dkshaer

Nothing special here. Just took my older daughter to a big parking lot, took off the training wheels ( I guess she was 7 at the time) and ran with her back and forth until she got the hang of it.

My younger daughter, yes it's true, taught herself how to ride without training wheels while she was visiting a friend. I don't know what she did, but when I got her home, she was riding on her own.

C_Heath

Great Question, My twin girls are 6, they are afraid of EVERYTHING! They rode butterfly summer bikes till the tires were bald. Last year, upon my 3rd daughters arrival, she greeted the twins with new bikes the day we came home from the hosital. That was almost 20 months ago.

Last summer, we tried and they gave up quick. I was just getting into cycling myself so I didnt push. Our driveway is flat and long and a great place to train them. Paved and all. I did something like you did with your first one. I took the training wheels off, grabbed the shirts on the back and promised not to let go.

2 days of this, mind you, WITH TWINS, wore me out so at the end of the 2nd day, I said, Im gonna run beside you ok? They were ok with that.

After about 10 tries on the first one, I stopped running, she got it and nailed it. The other followed suit, just took a little longer. Now they ride like pros, helmets or NO RIDE!

That was a big accomplishment for me, now their doing awesome.

alanbikehouston

You take them to the end of a long pier, out into the deep water. You push them off the pier...

Wait...that is swimming, for bikes you take them out to a four lane highway, and...

An alternative to the four lane highway method is to first give the kid confidence in their balance. Spend time on a two wheel scooter coasting down a long driveway or a hill in a car-free parking lot (such as a church on Monday). After their balance skills are well developed, have them coast down the same hill on a bike that has the seat low enough the kid can "scoot" along with his feet. No pedaling...just coasting. After thirty minutes of successful coasting, he will be ready to pedal down the hill, and will take off rapidly from there.

MarkS

Hi guys -- OP here.

My daughter is now biking! Thanks for all your help! You guys are great! <sniff!> This past weekend we took a trip on a nice flat bike path, and she pedaled herself 8 miles (4 up, 4 back).

The techniques in particular I used were:

• Removing the pedals (just about impossible to remove the crank arms on funky kids bike)
• Lowering the seat as far as it could go
• Taking her to a grassy knoll
• Wrapping a towel around her
• Running with her as she rolled downhill, using her feet to stay up

After 1 or 2 park trips, she was getting good enough at balancing that we put the pedals on. Then we continued the roll down the knoll procedure. After another couple park trips, we tentatively moved to the pavement. The problem here was that she could already go faster than daddy could comfortably run (try running while leaning and holding a towel). Eventually I had to let her go on her own ... and she did crash once or twice. That took a couple more park trips.

Her main problems now are that she still doesn't have the hang of braking (she takes her feet off the pedals too soon) and she usually needs a starter boost on flat or uphill grades. But I'm sure that will come with time.

We did that, and I was so proud when she took the lane ...

beatle bailey

We were on a gravel road and he had to steer into our driveway. Two trips and he had it. When you learn to ride on gravel you can ride on most anything.

Kotts

That's what we did with my daughter. She was afraid to go without her training wheels. Then she decided she wanted a Razor scooter for her 5th birthday. We got her one, and after a couple of months (when she felt confident enough on the scooter to start really whippin' it) I told her that riding a bike without training wheels was just like riding the scooter.

It took about 20 minutes for her to get confident w/o the training wheels. By the time she was 6, she was riding trails with us and was good for about a 10 mile ride (on the same piddly little bike that once had the training wheels).

For her 7th birthday, she got a Trek 220. It's technically a little big for her, but she handles it beautifully.

Don't go by my daughter's age, though. I think the best tip is to be patient and see when the child is still a little nervous, but ready enough to give it a try. (Overcoming fears "all by myself" is a big confidence booster for kids.)

Kotts

MrPolak

My son was a total wimp when it came to learning to ride. He's very coordinated, but scared of falling. That's OK - so was I at his age. I tried my grandpa's techinque of a cut off broomstick inserted behind the seat so that he could help me balance, and training wheels, and pleading... then.. I bought a Wee-ride tandem bike trailer and took him on a few rides which taught him how to balance. He caught on shortly afterwards.

Indyv8a

While I am new to the forums, this thread has helped me greatly. I am struggling with a 7 year old girl who prefers drama (hizzy fits) to riding at this point. As a her dad, I have needed a boost to my patience and my strategies. Thanks

Indy

bikingshearer 

Eleven years ago, I taught my son the way abtman suggests, with a slight variation in the progression. This will be especially helpful if the training area is flat instead of slightly sloped.

When you first have the pedals off and the seat lowered, have your child use the bike like a hobby horse as abtman says - that is, one leg at a time, like he or she was walking or running. This should feel very safe, as there is almost always one foot in contact with the ground.

