Make 9 year old learn to ride a bike?

Actually, if we stop and think about it, why should kids know how to ride a bike? I haven't ridden a bike since I learned to ride a bike (about 50 years ago). It's not exactly a key life skill.

I'm with the OP. If he isn't anywhere where he's going to ride a bike, what's the point in learning?

I see it as a basic skill (though not essential) and have done it all my life. But it all depends on your circumstances. You don't just want it to gather cobwebs in a shed, or become a clothes-hanger in the hallway. 🚴

I think it's more dependent on where you live. My kids have little bikes and the park near us has an area for kids to ride bikes. I expect they'll stop when they grow out of this because like some PP have said we live somewhere that doesn't have any suitable cycle routes that you can do from our house, we'd have to transport the bikes by car. It's a shame because we are otherwise quite outdoorsy.

I paid 120 quid for someone to teach my kid to ride a bike at 8. It was such a good spend!

Im 66 and have never ridden a bike

We will only cycle on traffic free routes, the rare time the route goes on a road for a while, supposedly designated a safe road or part of the route to connect to the next traffic free section its a bumpy, dirty, detritus strewn edge of the road, no protection from traffic which is bombing along, the edges of the road all have the drain covers/man hole covers in them to make it more uneven and is usually quite a heavy camber, very unstable.

The thing is though, the culture around cycling in those places is very different to that of the UK. You don't see the attitude towards cyclists in the UK in Amsterdam, do you? I would willingly and happily ride bikes in the UK if the attitude was completely tolerant and there were decent cycle routes that are away from traffic-heavy roads. I used to ride my bike to work and was hit by vehicles plenty of times, and each time it was because the driver wasn't looking out for cycles, only other vehicles. It's not nice breathing in the fumes either.

I do enjoy cycling and think it's a marvellous thing: you get to where you want to be faster while getting some great exercise. It's a win-win, but not in the circumstances we have now. It's very much a good thing for kids to be able to do and I would encourage everyone to learn, but it's not in any way an essential skill. And that's a pity.

Of course its useful, but that is not the same as essential, people use this word incorrectly

Essential is being fed, watered, housed, being able to pay your bills, having warmth, being clothed, being able to function to a large degree in society

I also notice, predictably, that any thread has to involve ageist comments, this one is no different.

My mum would have been 99 if she was still alive ... she used to cycle everywhere. I've got a lovely image in my head of her cycling to the local launderette with the front basket full of laundry 😀

I'd try and teach him OP, it is a useful life skill even if he doesn't end up cycling much. I'd worry his mates at secondary would take the mick if they found out ... that shouldn't matter obv, but it does!

Cycling is very useful, for transport, exercise and leisure, but it’s not potentially going to save your life like swimming. But as serious cyclists say, if your teenager is into cycling, they’ll have no money for drugs…

It's always the same on these threads. MN is generally anti-cyclist, plus I suspect that many mothers think that cycling is beneath their kids, or too dangerous, or too strenuous, some other daft excuse.

Not much common sense needed to know that being able to swim can save your life

Cycling, not comparable.

The fact some people can't do it doesn't mean it isn't a very useful life skill. Essential is a matter of judgement.

It's really helpful and fun to be able to ride a bike. It's a bit of a shame not to give a kid the chance to learn it.

Like the op, I live in an area where it is not possible to cycle safely from our house. If we wanted to bike, we would need to put bikes on the car, drive 30 minutes and then do a bike ride and drive back.

when dc were little, we did that at weekends to teach her but it was bloody hard work. DC1 could cycle at 8 but hasn’t in 10 years. DC2 never learned as a kid (hated it) but decided at 14 she wanted to learn so I organised a bike and she did.

you can’t force people to cycle if the local environment isn’t safe for it. Let dc know you’ll help if they want to learn but it isn’t essential.

I wouldn’t say it’s an essential life skill but it’s certainly a basic life skill. I think it’s a parents responsibility to ensure their children are able to ride a bike, swim and drive a car. I think you’re hindering them if they don’t develop these skills.

I learnt to ride a bike when I was young but we moved to quite a hilly area in my pre teens and after one bad experience I never went for a bike ride. I went on a bike for the first time since primary with my my inlaws but my balance was shot and as a result I couldn't get out of their yard. They were lovely but it was quite embarrassing.

I basically had to re learn to ride a bike as an adult after DP bought me a bike for my birthday and whilst I am ok for leisurely ride on a flat cycle trail I will never be able to use it for active transport, unlike DP who biked everywhere as a child/teen.

But the only essentials in life are food, water & some form of shelter so it could be said using the word essential is lazy if it is not one of these

We arranged swimming lessons so they can swim not once have we ever thought they are essential though

The harm it has done you is that you live on the coast and don’t go in the sea. Is that not obvious?

Im sorry to say this but barring any disabilities or other extenuating circumstances it was really very lazy and thoughtless of your parents not to teach you to swim when you were small. It would have been very easy for you to learn then. They have done you a disservice and made your life less rich by not teaching you something the vast majority of people do simply just teach their kids. You have missed out on a lot; you just don’t realise.

I can’t believe people are reducing essential skills down to just the very basic things that keep you alive! I mean what kind of life is that.

Do you know that essential basically means something you can’t be without?

I agree he should learn to ride because it’s one of life’s most fun activities, but essential it’s not - like all the others you mentioned except maybe telling the time.

I’ve made it to 43 without ever learning to swim and have somehow miraculously managed to not suddenly find myself in the sea or a pool 😂.

Some of us have agency over where we go you know!

I don’t think swimming, cycling or driving a car is an essential life skill. I can do two of those and still could live without them.

Essential life skills to me, as a woman, is learning to spot red flags in men (and in friendships), learning the meaning and legal implications and benefits of being married, and learning how to live independently, both financially and physically.

As I said; not being able to swim has done me literally zero harm, and I live on the coast! I just don’t go in the sea, just like someone who may not be able to ride a horse wouldn’t just suddenly jump on and expect to know what to do 😂😂

Whilst I don't think you need to make him, I think it would be much harder to learn as a young adult and he may never do it, so I would. At his age he should get it quite quickly but in a couple more years his limbs will be all over the place and he'll be ungainly, not isn't a bad option, maybe get him a lesson or two, at his age he's more than ready to learn and should do it fast.

Mind you swimming is a great skill but not sure even that can be called essential knowing how to swim does not stop drowning

I'm not convinced that cycling and swimming are equally essential. I'm not sure people die of not being able to ride a bike.

I was a perfectly competent cyclist at primary school but haven't been on a bike since the age of about 11. I'm in my forties now and it's honestly not made a blind bit of difference to my life.

I know people like me who rode a bike a couple of times as a child and not in 20,30, 40, 50+ years so technically can they ride a bike or not? if people choose not to ride a bike how do they know they can still ride one? I know the old cliche but still

I think it's essential to learn. For the grads at work fitness seems very important and a big part of their social lives. Lots of them doing triathlons, long rides with cycle clubs or mountain biking. You don't want to hold your child back from future social stuff!

Also it's just a useful skill. In the future they may want to cycle to work so they aren't stuck in traffic etc...