What is the right sort of age to learn to ride a bike without stabilisers?

[YunoYurbubson]

Was thinking about taking the stability wheels off my 4yos bike.

Too soon?

When did yours do it?

I know kids who didn't learn until they were 7 or 8 but I've just read about a 4 year old who is racing bmx bikes.

Not if he's confident and wants to do it.
DD1 is six and has only jsut taken hers off, but rarely goes out on a bike to practise. She's also a 'fraidy cat like her mother

DS is 4, and tried without his at the weekend - and then asked to put them back on. TBH, he would prob be fine without them if he kept his mind on cycling rather than everything around him

I see lots of children that age without stabilisers. But I'm not getting far with dd who's 6. So I think there's a huge variation and you should give it a go.

depends on the child I think

a friend of mine has a 4 year old dd who rides her bike without stabilisers, but she did practice a lot with a balance bike first. She is also a tall and very physically confident child.

my dd1 is also 4 but there is no way i would take the stablilisers off yet. That would only lead to much angst, weeping, wailing and general gnashing of teeth all round

If he wants to do it then give it a try. My DD2 was riding a bike without stabilisers at 2 and a half. I took hers off her little bike because they were bent and she just started riding it.

I agree it depends in the child. DS learned to ride without stablisors 3 months ago when he was 4 1/2 - he took to it immediately and literally learned within minutes! But he's got an excellent sense of balance (unlike me) and has also been doing lots of horseriding (ie. riding without hands/saddle etc to gain balance) for the last couple of years which may have helped?

Give it a go - if your child is ready it should become obvious pretty soon - if not, just wait a few months and try again...

DD did it at 3, the same time DS did it at 4... She is not a girl to be left behind!

Not too soon, crack on... If it doesn't work straightaway, just wait a little longer.

By accident, rather than design we did ours on grass and they both got it very quickly on grass, it's kind of slower and more forgiving and the bikes seem to stay upright better.

On paving, it took a little longer, but not much. They got their confidence up on the grass first, then hey presto, they were off. It took about fifteen minutes the first time (on the grass).

Good luck!