When is the best time to teach a child to ride a two wheeler

[R. Daniels]

My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to
ride a tricycle or a bike with training wheels until the child is
ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to teach a child
to balance?

Robert Daniels

[[email protected]]

Robert Daniels writes:

> Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike with training wheels until
> the child is ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to
> teach a child to balance?

Riding a tricycle is a special skill if the child is assertive and
wants to ride fast. It's a good introduction to vehicle dynamics.
Bicycling has a different control mode because it requires balance,
something only the fast tricyclists notice as they speed around
corners leaning into the turn.

At about three and then some, children are probably ready for a
bicycle if they are tall enough. Super small bicycles are hard to
balance because they have so little tip-over moment. Whatever you do,
don't make an unstable tricycle of a bicycle. When the time is right,
take a couple of ten minute outings with the child on the bicycle.
Hold the bicycle from the saddle to help balance and don't let the
child know when and if you let go.

Jobst Brandt

Palo Alto CA

[EZ]

I taught my daughter ride a "two wheeler" at six. Shortly thereafter,
my son managed it at four. I got lots of exercise running around the
street in front of the house holding the back of the seat. Kids can do
more than most parents think. It generally only takes patience and a
lttle help. Come to think of it, I respond pretty well to patience and
a little help too.

[John Everett]

On 19 Aug 2003 11:18:00 GMT, (Papayahed1) wrote:

>The last thing you're partner should do is try to "teach" him to balance when
>he is neurologically not ready yet. I'm sure there must be some kids out there
>who are ready at age 3 (I've never seen them tho), but most kids are motivated
>and able to accomplish this at age 5 or so.

My younger son taught himself to ride when he was three years old. He
had a little fixed gear bike with solid rubber tires and training
wheels, a bike we bought because he wanted a bike "like his big
brother's". I was away on a business trip and when I got back he was
riding it. Seems his big brother removed the training wheels while I
was away and he just figured it out himself.

I think one key to his success was that the bike was really tiny. He
could put a foot down any time he felt unsteady.

Up until that time I had never heard of a three year old who could
ride a bike.


jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

[one of the six billion]

I've seen 3 1/2 yr olds ride a bike without training wheels. Most usually
kids learn between 4 and 7. A really good way to teach a child to balance
on a bike is to take the pedals off and lower the seat so that both feet
can touch flat on the ground. Let them scoot around using their feet on
the ground.


"R. Daniels" > wrote in message
...
> My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to
> ride a tricycle or a bike with training wheels until the child is
> ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to teach a child
> to balance?
>
> Robert Daniels
>

[amh]

(Papayahed1) wrote in message >...
> R. Daniels at wrote on 8/18/03 10:09 PM:
>
> >My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to
> >ride a tricycle or a bike with training wheels until the child is
> >ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to teach a child
> >to balance?
>
> Hi Robert-
> The last thing you're partner should do is try to "teach" him to balance when
> he is neurologically not ready yet. I'm sure there must be some kids out there
> who are ready at age 3 (I've never seen them tho), but most kids are motivated
> and able to accomplish this at age 5 or so. The one thing you don't want to do
> is to push him into it and make him fearful.
>
> Stick with the three wheeler, preferably something low and stable. The motion
> from accelerating, turning, etc. actually helps build the neural pathways
> through the vestibular system that will enable him to balance well later on.
>
> I did buy my son a "razor" scooter when he was 4. He kind of enjoyed that. He
> learned to ride a two wheeler around age 5 1/2. He is now doing 20-30 milers
> on bike trails. For club-type rides we use a trail-a-long.
>
> The child will "tell" his Grandparent when he is ready.

Can't give a firm age either but I agree that the child will know he
is ready.

I rode a scooter around and graduated to a training wheel bike when I
was ready. I was a year or so older than most kids who learned to ride
a training wheel bike. I've come a long way in the 30 or so years
since then including a number of centuries, a few bike tours, a dozen
triathlons and biking to work on non rainy days.

Neither of my parents were cycling enthusiasts (my Dad didn't ride a
bike) so I don't know where I developed the love for cycling I have.
Sometimes the more a child is pushed the more they resist.

my $0.02
Andy

[H. M. Leary]

In article >,
(Martha J. Retallick) wrote:

> True confession: I didn't master riding a two-wheeler until I was 10
> years old. And my folks started teaching me to ride when I was in
> second grade.
>
> But I grew up to become a bicycling addict <g>.
>
> Martha Retallick

Don¹t worry, Martha!

