Helping my boy to ride a bike

Mrwurm · May 23, 2004

I built this bracket to help my little boy learn to ride a bike. The bracket allows me to run along beside him and steady him while he's learning that 'balance thing.' The bracket gives me something to hold onto so I don't have to stoop over too far (I'm forty, you know). This is my third child that I am teaching to ride a bike, but he is sure to be the most stubborn and difficult. It should be mentioned that removing the training wheels was his idea.

So, how did you teach your child to ride ?

Gatorboy · May 23, 2004

I taught my children to ride on 2-wheels the way I learned -- in the grass. I really like that handle idea -- I (and my father when he taught me) had to do the ol' stoop down to hold the back of the seat and jogging behind to keep the bike steady while teaching the turn the wheel towards the way you feel the bike is falling. Luckily, both my kids learned to ride on their own within 10 minutes this way -- saving my back /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

RobS · May 23, 2004

I like your handle idea, I'm a "more mature" parent as well. I'm also a fairly avid cyclist so it was frustrating for me that our oldest son just wasn't getting it. He eventually did but not until about 8 years old. His youngest brother will likely get it much sooner which is also fine with me.

Hang in there, it will come to them when they are ready /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

wroughtn_harv · May 23, 2004

I'm of the old let them learn at their own pace school. That means letting them play with the bicycle. Eventually they'll decide they can do without the training wheels or that it really isn't that hard to balance.

My own son learned to ride a motorcycle before he learned to ride a bike. He had to learn to ride the bike because I had gotten him into bmx racing. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif No pressure you understand, but it's hard to race without knowing how to ride.

The most important thing is to enjoy the moment. Appreciate being there and what's happening. It's just not about him learning to ride a bike which we all know he'll never forget. It's making a memory. That will last longer because it'll be shared with others forever.

MossRoad · May 24, 2004

So, how did you teach your child to ride ? 

My oldest daughter had many ear infections as a child. She has a, how should I say it, delicate sense of balance. She just couldn't get it. So I bought an old Schwinn Twinn tandem and off we went. Just about every evening, just a short ride for a half hour or so. After a summer of that, she got it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Now she's just fine. Her cousin just gave her his old mountain bike and she's learning the gears and hand brakes. But we still love the tandem bike the best. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The 6 year old daughter is another story. Fearless. No sense of balance either, but she's tough. Never met a mailbox she couldn't lick! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Just picks it up, hops back on and off she goes. She scares the bajeebers out of me! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Mrwurm · May 24, 2004

Yep, some are more durable than others /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Ozarker · May 24, 2004

Speaking of mail boxes........................

My youngest taught himself to ride. When he was about 5 we lived at the bottom of a hill on a dead end street. He watched the older kids riding and then he just took his brothers bike and pushed it up the hill. He jumped on and started coasting down the hill but lost it just about at the very bottom of the hill.

Unfortunately, they had just put up communal mail boxes in our housing area. They are a cluster of about 8 mail boxes sitting on top of a metal pole cemented in the ground right at the curb. Makes it easier for the mail man to deliver mail but it is very hard on kids heads when they hit it.

Mu son hit the curb, fell off the bike and hit the metal pole with his teeth. Took out all his front teeth and shipped his upper palate (sp?). Fortunately they were his baby teeth and his permanent teeth eventually came in.

But he DID learn to ride. He was right back on the bike the next day showing all the other kids his cool stitches.

Mrwurm · May 24, 2004

Ok /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I'm putting the training wheels back on /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

carluman · May 25, 2004

( Ok /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I'm putting the training wheels back on /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )
LOL! I know it's not funny but your statement just struck a funny bone.

_RaT_ · May 25, 2004

Jerry, great idea. I have a almost 3 year old (June 2nd) and while it's a bit early to teach him riding, I will remember this idea. I'm only 47 so I have a long ways to go before I'm old. I still have the attitude (and mentality) of a 20 year old.