New riding buddy. Ted: 3 years, 3 months

[xpc316e]

Congratulations to you & Ted.

This experience confirms my belief that stabilisers just hold most children back. A bike with stabilisers feels totally different to one without, and they may only be useful to learn the action of pedalling and braking.

I have recently worked in a special school with a little girl of 7 who had balance and coordination issues. On my first lesson with her I removed the stabilisers from her bike, raised the saddle and she was riding 15 minutes later. She was so chuffed when her Mum came to collect her. Teaching children to ride is such a beautiful experience.

 

[veloman]

Took both of mine out on a Tag-A-Long from about 2 1/2 years old, wonderful for controlling them and allowing them to feel the balance point. Never used stabilisers (just a hindrance), both riding before 3 1/2.

Tag-A-Longs (trailer bikes) are a great way of introducing kids to cycling; we continued to use them until the kids got to about 5 years old for longer rides.


P.S. Well done Ted, now all you need to do is replace the 12 with a 16. a 20, a 24, a small adult..... and then of course is the road bike (s) because "it's too hot for mountain biking in the summer". On reflection, why did I ever teach them to ride!

 

[david k]

my son loves his bike, didnt care for it much until about a month ago when he started finding his balance with it. he is 8 and been riding since about 3/4 or something like that. he never really bothered with it though, now he spends all day and i mean all day out on his cheap bmx. im gonna get him a good one, well about 300, i am happy as he will get his moneys worth from it

 

[Arch]

Ooh! That is marvellous Sue!

Am confident Evey would go nuts if I built him a recumbent.

(Which is why I'll have to do it in secret )

I just loved it when I saw it, and it's so simple using those forks like that.

You could of course, include more zip ties.

How proud would Ted be to be out with you on a matching bike?