I¹ve been riding a 2 wheeler for 50 years and I still haven¹t mastered it.

True confessions of another bicycling addict.

HAND

--
³Freedom Is a Light for Which Many Have Died in Darkness³

- Tomb of the unknown - American Revolution

[Chuck Anderson]

one of the six billion wrote:

>I've seen 3 1/2 yr olds ride a bike without training wheels. Most usually
>kids learn between 4 and 7. A really good way to teach a child to balance
>on a bike is to take the pedals off and lower the seat so that both feet
>can touch flat on the ground. Let them scoot around using their feet on
>the ground.
>
>
>"R. Daniels" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>>My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to
>>ride a tricycle or a bike with training wheels until the child is
>>ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to teach a child
>>to balance?
>>
>>Robert Daniels

>>
>>
I have heard this before, but never hear anyway attest to its effectiveness.

Does it really work?

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
Integrity is obvious.
The lack of it is common.
*****************************

[Peter]

Chuck Anderson wrote:
> one of the six billion wrote:
>
>> I've seen 3 1/2 yr olds ride a bike without training wheels. Most
>> usually
>> kids learn between 4 and 7. A really good way to teach a child to
>> balance
>> on a bike is to take the pedals off and lower the seat so that both feet
>> can touch flat on the ground. Let them scoot around using their feet on
>> the ground.
>
> I have heard this before, but never hear anyway attest to its
> effectiveness.
>
> Does it really work?

It's what I did to teach our daughter when she turned 4. Took her and the
bike to our workplace parking lot on a weekend (big expanse of pavement
with very gently slope and no traffic), took the pedals off and lowered the
seat so she could coast and scoot around without fear of falling. After
less than an hour I put the pedals back on and she was off and riding. No
falls, no scrapes, and no need to run alongside.

If only teaching her to drive had gone as smoothly. :)

[Bruce Gilbert]

"Martha J. Retallick" > wrote in message
...
> True confession: I didn't master riding a two-wheeler until I was 10
> years old. And my folks started teaching me to ride when I was in
> second grade.
>
> But I grew up to become a bicycling addict <g>.
>
> Martha Retallick

My daughter didn't ride a real bike until she was nearly ten also.

By 11 she got her first road bike, took to the sport and competed at a high
level until she was 18. Then her friends, parties and other indulgences got
the best of her. The cycling took a back seat to things that make your eyes
red in the morning. At 19 1/2 she is starting to ride again. Just can't
believe how much fitness she lost. Somehow, I think it is going to come
back...

Hopeful Parent

[Jean-Pierre Jacquot]

In article >,
(Papayahed1) wrote:

> R. Daniels at wrote on 8/18/03 10:09 PM:
>
> >My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to
> >ride a tricycle or a bike with training wheels until the child is
> >ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to teach a child
> >to balance?
>
> Hi Robert-
> The last thing you're partner should do is try to "teach" him to balance when
> he is neurologically not ready yet. I'm sure there must be some kids out
> there
> who are ready at age 3 (I've never seen them tho), but most kids are

My eldest son: 3.5 and the youngest: for his third birthday. I'm not
sure my kids are that exceptional. They rode tricycle at 2.

> motivated
> and able to accomplish this at age 5 or so. The one thing you don't want to
> do
> is to push him into it and make him fearful.

Yes and no. One should be careful not to frighten the child, but most
children are not riding two-wheel simply because they are afraid to get
the training wheels off. The trick is to get the motivation and to "push"
just enough. For my eldest, the motivatoin was riding over bumps, for
the second, doing like his brother.

>
> Stick with the three wheeler, preferably something low and stable. The
> motion
> from accelerating, turning, etc. actually helps build the neural pathways
> through the vestibular system that will enable him to balance well later on.

The low and stable is essential. Although I've seen kids riding
incredible things, a true and good bicyle is a valuable investment.
A little 12", with wide tires, real ball bearings and fixed gear allows
kids to ride early. I did not used the "scooter trick" (removing pedals),
but I would now if I had to do it again.

Jean-Pierre

[GEBUH]

i heard that a good way to teach a kid to cycle is to take the pedals off of a
2 wheeler and let them push it with their feet- eventually they get the balance
and will be ready for pedals, i dont know how well it works but it makes sense,
and you'll know exactly when they're ready for a 2 wheeler- when you see them
pushing and coasting on their own. i wish i had known about this when i was
teaching my kids- it would have saved me a lot of running and a sore back
gebuh