Teaching my daughter to ride a bicycle.

[Baaheeduk]

Hi Peeps,

We started to teach our 6 year old daughter to ride her bicycle without the aid of stableizers yesterday.

She done fantastically considering it was her first attempt but me & the missus were knackered with crouching down and pushing her along to get her started.

I remember seeing a program where a guy had a broom handle that stuck in the frame of his daughters bike so he ran upright behind her then just pulled the handle out when she got enough momentum to keep going.

Question: Can you buy such a fitment/accessory for kids bikes? I can't use a broom handle as my daughters bike doesn't have a suitable frame.

 

[karym6]

there are seat posts you can get for this, they have a hinge on them so you dont topple the kid over. I just checked wiggle but didnt see any there - maybe halfords?

 

[Baaheeduk]

there are seat posts you can get for this, they have a hinge on them so you dont topple the kid over. I just checked wiggle but didnt see any there - maybe halfords?

I found one on Amazon.com but can't find one on the uk site. The picture attached is exactly what I'm after.

Here's one on eBay too but its in the States - Training Handle

 

[Munkey]

I just taught my kid how to ride without stabilizers. At first I told her not to pedal but just to use her feet to pick up a bit of speed and then try coasting with feet in the air. It worked a treat. Worth a go IMO.

Just a thought buyt I dont think that 'pole' method will work as it will only help the bike in straight lines, stopping and starting but no aid when the bike goes sideways.

 

[mozr]

Yeah I think the pole is a crutch for you rather than the daughter.

It is about patience. You need to get your daughter to believe in herself.

I think munkey has a good idea. when I learnt my daughter to ride, she was 4, and I went to a playground that had a small gradient on it. Just let her go down a very slight slope, no pedalling.

Let her do it again, and again. Then when she masters it, tell her to pedal a bit.

Slow increments.

 

[Baaheeduk]

Thanks for the answers guys.

She just let me see how good she was getting on at lunchtime today and she'll be going it no probs by the end of the week. I think I'll just give the trainer handle a miss.

I read about Munkey's method of doing that on the web but they said to take the pedals off

Cheers anyway peeps

 

[Curly]

I took my too on a nearby park. It has a gentle grass slope so I let them free wheel down it a few times with feet on the floor, then with feet on the peddles (not peddleing) and finally peddleing. They were both riding without stableisers withing a couple of hours

Curly

 

[fatspanner]

Taught my little girl last weekend whose 5. I know what you mean about the back ache, i felt like i needed a zimmer frame to get back from the park .

Confidence is the biggest thing and loads of encouragement. I just held the seat and when i felt her get the balance i'd let go, but follow pretending to still have hold of it. Then i let her know she was riding herself with no help and she kept telling me to let go after that.

The size of the grin on her face on the way home . She told everyone she saw on the street.

The next day she fell off and came in crying, apparently she'd been trying out one handed, lol

 

[Kris]

I learnt on a slight slope. I found that riding a bike isn't difficult. Just getting the knack of balancing. Might be worth trying on some gentle slopes first like Curly said. Would save you buying anything

I spent years on stabilizers after my dad gave up trying to teach me. Think I went flying flat on my face a couple times with him too so he gave up. My friend at the time though, both of us about 6 were on bikes outside his house which was on a gentle slope when he told me to try his bike. Faced it pointing downhill and let the bike just go on it's own momentum. First couple of attempts, I only got a couple of feet mostly because of nerves. I had it down within 10 minutes though and will always remember how much easier it was to learn that way than my dad pushing me from behind! You only have to focus on balancing that way and not pedaling too.

 

[Shaggy]

We took our 4 year old to the beach on wet sand...thought it would be better when he fell off....lol....
He tried his hardest for about 1/2 but just couldn't get the speed to stay upright. the poor fella was knacker ed. He had giving 100%.

We then sort of rode back up to the prom.
He got on to the wide prom on the pavement and he was gone...like a bloody rocket....:Clap: but....he just kept going and going and going....lol

What we didn't realise is that he say the icey man at the end of the prom and it was his mission to get there...And he did....

He has never looked back.

 

[Baaheeduk]

We were out again last night peeps and she'll soon be confident enough to start turning etc.

We teaching her on grass and I think thats part of the problem. it's really difficult for her to get going.

I like the ideas of proms and playgrounds, I think I'll take her across to the school at the weekend.

Thanks for all you suggestions peeps

 

[Rat]

one of mine is coming upto 5 so Im off into the ally o at the weekend to help her too
nice post Baaheeduk

 

[Baaheeduk]

Well peeps, My missus just phoned to tell me that my daughter took her bike to the shops today and managed no probs.

Although we started on Monday afternoon, its really only been a couple of hours work to get her going. She has been so enthusiastic about it so I guess that has helped.

Thanks for all you advice peeps