Learning to ride

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puffinbilly

Veteran
Is he learning to ride with a balance bike - if it's an ordinary bike just take the pedals off and lower the seat. Allow him to scoot around on this and he'll quickly find his balance and become confident on stopping and starting. Then it's really it's a natural progression to putting the pedals back on and watching him getting used to that.
 
Are you using stabilisers?
If you are take them off. If you can borrow a balance bike it will get him away, or if you are of a practical bent take the pedals off his bike. set the saddle so he can touch down with his feet & let him scoot.
steve
 

Hugh Manatee

Veteran
Also, if you need to hold on to him, do not hold the saddle like a lot of parents do. Hold the child. This will enable him to feel the bike move naturally under him and quite soon he will feel the balance point.

My lad struggled a bit and it turned out to be the bike's fault. We had a sort of mini Chopper sort of thing that put him too far behind the bottom bracket. Once I got him his Islabike, whoosh, he was off.
 
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Paul Brooks

Paul Brooks

Member
Is he learning to ride with a balance bike - if it's an ordinary bike just take the pedals off and lower the seat. Allow him to scoot around on this and he'll quickly find his balance and become confident on stopping and starting. Then it's really it's a natural progression to putting the pedals back on and watching him getting used to that.
Thanks for this.... He's had a balance bike for some time and zooms around brilliantly. It's since we moved on to pedals the problem has arisen.... He just doesn't appear to be able to coordinate pedalling & balancing ...
 
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Paul Brooks

Paul Brooks

Member
Are you using stabilisers?
If you are take them off. If you can borrow a balance bike it will get him away, or if you are of a practical bent take the pedals off his bike. set the saddle so he can touch down with his feet & let him scoot.
steve
Reply thanks Steve.... I think we will go back to the balance bike for a while
 
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Paul Brooks

Paul Brooks

Member
Also, if you need to hold on to him, do not hold the saddle like a lot of parents do. Hold the child. This will enable him to feel the bike move naturally under him and quite soon he will feel the balance point.

My lad struggled a bit and it turned out to be the bike's fault. We had a sort of mini Chopper sort of thing that put him too far behind the bottom bracket. Once I got him his Islabike, whoosh, he was off.
That's good advice ... Thank you
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
And what ever you do (and not saying for one second you are) do not pressurise him too much or show that you are getting frustrated. Keep it fun or it will only put him off riding the bike.
Some children take longer to learn how to ride then others.So don't despair. It will come to him.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
If he can't pedal and balance perhaps try coasting down a gentle hill just trying to get first one then both feet on the pedals. And don't even bother to try pedalling at first.

What sort of bike is it? If it's a BMX from some of the large stores they tend to be too big a chain ring meaning they have to push hard to pedal, and too far back from the handlebars.
 

deptfordmarmoset

Full time tea drinker
Location
Armonmy Way
From playground experience a couple of years ago, we'd make the transition from bike used as a balance bike to adding one pedal before going onto two. This stage might help him rest his foot and still use it essentially as a balance bike. With the saddle still low - a kind of one-legged kick bike.
 
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