riding a bicycle due to the psychological impact of falls they experienced in childhood,” Li told SCMP. “I engage in conversation with them to help alleviate this mental burden.”
Set to graduate in June, Li plans to further refine his teaching methods and expand his services beyond Shanghai to neighboring Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, where he believes demand for adult cycling instruction will continue to grow.