Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

8yr old ds cant ride a bike.

29 replies

tortoise · 01/02/2006 20:15

My ds is 8 nearly 9yrs old. should i be worried that he cant ride a bike yet.Lots of his friends can confidently ride.I have see children younger on bikes.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

starlover · 01/02/2006 20:19

does he practise much?

foxinsocks · 01/02/2006 20:20

dh couldn't ride till he was 8 or 9

LIZS · 01/02/2006 20:26

ds, almost 8, can't and all the kids around and at school can. He's now way too big for the bike we bought for his 5th birthday but shows little inclination to really eprsevere so not sure whether to bother getting another. He can do it very wobblily but is now too self conscious to try in public and we don't enough space in the garden.

Original poster

tortoise · 01/02/2006 20:30

doesnt practise that much as garden not really any good for riding in and long way to walk to the park.ds2 6yr getting better on his.also got dd age 2 1/2 and dd 1 1/2 to take along too so hard to get to the park with 2 bikes and 1 in a buggy and 1 walking!

OP posts:

kid · 01/02/2006 20:31

They need to really practise to get the hang of it. My DD is 7 and isn't even confident riding a bike with stabalisers! She is getting quite good on a 2 wheel scooter though.

foxinsocks · 01/02/2006 20:32

it's all about practise isn't it

there is a boy in ds's nursery class (who is just 4) who came to school on his bike with no stabilisers this morning! I couldn't believe it!

I can see how they would lose the will to do it. Could you have a bike intensive weekend where you get your partner to take him out on both days?

Original poster

tortoise · 01/02/2006 20:33

that makes me feel much better about it,thanks. will have to get him out on it more. new bike for birthday in april maybe. might b good insentive.

OP posts:

Original poster

tortoise · 01/02/2006 20:35

unfortunatly im a single mum. both boys go to their dads on a sat but hes useless so no good asking him to do it!!!

OP posts:

RTKangaMummy · 01/02/2006 20:35

get him to go on a grass hill

the speed from the hill makes balance easier

foxinsocks · 01/02/2006 20:37

oh yes, new bike a very good incentive (especially if he could manage to do a bit before he got his new bike)

what a useless dad - what a shame he couldn't take that saturday time as an opportunity to teach him (men ggggggrrr)

starlover · 01/02/2006 20:37

is there anyone else who could have the little ones while you take him out? or at least just your dd's?

Original poster

tortoise · 01/02/2006 20:40

the 2 girls dad could have them.but hes only allowed 3 hours contact each time at mo.so might b tricky.i will have to try harder with him!! he will ride his bike 1 day!

OP posts:

Tortington · 01/02/2006 20:49

i couldnt ride a bike til i was a teenager, i was petrified of falling

mumeeee · 01/02/2006 23:37

My eldest couldn't ride a bike untill she was nine. My other two were seven and eight.

Jennypog · 02/02/2006 11:08

One child has never ridden a bike - too frightened and just didn't seem to want to make the effort. The other rode without stabilisers at 4 years old, can roller blade, ice skate, skateboard, etc. It depends on the child. The first one is quiet, artistic and enjoys drawing - the second one just enjoys going crazy, running around, shouting and generally being a nuisance. Treat them as individuals, and don't worry about it.

Troutpout · 02/02/2006 18:36

Does he want to ride a bike?...if he isn't too bothered then i wouldn't be either.
Think it depends on the type of kid he is tbh

Misspiggy · 02/02/2006 18:52

Ermm...I'm 41 and can't ride a bike Wish I could but feel it's too late to learn to ride one now and keep my dignity in tact so,IMO, if you can encourage him to learn now he'll thank you in the future. It took my DS2 (9) ages and lots and lots of practice to learn (must run in the family)but he's really confident now. Don't worry, it will come.

Tommy · 02/02/2006 19:14

I learnt to ride a bike when I was 10
My little brother could do it so I thought I'd better learn!

Tommy · 02/02/2006 19:15

and my Dad (who taught me and all my siblings to ride a bike) still can't ride a bike and he's nearly 70!

Potty1 · 02/02/2006 19:20

My ds2 didn't learn to ride confidently until he was 12 . They do need to practise and once all their mates can ride it can get a bit embarrasing for them being so wobbly. We finally got ds going during a holiday in the New Forest - none of his mates around to take the mickey about his lack of skill.

ssd · 02/02/2006 19:22

both my boys had the stabilisers off at 4, I just kept taking them out to practise and they picked it up.

i'd say just keep up the practise.

Original poster

tortoise · 02/02/2006 20:01

Thanks everyone.So glad that he's not the only 1!! Will try to get them to the park on sunday (weather permitting) and see how he goes. Know he wants to do it but does lack self confidence.

OP posts:

drosophila · 02/02/2006 20:13

My DS learnt in a couple of hours. I kid you not. DP is one of those types who reads something and wants to try it, He read that the quickest way for a child to learn to ride is to take the pedals off. He must be able to put his feet flat on the ground when sitting on the sadal.

He should then jusy use it like a hobby horse and this teaches them about balance. You then return the pedals and hey presto they already know how to balance (the hardest bit) and then just need to pedal. He was 5 when he learnt and I grudgingly had to admit that DP was right for once.

DS is not particularily sporty or anything. I really could not believe what I was seeing.

Blu · 02/02/2006 20:20

yep, Drosophila, this is the new recomended way to teac kids to ride a bike. Apparantly, riding with stabilisers teaches them to do exactly the wrong thing when steering, cornering and balancing. Take pedals off, let them get confident to coasting down hills, and cornering/steering. Then, pedals on, slight downwards slope on grass, and away you go.

This was my plan- unfortunately, DP who cannot ride a bike knows better and has got DS excited about having stabilisers and DS is refusing to have his pedals taken off - too babyish!

drosophila · 02/02/2006 20:25

It was amazing to watch. The downside is that he has no fear and when we took him out to the park he flew off like a bat out of hell. He hasn't learnt how to ride at a sensible pace yet. Probably made him a bit cocky.

Flip

1 2