My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike
with training wheels until the child is ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to
teach a child to balance?

Robert Daniels rsd381@stargate.net

Robert Daniels writes:

> Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike with training wheels until the child is ready to tackle
> a two wheeler? When is the best time to teach a child to balance?

Riding a tricycle is a special skill if the child is assertive and wants to ride fast. It's a
good introduction to vehicle dynamics. Bicycling has a different control mode because it
requires balance, something only the fast tricyclists notice as they speed around corners
leaning into the turn.

At about three and then some, children are probably ready for a bicycle if they are tall enough.
Super small bicycles are hard to balance because they have so little tip-over moment. Whatever you
do, don't make an unstable tricycle of a bicycle. When the time is right, take a couple of ten
minute outings with the child on the bicycle. Hold the bicycle from the saddle to help balance and
don't let the child know when and if you let go.

Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org Palo Alto CA

R. Daniels at rsd381@stargate.net wrote on 8/18/03 10:09 PM:

>My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike
>with training wheels until the child is ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to
>teach a child to balance?

Hi Robert- The last thing you're partner should do is try to "teach" him to balance when he is
neurologically not ready yet. I'm sure there must be some kids out there who are ready at age 3
(I've never seen them tho), but most kids are motivated and able to accomplish this at age 5 or so.
The one thing you don't want to do is to push him into it and make him fearful.

Stick with the three wheeler, preferably something low and stable. The motion from accelerating,
turning, etc. actually helps build the neural pathways through the vestibular system that will
enable him to balance well later on.

I did buy my son a "razor" scooter when he was 4. He kind of enjoyed that. He learned to ride a two
wheeler around age 5 1/2. He is now doing 20-30 milers on bike trails. For club-type rides we use a
trail-a-long.

The child will "tell" his Grandparent when he is ready.

I taught my daughter ride a "two wheeler" at six. Shortly thereafter, my son managed it at four. I
got lots of exercise running around the street in front of the house holding the back of the seat.
Kids can do more than most parents think. It generally only takes patience and a lttle help. Come to
think of it, I respond pretty well to patience and a little help too.

I've seen 3 1/2 yr olds ride a bike without training wheels. Most usually kids learn between 4
and 7. A really good way to teach a child to balance on a bike is to take the pedals off and
lower the seat so that both feet can touch flat on the ground. Let them scoot around using their
feet on the ground.

"R. Daniels" <rsd381@stargate.net> wrote in message
newsd13kv4lde35ledc6lvr9fsm948rv5osff@4ax.com...
> My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike
> with training wheels until the child is ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to
> teach a child to balance?
>
> Robert Daniels rsd381@stargate.net

On 19 Aug 2003 11:18:00 GMT, papayahed1@aol.com (Papayahed1) wrote:

>The last thing you're partner should do is try to "teach" him to balance when he is neurologically
>not ready yet. I'm sure there must be some kids out there who are ready at age 3 (I've never seen
>them tho), but most kids are motivated and able to accomplish this at age 5 or so.

My younger son taught himself to ride when he was three years old. He had a little fixed gear bike
with solid rubber tires and training wheels, a bike we bought because he wanted a bike "like his big
brother's". I was away on a business trip and when I got back he was riding it. Seems his big
brother removed the training wheels while I was away and he just figured it out himself.

I think one key to his success was that the bike was really tiny. He could put a foot down any time
he felt unsteady.

Up until that time I had never heard of a three year old who could ride a bike.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

papayahed1@aol.com (Papayahed1) wrote in message
news:<20030819071800.07106.00000265@mb-m26.aol.com>...
> R. Daniels at rsd381@stargate.net wrote on 8/18/03 10:09 PM:
>
> >My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike
> >with training wheels until the child is ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to
> >teach a child to balance?
>
> Hi Robert- The last thing you're partner should do is try to "teach" him to balance when he is
> neurologically not ready yet. I'm sure there must be some kids out there who are ready at age 3
> (I've never seen them tho), but most kids are motivated and able to accomplish this at age 5 or
> so. The one thing you don't want to do is to push him into it and make him fearful.
>
> Stick with the three wheeler, preferably something low and stable. The motion from accelerating,
> turning, etc. actually helps build the neural pathways through the vestibular system that will
> enable him to balance well later on.
>
> I did buy my son a "razor" scooter when he was 4. He kind of enjoyed that. He learned to ride a
> two wheeler around age 5 1/2. He is now doing 20-30 milers on bike trails. For club-type rides we
> use a trail-a-long.
>
> The child will "tell" his Grandparent when he is ready.

Can't give a firm age either but I agree that the child will know he is ready.

I rode a scooter around and graduated to a training wheel bike when I was ready. I was a year or so
older than most kids who learned to ride a training wheel bike. I've come a long way in the 30 or so
years since then including a number of centuries, a few bike tours, a dozen triathlons and biking to
work on non rainy days.

