as easy as riding a bicycle

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 2:09 PM
how many of you remember how you learned to ride a bicycle without training wheels?  how old were you? 

my daughter is going to be 7 in april and i've been working with her on riding her bicycle without her training wheels.  she seems to have no sense of balance on it and gives up rather easily.  currently what i do is hold on to the handlebars in front of the bike and have her pedal while i walk backwards.  i used to hold it tight so that she wouldn't tip over, but i got the feeling she wasn't even trying to balance on her own, so lately i lightly grip the handlebars and if she tips, she puts her leg down to catch herself. 

does anyone have some tips on helping her with her balance and riding her bike?  is 7 years old too young to have the training wheels off?  we were riding in our neighborhood last summer with her training wheels on and i heard a younger boy across the street ask his grandmother why she was still on training wheels (he was around 4 or 5 years old).

she seems willing to keep trying, but she'll only try for a few minutes before she gives up.  i don't want her to get so frustrated that she is completely unwilling to even try.

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# re: as easy as riding a bicycle

Try holding on to the back of the seat so that you're behind her instead of in front of her...then she won't be able to see when you let go.

I know I lost the training wheels well before I turned eight...because at seven or eight I was riding my bike to the neighborhood corner store to buy comic books and candy...but I don't remember exactly how old I was. 3/28/2007 3:26 PM | Emma

# re: as easy as riding a bicycle

I distinctly remember that I was 6 when I finally learned to balance a bike on my own. (I remember mostly because I was the last of my friends to DO IT.)

Anyway, my bike was at my grandparents' house and my grandpa had this "thing" about not letting me ride on the pavement till I could balance it (uh, HELLO training wheels in GRASS? doesn't work). So I never really tried much with the training wheels. I never had anyone holding the seat/handlebars for me either -- what helped me was that we had a hill in the back yard and I kept riding down it -- the momentum of going downhill let me pick up speed without pedaling, so I could focus just on balancing the bike. Once I "glided" down the hill a few times, then I started remembering to actual pedal. (It also helped to have the neighbor kids yelling "START PEDALING!" at me. Heh.) 3/28/2007 3:32 PM | Mandi

# re: as easy as riding a bicycle

I used one of those power boxes. I'd climb on the bike and steady myself against the power box. Then I'd push off, pedal, and figure out how to balance. Since I was starting from a stop, if I lost my balance early, I wouldn't wipe out, and once I got going it was easy to balance.

By "power box" I mean those greenish bluish things they have in some people's yards near the sidewalk. My parents "conveniently" had one in their yard. 3/28/2007 3:49 PM | Erik J. Barzeski

# re: as easy as riding a bicycle

@emma - i actually have tried holding on from behind, but that had the same results.

it sounds like i should hold on from behind, and push her along and if she starts to tip, leave it up to her to put her foot down or compensate. and also leave the pedaling for later.

thanks for your thoughts everyone 3/28/2007 4:31 PM | ron

# re: as easy as riding a bicycle

Kindergarten -- so 5 or 6 years old.

I'd agree with Emma's comment above - try holding onto the back of the seat - and don't grip it too tightly and let go after a while. You want her to be forced to get that balance on her own. If she falls, well, she falls. That's what helped me learn balance - falling. Do it once or twice, get a skinned knee, and you'll learn balance!

The downhill thing works, too. Plus, if you fly off the bike into grass - it's not that bad of a fall.

Plus, you can't let her give up - practice is the best medicine. Even if you get frustrated, it's the only way to learn. Welcome to life :( 3/28/2007 4:32 PM | Melissa

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