Question

Read the excerpt from The Common Sense of Bicycling: Bicycling for Ladies.

To learn to balance, have the saddle raised as high as possible, so that the ball of the foot just touches the pedal at its lowest. Practise wheeling in this way, with an instructor, or alone on a smooth surface where you are sure to be undisturbed.

Based on this excerpt, which is the most crucial step in a list of procedures for balancing on a bicycle?

raising the saddle as high as possible
practicing wheeling to learn to balance
practicing riding on a smooth surface
getting help from an instructor when first learning

Answer 1

raising the saddle as high as possible

The excerpt begins with that specific instruction — "To learn to balance, have the saddle raised as high as possible..." — making it the primary step.