Neither of my parents were cycling enthusiasts (my Dad didn't ride a bike) so I don't know where I
developed the love for cycling I have. Sometimes the more a child is pushed the more they resist.

my $0.02 Andy

True confession: I didn't master riding a two-wheeler until I was 10 years old. And my folks started
teaching me to ride when I was in second grade.

But I grew up to become a bicycling addict <g>.

Martha Retallick

In article <bhtt9t$78p$0@216.39.186.26>, Lrpdesigns@theriver.com (Martha J. Retallick) wrote:

> True confession: I didn't master riding a two-wheeler until I was 10 years old. And my folks
> started teaching me to ride when I was in second grade.
>
> But I grew up to become a bicycling addict <g>.
>
> Martha Retallick

Don¹t worry, Martha!

I¹ve been riding a 2 wheeler for 50 years and I still haven¹t mastered it.

True confessions of another bicycling addict.

HAND

--
³Freedom Is a Light for Which Many Have Died in Darkness³

- Tomb of the unknown - American Revolution

one of the six billion wrote:

>I've seen 3 1/2 yr olds ride a bike without training wheels. Most usually kids learn between 4
>and 7. A really good way to teach a child to balance on a bike is to take the pedals off and
>lower the seat so that both feet can touch flat on the ground. Let them scoot around using their
>feet on the ground.
>
>
>"R. Daniels" <rsd381@stargate.net> wrote in message
>newsd13kv4lde35ledc6lvr9fsm948rv5osff@4ax.com...
>
>
>>My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike
>>with training wheels until the child is ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to
>>teach a child to balance?
>>
>>Robert Daniels rsd381@stargate.net
>>
>>
I have heard this before, but never hear anyway attest to its effectiveness.

Does it really work?

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO http://www.CycleTourist.com Integrity is obvious. The lack of it
is common.
*****************************

Chuck Anderson wrote:
> one of the six billion wrote:
>
>> I've seen 3 1/2 yr olds ride a bike without training wheels. Most usually kids learn between 4
>> and 7. A really good way to teach a child to balance on a bike is to take the pedals off and
>> lower the seat so that both feet can touch flat on the ground. Let them scoot around using their
>> feet on the ground.
>
> I have heard this before, but never hear anyway attest to its effectiveness.
>
> Does it really work?

It's what I did to teach our daughter when she turned 4. Took her and the bike to our workplace
parking lot on a weekend (big expanse of pavement with very gently slope and no traffic), took the
pedals off and lowered the seat so she could coast and scoot around without fear of falling. After
less than an hour I put the pedals back on and she was off and riding. No falls, no scrapes, and no
need to run alongside.

If only teaching her to drive had gone as smoothly.

"Martha J. Retallick" <Lrpdesigns@theriver.com> wrote in message news:bhtt9t$78p$0@216.39.186.26...
> True confession: I didn't master riding a two-wheeler until I was 10 years old. And my folks
> started teaching me to ride when I was in second grade.
>
> But I grew up to become a bicycling addict <g>.
>
> Martha Retallick

My daughter didn't ride a real bike until she was nearly ten also.

By 11 she got her first road bike, took to the sport and competed at a high level until she was 18.
Then her friends, parties and other indulgences got the best of her. The cycling took a back seat to
things that make your eyes red in the morning. At 19 1/2 she is starting to ride again. Just can't
believe how much fitness she lost. Somehow, I think it is going to come back...

Hopeful Parent

In article <20030819071800.07106.00000265@mb-m26.aol.com>, papayahed1@aol.com (Papayahed1) wrote:

> R. Daniels at rsd381@stargate.net wrote on 8/18/03 10:09 PM:
>
> >My tandem partner's grand-daughter is three years old. Is it better to ride a tricycle or a bike
> >with training wheels until the child is ready to tackle a two wheeler? When is the best time to
> >teach a child to balance?
>
> Hi Robert- The last thing you're partner should do is try to "teach" him to balance when he is
> neurologically not ready yet. I'm sure there must be some kids out there who are ready at age 3
> (I've never seen them tho), but most kids are

My eldest son: 3.5 and the youngest: for his third birthday. I'm not sure my kids are that
exceptional. They rode tricycle at 2.

> motivated and able to accomplish this at age 5 or so. The one thing you don't want to do is to
> push him into it and make him fearful.

Yes and no. One should be careful not to frighten the child, but most children are not riding
two-wheel simply because they are afraid to get the training wheels off. The trick is to get the
motivation and to "push" just enough. For my eldest, the motivatoin was riding over bumps, for
the second, doing like his brother.

>
> Stick with the three wheeler, preferably something low and stable. The motion from accelerating,
> turning, etc. actually helps build the neural pathways through the vestibular system that will
> enable him to balance well later on.

The low and stable is essential. Although I've seen kids riding incredible things, a true and good
bicyle is a valuable investment. A little 12", with wide tires, real ball bearings and fixed gear
allows kids to ride early. I did not used the "scooter trick" (removing pedals), but I would now
if I had to do it again.

Jean-Pierre