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Original poster

When do children usually ride bikes without stabilisers?

38 replies

edodgy · 21/03/2006 10:37

I'm just wondering because we're buying our dd a bike for her 3rd bday next month. She wants a pink one, with a seat for her doll and a bell and obviously stabilisers (not that she's fussy or anything!) I've just been looking at the 12 inch wheel bikes (for her age group) and most of them have stabilisers on that don't come off. The one that does have those that come off doesn't have the seat for her doll. Am I going to need one with removable stabilisers or not?

OP posts:
Original poster
edodgy · 21/03/2006 10:39

Ooh i've found one from tesco online that has the doll seat and removable stabilisers so think i'll go for that one.

OP posts:
tonton · 21/03/2006 12:18

dd is nearly 6 and will barely ride her bike with stabilisers, let alone without. But she is a bit behind I think....!

LIZS · 21/03/2006 12:21

are you sure they don't come off ? tbh I reckon you'd get at least 18 months to 2 years of stabilisers by which time she'll ahve otugrown a 12" bike anyway. ds still can't/won't ride without at almost 8 !

Feistybird · 21/03/2006 12:24

DD1 (outdoorsy type) rode hers just before she was 5.
Bought DD2(3yo, but a stay in the cosy-warm kinda gal)a new bike last week and is riding hers with stabilisers (they do come off tho).

zarabootoo · 21/03/2006 13:35

MY dds both learned to ride their bikes the same day. One was 6, the other was four.

cod · 21/03/2006 13:36

4

bundle · 21/03/2006 13:36

6

cod · 21/03/2006 13:36

laties

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 21/03/2006 13:36

DS1 is 5 and still has his stabilisers.

Twiglett · 21/03/2006 13:38

DS is 5 and still can't do it

read in a mag that you take the pedals off till they get their balance then you can try without stablisers

iota · 21/03/2006 13:38

ds1 is 6 nad won't go near his bike Angry

cod · 21/03/2006 13:39

imo its like potty training
it depends how determined the kid is
do nto teach them on grass
crap idea imo

fennel · 21/03/2006 13:39

mine rode without stabilisers at nearly 5 and at 3 3/4 (dd2 tends to follow hard on the heels of whatever dd1 does). i'd have thought all the bikes actually have removable stabilisers, maybe some are easy release and others need a spanner.

cod · 21/03/2006 13:39

sorry not hte kids determination - the parents

mythumbelinas · 21/03/2006 13:39

dd1 rode her bike with stabilisers, then saw some slightly older girls riding their big bikes unaided. She wanted me to remove her stabilisers straight away, but she couldn't manage to ride despite lots of attempts .. so she requested the stabilisers again. She's 6

iota · 21/03/2006 13:41

any tips on how to get ds1 interested? have tried encouragement, shame (all your friends can ride a bike)and bribery ( PSP when you do it) all to no avail

v stubborn child

Twiglett · 21/03/2006 13:42

and like potty training I honestly don't give a damn .. he'll get it when he wants to

Piffle · 21/03/2006 13:44

Bought ds one shortly before he was 4, it had no stabilisers so I asked him to try without, before I stumped up for them (I was short on cash back then) bless him he just rode it, could not steer or stop but hey, bought a helmet instead of stabilisers Grin now that was worth every penny.

iota · 21/03/2006 13:44

an thinking of teaching ds2 this yr (hes 4.5) but am scared that it will backfire on me and make ds1 even more reluctant to try.

crazydazy · 21/03/2006 14:07

DD learnt to ride a bike without stabilisers very early - she was 3 and a few months. She was very determined though. DS is almost 4 and we are thinking of taking his off this summer tbh though he is so clumsy we will probably have quite a few accidents.

Original poster
edodgy · 22/03/2006 09:13

Thanks everyone, sorry at my late response but didn't realise this thread had picked up till just now! I'm getting the one from Tesco online as it's free delivery and just the type of Bike she wants. Plus the stabilisers are removable just in case she does need it.

OP posts:
bundle · 22/03/2006 11:05

cod treats everything like a race Wink

LadyTophamHatt · 22/03/2006 11:10

Ds2 was riding without stabalisers before ds1.

I think he was just about 4. maybe even slightly before whereas Ds1 6.

IMO I think after a certian age they are suddenly aware that if the fall it's gonna hurt they get nervous about it, and can't/won't do it. Ds1 hadn't reached that stage when we tried him and he was off....riding 2 wheels straight away with no problem. Ds1 took a lot a pratice to be comfident.

hugeheadofhair · 22/03/2006 11:16

Alight bike rather than a heavy one is easier to learn on riding without stabilisers. A heavy bike is hard work balancing.
DS1 rode away (without practising) when he saw a bike at a jumble sale he wanted at 41/2. DS2 is now 41/4 and I am not sure whether he will ride without stabilisers this summer. There are a few of DS1's friends (6) that still need stabilisers. Oh, and another tip: scooting helps learning to balance. DS1 scooted before he tried his bike at the jumble sale and I have had people tell me that that might have been the reason he just rode off.

cod · 22/03/2006 13:53

i do bundy
am terrible