Kids learning to cycle

patg

My son's 8th birthday is in the morning.
I'm just in from work with the intention of fitting stabilisers to his new birthday bike for when he wakes; and only now seeing the bike won't take them because of gear mechanism around the rear axle..

What to do..?

He's very cautious by nature and never ridden before so having stabilisers went without saying.

I knew buying the bike it was a bit over specc'd, but perhaps my heart ruled my head, as well as thinking he'd get use out of the quality once he got into the whole cycling buzz,.. Didn't realise at the time that it wouldn't take stabilisers.

So, now - do I exchange the bike for one that will take stabilisers? Or is it common that kids can learn to cycle without using them at all?

Takca

patg wrote: »

So, now - do I exchange the bike for one that will take stabilisers? Or is it common that kids can learn to cycle without using them at all?

I'm not sure how common it is for kids to learn without stabilizers, although I hear kids who have used balance bikes do just fine without ever having them.

So if you end up deciding to keep it and giving it to him in the morning and he isn't comfortable learning to cycle around, you could try taking off the pedals (maybe leave the cranks taking them off might be a bit much) and he could spend some time pushing himself with his feet on the ground using it as a kind of balance bike until he is more confident on it.

ted1

I wouldn't bother with stabilisers, they slow down the learning curve greatly. Just push him and run beside him

Lumen

Stabilisers are awful things which prevent learning.

sillysocks

On my daughters first bike she did have stabilisers but only really used them to get the hang of pedalling and steering. At 8 he probably would get that fairly quickly without them. Once she had the hang of that we took the stabilisers and pedals off and she used the bike as a balance bike to get the hang of keeping the bike balanced and upright. When she had the hang of that (a few weeks) we put the pedals back on and she was cycling within 5 or 10 minutes.

So my suggestion would be to get him used to the balance with the pedals off and then after he has the hang of that then put them back on. I'd say at that age he'll probably be ok to manage without stabilisers.

letape

ted1 wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with stabilisers, they slow down the learning curve greatly. Just push him and run beside him

Yes - this is what I would do too. Just let him know that you are beside him. Keep your hand on his saddle to help balance and push the bike.

monica555

My kids learned to cycle using balance bikes, then we bought them 16in bikes without stabilisers.
I would keep the bike and teach your son how to cycle without stabilisers.
You could lower the seat and remove the pedals. It will help him to learn how to balance and he will get confidence.
Once he is confident put the pedals on. For the first few minutes hold your son`s back and arm, not the bike. Later just walk or run beside him.
Good luck:)

Chuchote

If he can put his feet down and scoot along while sitting on the saddle (as with a balance bike) he should get the hang of it within a couple of hours. Stabilisers will set that back for weeks.

uck51js9zml2yt

My lad learnt to cycle at 6. I got him a frog bike(it's light) and brought him up the park.
I initially pushed him but then after a while let go and away he went. Took him a while to get confidence up but he was cycling that evening.
He had a heavy bike with stabilisers previously but didn't use it due to the weight

timbel

Dont use stabilisers.
Just start him on a gentle grass slope in a park without pedals to get the balance (he will learn to put foot out when balance lost). Gently increase slope when more confident, then add pedals.

My lad did it this way and was relatively quick.

_Brian

8YO should be quick to learn to ride the bike

Harrybelafonte

Remove stabilisers as said above. Let him pedal as you walk with him, a hand either side of shoulder. Correct him as you go along and he'll get the hand of it.

conor_mc

Most important thing = patience.

Genuinely, could take up to a couple of hours but I found giving it a good go like that, as opposed to 15/20 mins here and there, worked best for my 6yo girl at the time.

2 Wheels Good

Maybe take the pedals off? Get him to try it like a balance bike. Get him used to balancing and he might get used to it quickly

iwillhtfu

You may well be surprised OP It could be your fears holding him back.

I had my first on a combo of stabilisers/balance bike till 6 then a mate called and said give her a go on her own.

No word of a lie I took her stabilsers off and away she went her younger sister (5) jealous wanted the same and off they came and away she went. 2 months later their younger sister (4) wanted the same and again off they went. The last was on the balance bike the longest and she just set off no bother but one positive about stabilisers is that they teach them pedal motion this was a bit of a mystery to the youngest girl.

I wouldn't bother with grass slopes and all that you need to get them used to rolling,stopping and turning. You'll find turning is usually what catches them out.

Good luck it's great watching them move off on their own. Life lessons

Duckjob

My little one is 5. She's ridden her bike with stabilizers for about 2 yrs now, but I always felt she wasnt learning the most central skill of cycling which is being able to stay up on 2 wheels!

Got her out on a balance bike earlier this year and immediately could see her balance improving. Now she can scoot around and pretty much stay up until it stops so I'm thinking shes ready to go back to her own bike and use the pedals.

Exciting times - I'm already visualising trips along the wild atlantic way

iwillhtfu

Duckjob wrote: »

Exciting times - I'm already visualising trips along the wild atlantic way

A tip never cycle further than you're willing to carry her bike and possibly your kid

patg

Thank you so much to everyone that contributed on this thread. That response is fantastic and some great ideas in there above and beyond the stabiliser question. Ie how to guide, where to hold etc...

Much appreciated

beauf

Find a park with a gentle slop. Let them coast down that a few times.

tigerboon

Duckjob wrote: »

My little one is 5. She's ridden her bike with stabilizers for about 2 yrs now, but I always felt she wasnt learning the most central skill of cycling which is being able to stay up on 2 wheels!

Got her out on a balance bike earlier this year and immediately could see her balance improving. Now she can scoot around and pretty much stay up until it stops so I'm thinking shes ready to go back to her own bike and use the pedals.

Exciting times - I'm already visualising trips along the wild atlantic way

My 5yo had an old bike, with the crankset taken out, as a balance bike. He was well able to handle it and was mad to go on the bigger bike with pedals. We took the stabilizers off and gave it a go. He got it first time and was very steady as well. This was about 4 months ago.
We were down in Waterford recently and decided to go for a spin on the greenway.I had my own bike and was going to hire 2 bikes for the older kids and on of those tow along buggy things for the 5yo but they had none left. There was a little bmx in the hire shop and he wanted that. I expected to go to the first hill and back but he cycled all the way from Kilmacthomas to Dungarvan. There were plenty of stops and it took about 3 hours but there was no getting him to turn back. If they want to give something a go, let them because it'll surprise you the ability kids have.

jester77

Did he have any type of a push bike before this? My 3 year old learned without stabilisers this summer, it didn't take him long to get the hang of it. But he had a push bike since Easter last year, so he already had the hang of balance and brakes.

tigerboon

jester77 wrote: »

Did he have any type of a push bike before this? My 3 year old learned without stabilisers this summer, it didn't take him long to get the hang of it. But he had a push bike since Easter last year, so he already had the hang of balance and brakes.

One of those little bikes you buy in a toy shop for 50 euro or so. The pedals and front ring/crank unit was taken out after a while making it a balance bike. So more or less the same thing as he was used to braking as well.

bazermc

patg wrote: »

My son's 8th birthday is in the morning.
I'm just in from work with the intention of fitting stabilisers to his new birthday bike for when he wakes; and only now seeing the bike won't take them because of gear mechanism around the rear axle..

What to do..?

He's very cautious by nature and never ridden before so having stabilisers went without saying.

I knew buying the bike it was a bit over specc'd, but perhaps my heart ruled my head, as well as thinking he'd get use out of the quality once he got into the whole cycling buzz,.. Didn't realise at the time that it wouldn't take stabilisers.

So, now - do I exchange the bike for one that will take stabilisers? Or is it common that kids can learn to cycle without using them at all?

I'd agree with all posters don't go down the stabiliser route

However if you need to the bike should be able to take stabilisers. My daughter has a similar one with gears on the back and it is possible to get an extension bolt that pushes the stabiliser out so it clears the rear mech.

CiniO

I see stabilisers are strongly discouraged here. And I agree that in OPs case they would be useless.
But for younger kids I thing they are great way for kids to learn to pedal/steer.

My son started on bike with stabilisers at 2 years of age. Now he's 2.5 and he's flying around the place but obviously still with stabilisers.
He's too young yet to keep balance, but I'm hoping he'll be cycling without stabilisers before he's 4.

That's anyway the way I taught my daughter before. She was with stabilisers until about 4 and then I just took them off, put a stick in the back of the bike so I could help her keep balance and after few hours training she got that.

Now she's 8 and she flying on downhill MTB trails.
Generally the earlier they start, the easier for them it will be to learn.

Eponymous

conor_mc wrote: »

Most important thing = patience.

Genuinely, could take up to a couple of hours but I found giving it a good go like that, as opposed to 15/20 mins here and there, worked best for my 6yo girl at the time.

This.

If you're patient and your kid is willing, you can have them up and running confidently in a single session. I did this with my daughter with the bike we bought her for her 7th birthday. She'd had a smaller bike with stabilisers but she was never really that into it, but once she got the new bike without them she was much happier. Within days of starting we had her on her first ice cream spin, which was a 9km round trip, mostly cycle paths. She was wrecked after that, mind you! They're now a regular feature of our weekends!