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Starting your kids to ride..

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Monkey Turbo
Sep 8, 2001
5,673
2
Feeling the lag
Lookinig for a little advice from experience here: my lad turned 3 las autumn (fall) and for Christmas we bought him a bike. I had considered buying him one of those little wooden bikes without pedals as they are supposed to be good for learning balance but then decided I could simply remove the drivetrain from a real bike and add it back on when he's got the hang of the balance. But now I've begun to wonder whether he would learn better with the drivetrain and the stablisers (training wheels).

I've read that balance is learned better without stabilisers, but I think he might have more fun if he can pedal and get moving quicker. I'm keen for him to be able to get the hang of it as easily as possible and get his balance sorted at an early age (and he seems keen as well, so I'm not simply living vicariously).

Does anyone have any useful experience with teaching their kids to ride?
 

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
No training wheels and drivetrain is the way to go. You can have him riding in a couple of weekends.

The only fun you can have with training wheels is straddling a mud puddle and slinging water with the rear wheel.
 

denjen

Certified Lift Whore
Sep 16, 2001
1,691
36
Richmond VA
Lower the seat down enough so that he can stand flat footed. Take the pedals off so that he has to push with his feet to get going. if you have a grassy hill with a very shallow decline near your house this helps also. I took may son to a park with a hill and he learned very quickly with this method.
 

mogulskr

Monkey
Aug 28, 2002
642
1
NH
I started both my kids without training wheels on a grass. My lawn has a slit incline that would keep them moving, but not picking up speed real fast. It helped them get the idea of balancing the bike.
 

firemandivi

They drank my Tooters
Sep 7, 2006
784
-1
a state called denial
My first bike was so rusted you had to stand to pedal. I didn't even know about training wheels. I would go down a small hill and fall down after coasting for 1-2 ft. Slowly I made my way farther down the hill. I would get a second hand bike and forget the training wheels.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,938
13,133
Portland, OR
My daughter is small for her age, so it's tough to stand on her bike. Now that she outgrew the trailer, we are getting her a trail-a-bike for Spring. I know once she gets used to the speed, she will be fine on her own.

She halls ass on her quad, but on her bike she gets scared when she goes too fast.