The next step is to have your child opush with both feet at the same time and brong them forward at the same time. This forces them to balance for a few moments, but not so long as to cause fear or disaster. Meanwhile, they can experiment with turning and find out very quickly about how leaning and steering work together.

The next step is reattaching the pedals but leaving the seat low so they can easily get a foot down if they feel the need. Don't worry about wrecking their knees - the seat wonlt be this low long enough to matter.

It works. Usually without crashes, crying or psychological scarring.

Indyv8a

I have to admit, I am not the most patient person in the world, and of course was the child who grabbed a bike and road the same day, so I have no experience with "bike fear". (According to my mom, the 'rents bought a bike for my older brother, and I rode first.) So we have had some emotional moments on the bike, but I tried several suggestions yesterday and I actually saw her smile. We'll keep trying, but I might have to take a Xanax on the way out. ;-o

bill2k1

My dad taught me in the old fashioned P&S method. He pushed and screamed for me to pedal while I rode away. When I would forget to pedal he would scream again. You have to explain that if you are providing power, you will not fall.

Indyv8a

Well, my psychololgist suggested that I try to avoid adding the tension to my life. Like I said before, I couldn't wait to get my freedom, but both my kids are more cautious than I am. Except in the case of performing in front of thousands of people. My little dancing queen has no stage fright, but can,t ride on two wheels. I find myself confused...

Dianeofnka

This forum helped me a lot when it came to teaching my 6 year old to ride -- she had a 12" bike (that was so small for her we called it "the clown bike") and got a 16" for her birthday. I took the pedals off of both bikes. She far preferred the clown bike because she could get her feet down. After using it as a hobby horse for a while, I put the pedals back on and she started biking, but it was difficult because the thing was too darn small for her! She whined a lot whenever I asked her to try her "big bike," but one day she got on it and just pedaled away.

Now I can't get her off the damn thing!

srp

I made my mistakes with kid #1. I though we needed momentum. She hit a tree headfirst (the helmet worked) and once I was running full tilt behind her when she turned hard right. I did a summersault over her and the bike.

Then I discovered the concept of balance. Slow and steady with my hand on the back of the seat. Then it took about 15 minutes for her to figure it out. She rode 5 miles the first night.

With the rest of the kids, I hook 'em up with knee and elbow pads and a helmet, then we go into the street. (grass means safety and kids head right for the soft grass. The street has curbs. I explain to them that what they are learning is something that they will never ever forget. Build them up a little and then we go out for a slow, balanced ride. I let them go whenever they are balanced and let them ride and fall.

Then I reinforce safety and since we now have no sidewalks and ride in the street, I tell them that on our rides, I am the supreme commander. Go when I say go, stop when I say stop and there better be skid marks. Then I tell them that if they get in an unsafe situation, I will do whatever it takes, including knocking them off their bike to protect them. One son learned that lesson.

georgiaboy

funny thing is that alot of this information is useful for us cyclists for our first experiences with clipless pedals.

Travelinguyrt

My brothers and I learned by having my father hold us on the bike at the top of a terrace at the top of our front lawn may have been 5 feet above the rest of the lawn. He would give us a push and the rest was up to us to balance ourselves for about 50 feet till we came near a maple tree at the far end, we reached out and if we lucky grabbed it with an arm, unlucky, just fell into the grass
The biggest riding prob was that there was only one bike for 4 boys

Carusoswi

The key IMO, is to put the child on a small bike for learning purposes. One small enough that putting a leg down is simply no problem.

When I learned to ride, there were no small bikes. I quickly mastered the art of pedaling and balancing, but, for the life of me, could not learn how to stop. Stopping was always running into something and crashing. If I were teaching some kid with an oversized bike, I think the first thing I would do is balance him on the thing and teach him how, from a stop, to put his foot down.

With today's large selection of bikes, it's easy to pick one that's super small and have the youngster learn on that.

Teaching my kids was so painless, I hardly remember it. Neither one fell or suffered any pain or anxiety. I remember as a kid crashing, hurting, hitting that center bar and being in pain.

. . . and there was no computer or internet or BF from which to seek advice. Call it progress.

Caruso

Fibber

This weekend I picked up a little, cheap bike (a 'Roadmaster' with 12" tires) at a yard sale to be used as a 'cutter'. I removed the pedal crank completely along with the chain & guard, and capped off the holes. I sawed off the long threaded ends off the rear hub (designed for double bolt and training wheels), and taped over the ends. Lowered the seat all of the way down. Basically, it is now a scooter that she can move around our long driveway or grass completely flat-footed, with nothing for her to bang into or scrape her legs against as she goes.

She is only 3.5 yrs old, but with a strong desire to run with the big dogs. I am banking on her learning the fundimentals of balance, then we can move to the new bike (maybe with training wheels for a day or so) to learn about pedaling.

Well, at least that is the plan!!!

