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Back in my day, we didn't have any "training wheels".
We just were set loose on our own and figured it out.
A few faceplants on concrete and lots of bruises later, we knew what we needed to do...
:oldfogey:
I don't think I'd use that method on any kid today - learning to ride a bike shouldn't involve scraping skin off...
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We outsource to Grandpa when he comes to town.
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Don't forget STOPPING ! That's the most challenging point- the transition between both feet on the pedals to stopping and pulling the foot off the pedals and planting it on the ground.
Most of my kids used the 'steer to a soft patch of ground and fall off' method at first. Me ? I always ended up in the thorn bushes or gravel. Ow...
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You can do it the old fashioned way.
This method works with or without training wheels. A bike helmet may be helpful or not in this method. Opinions are divided.
(1) Sit the kid comfortably on the bike.
Make sure the seat and handlebars are adjusted properly to fit the kid.
(2) Pick up the kid and bike together and throw into a lake.
(3) Either the kid learns to ride the bike or drowns.
Wait.... that's not right. I think I'm remembering it wrong.
I must not have been wearing my helmet when my dad taught me to learn to ride a bike.
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I got my son a (used) bike with coaster brakes. Part of it was my own nostalgia at learning on a coaster brake bike but it teaches some amount of foot dexterity as well.
He learned to ride at 4 years old and his only daily request was that he wanted to ride his bike for the next four months.
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5 years old and he doesn't have his own Harley yet ?
The oldest bent or banged the training wheels up himself, his sister needed the hand on the bike seat walk beside routine. She did fine until she looked back and realized she was on her own. And of course immediately dumped. She actually did better when I didn't help. By then I decided it best I didn't watch, too.
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I took my kids to the high school track. The pole vault strip of pavement. It is bordered by grass. They ride back and forth on that, and if they fall it's onto soft grass. Just told them to steer/turn into the way it feels they are falling. So, if they feel the are falling RIGHT, then turn the handlebars to the right. Keep pedaling. That's it. After 15 minutes of that on the strip of pavement, they move to the nice, large oval of track. Each kid took about 30 - 45 minutes to get it. Then took them home to ride the rest of the day to perfect their balance in the cul-de-sac.
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Thank you all for the great replies. What an interesting thread. Very true that it seems everybody has used differing methods with the same result.
We actually had a beautiful day here in Houston today (first time in a long time). Lots of kids were out playing.
Got my son on his bike, removed both training wheels and then ran up and down the street with him while holding on to the rear of the seat. I swear I got a much better work out than he did!
Anyway, one of our neighbors was out with his 3 daughters and they were all on their bikes (no training wheels). I asked him if he had any pointers and he basically pulled out a smaller bike from his garage and is letting us borrow it until my son gets the hang of it. Thought that it may be a bit easier to learn on the smaller bike and then switch him back to his bike once he is riding.
Thanks again to all of you and thanks to having great neighbors.
