Bicycles for children with motor control issues

[whereonthestair]

I have a little ds who is nearly 7. So far he has had a tomcat trike which has been wonderful for him, and is now being used as a "normal" trike. No parental control, fully free wheeling, no supports. So DS wants a bike.... We have a child's bike (with stabilisers guven DS cannot even walk, and balance is not great). But it does not seem to "fit" right....

In particular, to get the pedals so Ds is full stretch on the down stroke his leg is coming up to his chest at about 75 degrees on the up stroke. It is like there isn't enough space. So then he can't push down.

Has anyone got any ideas, maybe the seat should be higher, but as it is DS can't touch the ground anyway, is it the crank shaft, should it be shorter. Anyone an expert on 2 wheel bikes for children with mobility issues?

Would Halfords help. Maybe if you bought something minor like bike gloves? Take the bike with you and go at a quiet time

I have always found my local bike shop very helpful. Do you have one you could go into with the bike?

Thanks both, we are surrounded by bike shops (I live in a very cycling orientated city) but no luck with either halfords independent bike shops or anything in between. There is no need for any of them to do anything specialist as there is such a market around here. Maybe I will just have to go to Gloucestershire to tomcat!

A BMX set up, possibly with adjusted pedal length is my best bet. Or would a tom cat trike in a road/ more grown up version work? Stabilisers will always be a bit hard work if he struggles on the push the resistance will work against him. Two big road wheel trike wheels will be easier. My son learnt to ride but still can't propel a smaller wheeled bike with stabilisers as he doesn't have the momentum or the downwards force

One of the makes where they alter the frame size (and also light bikes) specifically for children?
Islabikes originally (but obviously very expensive) or Frog (still expensive but not as expensive as the Isla's) See here for a hire/buy scheme.

We started Little Mouse on a Frog Balance Bike last year (he is 6 next month) and will upgrade to the real bike in April. (hopefully!)

My thinking was maybe the lighter bike frame + stabilisers would work for you.

Good luck :)

Trike that is more bike like

What about a stedibike?

www.quest88.com/all-ability-cycling/quest-88-stedibike/

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had wondered about an ordinary trike as there a quite a few around here, but that steady bike looks great. Will see if quest have a rep and we can try one.

Will also look at the balance bike and report back!