Steve

TinkerMan

I think using a scooter is the best method to train kids on balancing. If they fall, it won't hurt them because they just hop off and best of all, the parents don't have to run after them while holding their seat. I tried the traditional method and got too tired running behind. So, I told my daughter to get on her little scooter (not the Razor with little wheels, but a larger one with bigger wheels). I said, if you feel like you are falling to the right, turn the handlebars to the right and vice versa. Worked like a charm. She did it for an afternoon and then could ride her bike! I'm going to do the same with my son in a few weeks....

RRZ

I took the advice in this thread and sure enough, my 7 year old is finally riding without training wheels.

He was far too fast with training wheels to be safe (taking turns where the back tire of the bike was off the ground because he was up on a training wheel). He experienced a few falls and became tentative of riding. On came the elbow, knee pads and mouth gear...now he felt invincible and was ready to go again.

I tried walking behind him helping him avoid falling--making very little progress. I tried the "coast" down the hill in the yard...but that didn't translate into success on the road.

Next, I lowered the seat and took off the pedals and he'd go around the block pushing himself with his feet on the ground and balancing while coasting. After about 5 tries, the light came on.

Next, the pedals went back on, the seat went up and I walked behind him with a beach towel around his torso. Twice around the block and he got good enough that I let him go by himself...but he couldn't navigate a sharp turn to turn around in the width of our two lane road.

Off to the baseball field so he could ride on the dirt infield (he preferred this over the parking lot). After not listening to me once to not turn too quickly (the soft dirt in the infield will put you down in a hurry if you turn your front wheel too sharply), he caught on and went round and round.

Next he went with me and my other son (on a trainer) around the block several times without falling once. Now they both want to go for rides all the time. While he had training wheels, he "hated" riding...now he loves it.

tuolumne

I tried to get my 3 older kids to ride all last summer with no luck. They could pedal fine with the training wheels but had no confidence without them. On an inspiration, I took the pedals off of a 12" tire bike (left cranks on) and told them to walk the bike themselves. The twins are 3-1/2 and our daughter is 4-1/2; although short for their age they could all reach the ground with the seat all the way down. They loved this, and within a few minutes they were coasting down the driveway with their legs out. The next day we put the pedals back on (at their request) and they could all ride. It was amazing. They now spend all of their time riding in the driveway and love it.

Big Pete

I started with trainers and set them real high then when the trainer wheels started to break off I put Razor scooter wheeld on it in the highest setting sng he only touched them when starting and stopping but once it was down the trainer hurt more that they helped by contacting in corners and getting caught up in the grass so w esat down and talked about it then I gave him a push and he was off but crashed when he tried to stop but they learn quick!

MilitantPotato

Started at age five,

1.) Used training wheels until he could pedal and brake effectively. This took about two weeks with 2-3 days a week.

2.) Removed training wheels, pedals, and lowered the seat so he could comfortably push himself around with both feet on the ground, let him coast around trying to balance. Took two days before he could balance well.

3.) Pedals back on, saddle raised a little, both feet could just touch the ground. Took one day to get pedaling and balancing sorted.

4.) Raised seat more, taught him how to start the bike himself from a curb, then from standing without any assists. This took the longest other then step one, two days of 1-2 hours each day. He would fall a lot trying to get on the saddle before slowing down to much. He also crashed for the next week quite a lot trying to improve his ability to turn, stop, and mount his bike.

5.) Took him to a local rails to trails after a week of tooling around parking lots. He did 14 miles his first day. He needed to be reminded to stay to the right a lot, but did very well after being explained the rules of passing and staying safe.


The biggest help in all this was my attitude toward his crashes. I applauded him every time he crashed for a "good crash" and instructed him to get back on the bike. He quickly learned that small crashes are OK, and may hurt a little, but he needed to pick himself up and keep riding.

He's only hurt himself to the point of crying three times using this method, all because he had problems planning a route and would hit parking blocks and debris. Each time he'd take a break for a few minutes and get back on when he felt better. Praising for mistakes seemed to really help him try again.

rumrunn6

I taught my kids at the baseball diamond when no one was around. They were both into baseball before biking. They tried to get to 1st base, then 2nd, etc until they made it home! It also taught them to turn.

And what age?
++ 5

Did you use training wheels
++ yes

-- or is it better without them?
++ training wheels gets them used to everythign without the balance, once they used to everythign about a bike, then they can get to the balance

Did you practice on lawn, dirt, or cement?
++ dirt with long pants: knee guards; elbow guards & gloves

Did you run along with your kid
++ absolutely, wish it wasn't necessary but it is, tuff on the back, that's for sure

or give them a shove and hope for the best?
++ well, you run with them but can't do that hunched over so then you give them a shove. be sure they wear protective equipment. run with them a few times before you let go. I told my kids to tell me when to let go, they would say: "ok now" or "no no no" it was their choice

What size bike did you start with?
++ I think 12" was the first bike, nit sure really they ride 24" now. it seems I bought used bikes every year so that they would have the right size at the right time