Do you ever teach the child to ride the bicycle?

[Pearl]

Hello, yesterday I teach my niece to ride a bicycle. She only 5 years old. I found that It' very hard to teach a little child biking. When she fall on the floor, she always cries and give up.
Do you have any trick for teaching a child to biking.

 

[Cycleops]

Both ours learnt at four and three. They had stabilisers and I gradually raised them so eventually they weren't relying on them, then removed them. Remember that you need a bit speed otherwise balancing will be difficult.

 

[biggs682]

as @Cycleops says really took my daughter ages and even when she could she would only ride 500 yds before stopping to make adjustment

 

[Spinney]

I've heard people recommend taking the pedals off the bike, so they just scoot along with their feet. That helps them learn balance - then when they have some confidence you can put the pedals back on again.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I've heard people recommend taking the pedals off the bike, so they just scoot along with their feet. That helps them learn balance - then when they have some confidence you can put the pedals back on again.

This, it's the quickest and painless way.
Unfortunately stabalisers seem counterproductive to learning the basic sense of bance required to ride a bike.
Once you have balance, learning to pedal is child's play!

 

[Broadside]

This

This, it's the quickest and painless way.
Unfortunately stabalisers seem counterproductive to learning the basic sense of bance required to ride a bike.
Once you have balance, learning to pedal is child's play!

This is exactly what I have done with each of my kids, then when I think they are close to ready I spend a couple of hours in one solid chunk running along behind holding the saddle giving lots of encouragement, then eventually let go of the saddle and that's it. I will say though that letting go of that saddle is a leap of faith that you have to learn, it's not all about the child.

 

[byegad]

Pedals off, seat right down so the child can get both feet flat on the floor and get them to walk the bike around, taking their feet off the floor if the feel confident and only then. Once they are coasting feet up for a distance refit the pedals and let them pedal as they wish. Once they are pedalling OK gradually adjust the seat higher until it is at the right height for riding normally.

 

[nickyboy]

This

This is exactly what I have done with each of my kids, then when I think they are close to ready I spend a couple of hours in one solid chunk running along behind holding the saddle giving lots of encouragement, then eventually let go of the saddle and that's it. I will say though that letting go of that saddle is a leap of faith that you have to learn, it's not all about the child.

Same. I did it on a grassy slope in the park so if they came off it wasn't too catastrophic. Oh, and try to explain the braking too before they shoot off into the distance

 

[MarkF]

Same here, no stabilisers and all 3 of my kids were riding within one day, a grassy grassed slope did the trick.

 

[Panter]

As above. Took the pedals off her Barbie bike (had to cut them off, it was a very cheaply constructed bike) and a gentle grassy slope did the trick.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

I've taught a couple of little people to ride. The best trick I learnt was to run alongside/behind the child with me holding the saddle the whole time, the peddling and steering is usually all over the place so you get ridden over and bashed to bits.
Eventually, you can start to release them when they seem stable, for short distances. They will travel a little, and fall off. Then they will travel a little further and fall off, and finally, they cycle off and don't come back!
Flat short grass is better than tarmac to start with, for those unfortunate landings. Grass however is a pain for steering, the ruts and bumps are off putting.
Learning to ride takes weeks, if not months.

A good age to start them is 4 or 5, IMO.

 

[Markymark]

Agree with above. I took the pedals off the bike and when she could balance on short downhill runs I put the pedals on. She was 4 when she first pedalled and literally went off first time and cycled without issue and has never fallen off.

 

[raleighnut]

+1 for the 'balance bike' either a dedicated one or taking the pedals/crank off.

 

[Blue]

I've taught a couple of little people to ride. The best trick I learnt was to run alongside/behind the child with me holding the saddle the whole time,
Eventually, you can start to release them when they seem stable,
Flat short grass is better than tarmac to start with, for those unfortunate landings. Grass however is a pain for steering, the ruts and bumps are off putting.
A good age to start them is 4 or 5, IMO.

That's what I did in a small area of grassland that had a couple of tarmac paths running through it. I still have fond memories of those long gone days when I walk across those paths.

 

[Ganymede]

Hi Pearl! - I think there is some really good advice on this thread - and I think it's lovely that your niece will soon be cycling around just like her Auntie!