Teaching how to ride a bike

[bronze]

It won't be our first attempt.
DS1 (very nearly 9) tried once and refuses to do it again. I suspect he's very slightly dispraxic (he is slightly AS) Couldn't do it, refuses to try again, says he doesn't want to be able to but I suspect he would love it of he could as we could do more together.
DS2 was very much getting there until DH took him down the lane to practice and he fell off into a bed of nettles and got covered from head to toe in stings. It's knocked his confidence.
DD is now 5 and wants to learn.

I can't even remember learning, I was 4 and have been able to ever since I can remember. DH isn't around at the right time so it's down to me to teach them.
So
Anyone got any tips on the best way to do this?

Pedals/cranks off saddle right down so they can get feet on floor. Stabilisers off. Let them scoot around until happy with balance.

Pedals/cranks back on.

Freewheel down gentle hill.

Pedal down gentle hill.

Pedal on flat.

Pedal up hill.

If I'd known about those balance bikes when my DD was younger and how well that works, I would definitely have done the pedals off thing that IAGTBF says aou.

Well that last 3/4 hour was a waste of time. If I hear 'I can't' again I'm going to do something I regret. So i'm back on mn instead

There is a harness thingy that you can get - and run along beside them - quite useful for grabbing and stopping DD ending up in the ditch! She doesn't like the idea of falling off either.

ds learnt at 4 very easily but dd was nearer 6 and need ed agood bit of help.
Put seat right down so he can easily put his feet down. Start on grass - yes, it's harder to pedal but they find it easier as they're less scared of falling.
Or spend about £400 on a recumbent trike...

Wait until the grass in the park gets mown and let them learn on the grass there. When the grass is freshly cut it is short, level and firm enough to cycle along evenly, but soft enough that falling off doesn't hurt. Also, you can't go massively fast which is a bonus at first.

Hi bronze, I have taught plenty of children how to ride their bike as it is my job. As ItsAllGoingToBeFine says the first point is to remove the pedals so they can learn how to balance. However this is not completely necessary as it can be a difficult job and you need the tools to do it.

I wouldn't advice to ride on the grass as it is more difficult to pedal and they will have to do extra effort ina moment where they are not ready.

However I would have them riding in a flat surface, maybe in a path in the park, while you hold their saddle from behind. They will be able to feel your hand which will give them confidence to try while they pedal and you run by their side. I would tell them to focus in a point in front of them (maybe a tree, bench, sign, ice-cream van ...) and not on the floor. This is because it is easy to keep your balance if your sight is focus somewhere in front of you and not on the floor or front wheel.

When you notice that they are able to balance themselves start removing your hand from the saddle for short times but still running by their side and be ready to put your hand in the saddle if they seem to lose balance. It is important that you keep reasuring them how well they are doing as a lot of praise will help them to increase their confidence. As you keep doing this make the time you hold their saddle smaller and stop running by their side, just a bit behind but not too far away so you can stop them if they are going to fall, keep talking to them so they know you are till there even though they may not see you. It may take a bit of time if their confidence is as low as you say and I wouldn't expected to be able to do it in one afternoon. Also try not to force them and wait untill they feel ready to try again.

It is also important that they are able to stop using the brakes and not their feet as it will make them falling more easily. Also it is important that the saddle is in the right high for them. They should be able to reach the floor when they are sitting in the saddle and their knees should be straight when their foot is in the lower pedal. If the saddle is to low it is more difficult to keep balance and falling occur more easily. This is something that as a parents we think it is a good idea (for them to be able to reach the floor easily) but it is a lot harder for them to keep balance.

For your DS1, have you considered getting him a tricycle? They are very useful and may solve your problem or you may want to get a tandem as the front der will have to keep all the balance. Also you can try and get some professional help. Sometimes it is easy if someone from outside the family can teach them as they will listen more and they will try harder. Depending on where you live there are help to pay for cycling training and even in some cases you can get free lessons. You can google cycling instructors and get plenty of information. Also most of the schools do "bikeability" which used to be "cycling proficency" for year 5 and year 6 for free depending on where you live. If it is the case in your children's school, you may want to get in touch with the company that offers the training as they will have instructors available to teach them outside school hours.

Hope this helps and good luck. It is fantastic to see their faces when they realise that they can ride their bikes on their own. I love it

Our son has just learned. He went straight from a balance bike, so it was easier for him than most, I think. He's quite a cautious boy, so we bought him elbow and knee pads which seemed to give him the confidence to just go. We also told him to look straight ahead and keep pedaling.

Mine all had balance bikes so thankfully found the transition to pedal bike quite easy, but the lovely man at Islabikes gave me the following advice.

Don't ever let them use stabilisers (realise this is not helpful for you, but may help others). It apparently will hinder them if they get used to it. Out of my three dd was the only one who ever used stabilisers as she was given a hand me down bike from a neighbour that had them and she insisted on using it as well as her balance bike. She took the longest to learn, but was still quite quick, and we have friends who used stabilisers and their children still learnt quickly without.

Dont hold the bike when you take them out, hold the child, as then they are in control of the bike. We used the Little Life rucksacks as you can hold the handle and still keep them upright, without taking over control too much. But you can just hold their waist or shoulders gently.

Remove your hands without mentioning it as often they crash the minute you tell them you have let go due to nerves!

My own tip is don't teach them to ride their bike right next to a river as it is quite nervewracking when they wobble near the edge.