Small boys, bikes without stabilisers, riding round the park, when...how?

[sunnywong]

What do you reckon?
When they express and interest or by year1?
And how do you do it? Remove one stabiliser wheel at a time or make them go cold turkey?

[Glitterygookwithchocsonthetree]

Not sure about this - we are thinking we could ds1 off stabilisers this spring - he will be just 6 and in year 1.

My brother took them off his (ds1's) bike last year and he could ride it on the grass but he fell off once and wanted them back on again - brother put them back on again (I wouldn't have!).

[Glitterygookwithchocsonthetree]

One boy in ds1's class last year (reception) used to ride home on his bike from school. His mum was in front with her baby in a seat thing on the back and he would ride behind, proper bike, no stabiliser, helmet on etc. He was just 5! I was stunned!! Simply because ds1 seems so far away from that scenario even now!

[LIZS]

ds still can't at 8 but many in dd's year (Year1 ) can and have been for a while.

[sunnywong]

Hmmm..yes, well I am tempted to get hard core and just take them of and buy some knee pads but I fear that may be a tad harsh. But it will make a man of them, i don't want ds1 to be the only kid in year one with training wheels. Not that I am certain he will but YKWIM

[sassy]

take the pedals off at the same time as the stabilisers.

My dsis went on an adult learners cycling course and this is what they did. Everyone got confident with the balancing before the pedals wnt back on and then they were fine.

Its the like-a-bike principle (do you have them in Oz?)

[sunnywong]

that's a novel idea, may try it

no we don't have them in our neck of the woods, this is Australia land forged by convicts and hard graft

[ScummyMummy]

We just said "Right! You're learning to ride your bikes today. Huzzah." and ran around after them letting go until they both sailed off into the distance. (Well, wobbled about going I'm doing it, I'm doing it, crash but ykwim) Took lots of me being super positive in order to keep partner positive and the one who found it slightly less easy positive but it worked and was a brilliant achievement all round, I felt. I left it till I was almost sure they were ready though, as I felt that it was an approach that could backfire and put them off for life if they didn't discover the knack. Good luck to the fragrant Wong boy. It really is a classically magic moment when they get it- I look forward to the vicarious thrill of hearing about his first bike ride.:}

[TwoToTango]

My ds was about 3.5 when we took the stabilisers off. We waited until he was confident riding with stabilisers and then raised the stabilisers a bit every couple of days (suggestion from a neighbour) which seemed to force him to learn how to get the balance right to keep the bike upright. within a fortnight we had taken them off. I think its one of those things that really depends on the child, my DS loves his bike but I have got friends with children of 6 and 7 who still like to have the stabilisers on.

[hoxtonchick]

hi wongster. we are going to buy ds a bike for his 5th birthday at the end of jan. no stabilisers. loads of his friends can ride theirs already. i reckon it'll be ok as he has learnt the balance bit from his scooter. just needs dp or i to put in the hard graft...

[mummydear]

Took the stabilizers off both boys bikes at the same time DS1 was 5.4 and DS2 was 3.5, the youngest just went off and never looked back. The eldest could have done it earlier if we got our act togther.

just get them to the park, stabilzers off , steady the bike by holding onto rear of seat and let them go !

If they see that you are concerned about it so will they , abit like swimming I suppose !

Good luck !

[nutcracker]

We went cold turkey, dd wanted a new bike and so we brought one without stabilizers. It took her a while to learn tbh, but in the end she did it on her own, just kept trying and eventually got it.

Dd2 was given a friends old bike without stabilizers and it ook her half an hour and that was it.

[NotQuiteCockney]

We skipped stabilizers entirely. DS1 was used to his likabike, and he rides a half-bike on the back of mine, so we bought him his first real bike with no stabilisers, for his fifth birthday, about three months ago.

We don't use it enough, so he's still not expert, but he can do everything but get himself going.

I certainly know lots of four-year-olds who are fine on bikes without stabilisers, so five isn't early.

[PeachysaysBlwyddynNewyddDda]

We took our older boy' stabilizers off in the xummer, Dh just said you're too old now. They were 6.5 and 5.5, although weleft it late because DS1 isn't co-ordinated- and then they syurptrised us by being absolutely fine!

[sunnywong]

right that's it then, kneepads and a cheery spirit

I think ds2, 3.3yrs would get it like that I just don't want ds1 to get the hump

[JoolsToo]

we didn't have stabilisers in my day - you just kept falling off 'til you got it right! [gfrin]

[JoolsToo]

...

[Twiglett]

Suzy ... we got DS a scooter and he was on that for about 6 months scooting around and finding his sense of balance and once he had that feeling it took a couple of sessions in the park (no stabilisers at all) with DH until he got it

it suddenly clicks ..but they have to know what their center of gravity feels like I reckon

[kid]

DD and DS both got bikes for Christmas without stabilisers. They are both good on a 2 wheel scooter so we figured they can ride a bike now. DS has almost got the hang of it, he is 4.8
DD cries if we let go of the handlebars and seat, she is almost 8. I don't know what its going to take to get her riding it, but we refuse to buy stabilisers.

[worleywinterwonderland]

my ds only learnt this summer when he was still 7. it has took him literally years to get the hang of actually pedalling and getting his balance. he has outgrown 2 bikes scince we first got his a little 3 wheeler when he was a toddler. even then he couldnt get the hang of the pedals going all the way round!!

[crunchie]

Each child is different. DD1 was 6 1/4 when we went on a camping holiday, with the express plan of getting her off stabilisers. It took practicing most days to get her confident to do it first with us setting her off, then with her pushing off with our help stedying IYKWIM. We have somne great footage of her falling into a bush!!

DD2 we promised would do the same this summer (aged 5.5) she had tried a couple of times but dh let her crash to the ground and really graze herself and so she refused. I bought her knee/elbow pads one day and we went to the park. It took a massive amount of screaming tantrums and promiusing to keep daddy away (!) and promisingto ALWAYS HOLD ON to start with, then I let go for the count of one, then for the count of three etc etc. Within 15 mins she could do it!! Then she started going up and down hills and by the end of 3/4 hr she could ride happily pushing off by herself.

Personally I think cold turkey is better than rasiing stabilisers as they get used to learning to balalne. Raising stabiliers means they can be really learnt over,, but still OK which doesn't teach balance

[mysonsmummy]

ds had one of those wooden bikes with no pedals. paid £10 in Lidls. i think that defintely helped as he was 4.5 when i took stabilisers off. he does often get envious look from the other reception parents though in the playground.

[SantasFattymumma]

DS is 6 and will probably still have them on at 16

DD is 2 and will have hers off by the summer.

[JanH]

DS2 had a friend who could ride without at 3

DS2 himself learnt all at once, at 6 - I think - DS1 managed at 5 but was very wobbly for ages.