Bike riding

[Solongtoshort]

For four weeks l have been trying to teach my 9yo ds how to ride his bike, he has never been interested always choosing to ride his scooter or skate board. He is going to put grow his lovely very bike he got two years ago at this rate. He is upset because his friends can all ride bikes and there is a school stay over next year that includes activities like bike riding.

I can’t take another day off of the drama of it. We tried the balance bike with out pedals first, then we tried with stabilisers as he was scared, then we have had two weeks of me holding the back. I give in, l need to pay someone, l wonder if this is a thing?

How long did it take you to teach your child?

I’d go back to balance bike-just take the pedals off his lovely bike. Keep the saddle low so he can touch the floor easily and go on some very gentle hills so he can build up to a bit of freewheeling whilst learning to trust his brakes and his ability to put his feet down. He’ll get it very suddenly.

Yes, lower saddle so he can put his feet down easily. Make sure he has a decent helmet and it's properly fitted! Start off so he's going downhill on a gentle slope. Don't try to hold him, you'll wreck your back!

Where is he looking? He needs to be looking ahead rather than down/at the handlebars.

Dont use stabilisers at all they are not a good way to learn. Go back to the balance bike until he can confidently lift his feet off the ground and steer while coasting at a decent speed. Then when he lifts his feet get him to hold them up in a position where they would be if had pedals. Once he's got that mastered. Put the pedals on and do the same, no pedalling just coasting with his feet on the pedals, he should then be able to add in a bit of pedalling.

@KidsAreMean l think this is what is happening, l will look out for that next week. My back is the reason l need to give up.

@MrsWooster thank you l have been trying on a flat surface, l know where l will go next week.

I recently helped my 8yo to learn with the scarf under the arms trick. It meant she didn't lean into me and become unbalanced. When she pedalled on her own it relaxed my hold, if she wobbled I pulled her up. I tried loads of different ways (unsuccessfully) before that. You put the scarf across the chest and under the armpits and hold the two ends together behind the head (or wherever's comfy). She mastered it in about five minutes after many months of tears.