Active discussions

Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Make 9 year old learn to ride a bike?

259 replies

SherbettAnna · 26/03/2026 22:17

So DS is 9 now and hasn’t had a bike since he was about 4-5 (with training wheels) and he had a balance bike aged about 4.

We don’t live somewhere where he can just ‘ride his bike’ in the garden or outside the home. A bike wouldn’t fit in my little car so we would be limited to walking to a nice area he could ride to (I would walk him) once per week at the weekend. Wouldn’t be able to ride to school.

He isn’t bothered about a bike.
(He swims/ plays football x2 per week so it’s not like he’s not active).

I don’t know if I should spend money on a bike so he can learn to ride it eventually by practicing every weekend - only as I think he should be able to ride a bike.

YABU- Don’t get him a bike.

YANBU- he is 9 he should be able to ride a bike GO AND BUY ONE

All opinions welcome thank you.

OP posts:
Neurodiversitydoctor · 28/05/2026 05:35

Runnersandtoms · 26/03/2026 22:40

It's not essential but it's quite handy when they're older. My 15 year old does a paper round every morning by bike and rides to the station to get the train to school. Also cycles to scouts/friend's house etc.

9 is late to learn but might find it easy. Don't get stabilisers they hinder not help.

At our school they do Bikeability (cycling proficiency) in year 6 but you need to know to ride. If all his mates do it he might feel a bit daft not knowing how.

Agree that it'd be good if you got a bike so you can go for proper bike rides once he learns. Riding round a playground is boring for a 9 year old. Once he's learnt to ride safely you can ride on the road together (assuming you don't live in a massive busy city).

Most citys habe cycle paths? safer than the Country side IMO

UseUpTheCoins · 28/05/2026 05:42

You don’t have to ride a bike. But why not teach the skill in case it’s needed? My kids learned at 4/5 and didn’t ride much after then at all. But they really needed them at university and it was such an advantage.

UseUpTheCoins · 28/05/2026 05:45

Heynow87 · 27/03/2026 00:36

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.

Yes agree. If you have the means to, why not teach your kids if they are able to learn. They might need the skill one day, and it’s easier to learn when young.

UseUpTheCoins · 28/05/2026 05:48

HoskinsChoice · 27/03/2026 07:57

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?

Show quote history

Because the child might want to one day! They could end up with a group of friends who like cycling holidays, or attend a university where cycling makes life easier. Why limit your child when you can help them?!

UseUpTheCoins · 28/05/2026 05:51

BIossomtoes · 27/03/2026 21:30

So it’s not essential. I was hoping we’d get there eventually.

You sound like one of those people saying, ‘school is pointless as you don’t use half the stuff as an adult’. The point is that you don’t know what you will use or need in adult life, so why not build the foundations as a child to increase your choices later on.

UseUpTheCoins · 28/05/2026 05:57

SherbettAnna · 27/05/2026 23:44

Just seen this thread and realised I didn’t update!

Well thank you all for the advice I did buy him the bike and when the weather was good I juggled my work hours to get out to do nearly 2 full weeks of daily trying and then when we can. He can ride it ‘ok’ and gets better each time we go out and it’s a skill that’s there forever once mastered.

Thank you.

Well done OP! He now has a skill he can choose to use or not as an adult. That’s good parenting!

Birdied · 28/05/2026 07:35

CassandraCan · 26/03/2026 23:21

Do not use stabilisers. The are a hindrance to learning a bike. And do more harm than good. You just cannot learn to cycle with stabilisers as you have to balance, and you can't do that on 4 wheels.

There are two things to cycling: balance and pedalling. Use a balance bike or a normal bike with pedals off. Learn to push and balance. Once balance is properly learnt (ie balancing for a long old while), introduce the pedalling.

Show quote history

Exactly this. Mine has just learned to cycle this week. Advice was to go from a balance bike to pedals. No stabilisers. We got a lightweight aluminium frame pedal bike secondhand and he is flying it now. A lightweight bike is fairly crucial for learners. I wanted him to be able to keep up with his peers and he is so proud of himself.

DavesGirl90 · 28/05/2026 14:21

UseUpTheCoins · 28/05/2026 05:57

Well done OP! He now has a skill he can choose to use or not as an adult. That’s good parenting!

Show quote history

Yes well done OP. It sounds like it was hard work and a faff but you’ve opened his world up just a little bit more by doing it.

Swimmingteacher21 · 28/05/2026 21:05

SherbettAnna · 27/05/2026 23:44

Just seen this thread and realised I didn’t update!

Well thank you all for the advice I did buy him the bike and when the weather was good I juggled my work hours to get out to do nearly 2 full weeks of daily trying and then when we can. He can ride it ‘ok’ and gets better each time we go out and it’s a skill that’s there forever once mastered.

Thank you.

Wonderful news! Well done!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread