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Original poster

When did your DC learn to ride a bike without stabilisers?

28 replies

idobelieveinfairies · 18/09/2010 16:05

My twins will be 6 at the end of next month and want bikes. Went to the bike shop today to see what size they need and they need 18inch bikes. The bike shop man said it's a bit of a job getting stabilisers on these size bikes and said not to bother as they should be able to ride without them soon enough. So i am just wondering what age your children were and whether you think it would be worth be getting stabilisers added? Thanks Smile

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MaMoTTaT · 18/09/2010 16:07

DS1 was 10 2 days ago - and learn in July this year - he learned without stabilisers

DS2 will be 7 in November - he taught himself (in about 5 minutes!) - again without stabilisers in June this year

DS3 is 3.3 and has a bike with stabilisers - though I'm thinking of raising them a bit......

Orangerie · 18/09/2010 16:15

DS was riding without stabilisers at 4. If your twins are good with other things that require good balance like skates, or even scooters they will learn to ride without stablisers very quickly.

pointydog · 18/09/2010 16:15

dd1 just turned 5
dd2 was 4.

It is much much easier to learn to ride a small bike with stabilisers. Very tricky to move to a bigger bike and then try to ride it without stabilisers.

pointydog · 18/09/2010 16:16

'to learn to ride a small bike without stabilisers

mloo · 18/09/2010 16:16

5yo is about the typical age, it varies a lot.
This website has a lot of advice about teaching them to ride without stabilisers.

Tortington · 18/09/2010 16:18

my kids could ride a bike without stabalisers pretty much as soon as tey were old enough to ride a bike.

i think its about being confident enough to let them fall off, tll them they aren't dead, wipe the tears and tell em to try again.

however i could not ride a bike until i was 13, i was petrified of hurting myself - i was a discgrace to woman kind

MaMoTTaT · 18/09/2010 16:22

I didn't learn to ride until I was about 8/9yrs old either, nor did my brother until a similar age.......it didn't stop either of us becoming avid cyclists once older.

I regularly used to go for 20+ miles bike rides when I lived in Zim (over pothole filled roads and very hilly), although until today I hadn't been on a bike for over 11yrs!!!

My brother still regularly does 50+ mile bike rides.........for fun Shock

DS1 wasn't afraid to fall off - he just couldn't balance.

gibbberish · 18/09/2010 16:22

dd1 was 4.

dd2 was 3 and insisted on taking the stabilisers off her bike the same day as dd1 did. Refused to let me help her and by sheer force of will was riding without them by the end of the day.

dd3 was 4

dd4 was 6 - didn't think she was EVER going to learn to ride without stabilisers. The second she got on the bike she toppled over. Her balance was atrocious.

We finally bought her a scooter and once she had learned to balance on that she learned to ride her bike within a day or 2.

I would say no to getting stabilisers.

Original poster
idobelieveinfairies · 18/09/2010 16:24

Haha custardo..you made me laugh.

Thanks all for replying. So it could happen then....they are very good on their scooters and have been from an early age. DS didn't like the 3 wheel scooters so had a 2 wheel one from an early age..so there is hope for him!
I think i might try and borrow friends bikes for them to learn without stabilisers, we have a few weeks to learn!

OP posts:
pointydog · 18/09/2010 16:25

It is far easier to balance on a small, low bike. Try to borrow a couple of small bikes for them to learn.

MaMoTTaT · 18/09/2010 16:28

that's interesting about the small bikes.

Both DS1 and 2 learned on bikes that were too small for them.

They both have bikes the right size - and can ride brilliantly now :-)

SummerRain · 18/09/2010 16:31

dd is 5 and hasn't a hope of giving up her stabilisers, she only learned to pedal at close to 4 (and not for lack of encouragement)

ds1 is 4 and can also barely work the pedals and has appalling balance even on his own two feet so I'm not even thinking about when he'll ditch the stabilisers.

ds2 will be getting a balance bike as soon as he's big enough!

AnnoyingOrange · 18/09/2010 16:32

my ds1 learnt on a small bike- he was almost 7 and within days was well away and on to one more his size

FranSanDisco · 18/09/2010 16:33

Both dcs had just turned 5 yo.

Habbibu · 18/09/2010 16:36

dd has a balance bike, and will be getting a bike without stabilisers for her 4th birthday. I wonder if you could take the pedals off their bikes (or smaller ones you've borrowed), to let them get the hang of balance for a bit?

anonymousbird · 18/09/2010 16:37

DD 3.5
DS 4.5
Learnt on grass first, got the hang of it much quicker - slowed them down, and just seemed to help the bike stay upright...

MaMoTTaT · 18/09/2010 16:38

at 6 they probably wouldn't even need the pedals taken off to learn to balance - DS1 just stuck his legs out to the side when practising his balance.

Original poster
idobelieveinfairies · 18/09/2010 16:44

To be honest i was expecting them to need a 16 inch bike, but the man said the 18inch one. DD sat on it and she can touch the floor with almost all of her feet on the floor.

It would be great to have the biggest bike so it lasts longer, but i am a bit worried about them learning without stabilisers on it, and a couple of posters have mentioned this Confused.

The man was aware that they needed to learn how to do it but he still said 18 inch. I will have to borrow bikes for practice i think.

I don't suppose anyone knows about children and bike sizes do you?Smile

The twins are big for their age.

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atah · 18/09/2010 16:44

my DS was 4 which i thought was way too young and I would never have taken away his stabilisers at that age but his bike was nicked and when we got a new one the (really lovely) man in the bike shop said "if I put stabilisers on it will a big scary deal to take them off so introduce it as his big boy bike and let him get on with it, thats what i did with my kids".

I ran behind him lightly holding the saddle for about 30 minutes and he was off. i wouldn't say he was a particulary well balanced athletic boy either, in fact he is bloody clumsy!! i think it is a matter of jumping in the deep end without over-thinking it.

Good luck and wear your trainers Grin

MaMoTTaT · 18/09/2010 16:48

I do believe - where are you? I have 2 small bikes (one smaller than the other) - both quite old though - which are no longer needed - if you're local you could have them for your DD's to practice on - they're "boys" bikes though.....

Portofino · 18/09/2010 16:48

dd is 6.5 - we are trying to do this currently. Any handy hints are welcome!

She's a whizz on her scooter, but is a bit of impatient a perfectionist and gets in a strop when she can't master it immediately. I am planning on roping in the dad from next door as he taught his two without incident.

Original poster
idobelieveinfairies · 18/09/2010 16:52

MaMoTTaT, that is sooo kind of you but i am in the Channel Islands, so far far away from you i am sure. But thanks for the kind offer i would jump at the chance if i could!

I am sure someone here won't might be borrowing...hopefully i will only need to borrow them a couple of times!!

Porto-bike man shop did say its easier to remove pedals, i think grass would be easier too as someone has mentioned. Good luck!!

OP posts:
Original poster
idobelieveinfairies · 18/09/2010 16:52

*mind!

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pointydog · 18/09/2010 16:52

The dds both learned on smooth tarmac paths in a park area. Much easier than learning on grass although some kids might be more worried about falling off.

dd2 learned on her little squat bike and found it easy-peasy. dd1 learned on her new big birthday bike and found it a much more wobbly experience.

MaMoTTaT · 18/09/2010 16:53

oh - yes just a little far - oh well will stick them on freecycle then Grin

My boys found grass harder to learn on - and DS1 learned in an afternoon with the pedals on learning to balance first.