Learning to bicycle

[bethlynette]

Hi!

 

My son, who will be 4 in July, got to borrow a friend's bike while the friend is on holiday. It turns out he LOVES biking but he has absolutely no traffic sense whatsoever. The bike has stabilizers and Sam was going very fast and got angry if his dad needed to hold the handlebars to prevent falls/to cross streets. We're trying to decide whether or not to buy him a bike of his own. Will he be able to learn to ride responsibly? Has anyone else had similar trouble?

 

Thanks!

Beth

[jb1964]

Hi Beth,

 

Sorry can't offer any advice - my daughter is 12 and can't ride a bike without stabilisers - she also struggled with moving the handlebars and using the breaks at the same time. I would say though that she does have better traffic sense now than when she was little but will still run out if she becomes frightened or distracted.

 

I think I've read loads of posts on here that many other kids ride bikes great so I'm sure you'll get some really good advice soon.

 

Take care,

Jb

[minerva]

Hi Beth,

 

My son was older when he learned to ride his bike, he had one from 3 onwards but it took many years to get him confident in it. Once he was able we used to cycle everywhere but i used to have constant heart failure on the roads!!!! He was a nightmare!! In fact he probably still is although he goes out on his own more than with me now so i dont see it!

 

With your son being only 4 have you thought about one of those bikes which have the nandle behind for the parent to hold onto? I think you can get ones which it can be removed when the child is ready but i'm not 100% sure....I was just wondering if he would feel a little easier about your interfering with his bike riding if he couldnt see you doing it?

 

Just an idea, not sure how helpful it is though sorry lol

 

Nicke

[lancelot]

....or a trailer bike (called various things like Tagalong, Trail-a-bike) that goes behind your own bike? My daughter (NT, alegedly) loves pedalling like mad and 'pushing' me along.

 

Otherwise, stick to big, traffic-free paths in parks -- and learn to run very, very fast

[DaisyProudfoot]

My AS son learned to ride a bike when he was about seven. He has no road sense at all so I make him keep to our quieter streets on the estate. My heart's in my mouth every time I see him belting up and down the road. Luckily we have a car speed limit of 20mph on our estate so the cars only go about 40 mph!

 

My dyspraxic 13 year old on the other hand has never mastered a bike and won't learn because he finds it too embarrasing. Oh and by the way....never, ever give a dyspraxic son a tray full of slush drinks. Disaster or what!

[minerva]

Luckily we have a car speed limit of 20mph on our estate so the cars only go about 40 mph!

 

 

lmfao!!

 

 

My dyspraxic 13 year old on the other hand has never mastered a bike and won't learn because he finds it too embarrasing. Oh and by the way....never, ever give a dyspraxic son a tray full of slush drinks. Disaster or what!

 

My son also has dyspraxia, he did learn to ride his bike (eventually!) but you'll be sure I wouldnt give him a tray of drinks LOL

 

Everytime he goes to the shop for me he falls over (or off of his bike if he takes it) on the way home! Hes got cuts all over his face as we speak where he fell over skating on the weekend.

[Canopus]

Introduction

 

Riding a bike is probably the most difficult skill that a kid ever has to learn. It is further complicated because it isn't something that schools teach and neither is it something you can learn from a textbook. It is a well known fact that many electronic appliances are difficult to use, but at least they come with instruction manuals, whereas bikes seem to be one of the few machines that are sold without an instruction manual. It really is true that there are 10 year olds who can program computers, do calculus, or know the technicalities of nuclear power stations, but still can't ride a bike, yet their classmates of only average intelligence are zooming round the neighbourhood on two wheels. The explanation for this is that ones skill at handling a bike is not determined by intellectual ability and is not a measure of intelligence. In reality, it is a measure of physical co-ordination and control that comes with practice - providing you know what to practice.

 

The purpose of this short article is to act as an instruction manual for a bike. It assumes that the bike is a BMX or mountain bike fitted with hand brakes and can freewheel as they are the bikes that most kids ride today. If your kid is capable of standing up and walking and can pick up an empty drinks can and crush it then I can assure you that this technique will work for them. It has been used for both a 12 year old with dyspraxia who's doctor claimed he would never be able to ride a bike, and for a 3 year old who had never ever ridden a tricycle amongst others. It may be different to methods you have used and could even contradict conventional thinking in places, but is probably the most elegant and easiest to use technique ever devised.

 

1. First thing first. Stabilisers do not help teach a kid how to ride a bike. If anything they hinder the learning process and could even create a dependency that has to be unlearnt. A kid who has been riding a bike with stabilisers for 2/3/4/5 years is in no better position when it comes to learning to ride without stabilisers than a kid who has never ridden a bike with stabilisers. Quite often the attitude held by most parents is that if their kid's first bike is supplied with stabilisers then their kid should start riding it with the stabilisers fitted. Stabilisers are also dangerous as they give the kid a false sense of security. If a stabiliser catches on something or overhangs the edge of a kerb then their bike can overturn without warning. Therefore, if your kid's bike has stabilisers, take them off and throw them in the bin.

 

2. Setup. Your kid must feel comfortable and confident on the bike they learn to ride on. If they don't feel comfortable or confident with the bike then find another one. It is essential that the bike fits the kid properly and is not too large or else it will be difficult to handle. Adjust the height of the seat so that when your kid sits on the bike they can place their feet flat on the floor with their knees slightly bent. Adjust the height and tilt of the handlebars to the position that is the most comfortable for them to hold. Check that the brakes work correctly and are easy to operate. If they are stiff or ineffective then they need adjusting and lubricating. Ensure that the tyres have plenty of tread on them and are correctly inflated. If the bike has gears then they should be set approximately midrange although the exact gear is not too critical.

 

3. Get the feel of the bike. Before your kid attempts to ride the bike they must get the feeling of it without stabilisers. This is accomplished by getting them to sit on the bike and hold onto the handlebars for a period of about 10 to 20 minutes. Some kids are absolutely terrified of getting on a bike that has no stabilisers, but they don't stand a chance of being able to ride without stabilisers unless they can overcome their fear. If this is the case then the best plan is to bring the bike inside to a room with a carpeted floor and get them to sit on it whilst they watch their favourite TV programme to take their mind off things.

 

4. Remove the pedals. The procedure in Section 5 is best carried out if the pedals are removed from the bike otherwise they get in the way and hit your kid's legs. Some BMXs are fitted with 3-piece cranks (why can't all kids bikes be fitted with them?) that enable the cranks to be easily removed from the bottom bracket, but most kids bikes have 1-piece cranks which means the pedals have to be removed from the crank. On most bikes the pedals are screwed into place and removed using a spanner that fits the flat surface of the spindle. The right pedal is conventionally threaded and is removed by unscrewing it anticlockwise. The left pedal is reverse threaded and is unscrewed by turning it clockwise. The threads are likely to be very tight and possibly rusted into place. If you are unable to remove the pedals then most bike shops will remove them for you.

 

5. Balance. Riding a bike is a combination of balancing, pedalling, and steering simultaneously. Having to learn several things at once is difficult for many kids so start with balancing first. This requires a wide open space with a hard flat surface such as a school playground or empty car park. A hard surface is necessary as there is too much rolling resistance on grass to enable your kid to get up to sufficient speed to balance the bike. It is of utmost importance that there are no obstacles, walls, potholes, or anything else they can crash into within an approximately 10 metre radius of the bike as the fear of crashing into such obstacles will cause the kid to lose control of the bike. Have your kid sit on the bike and propel it by pushing their feet against the ground. Initially your kid will only be able to cover a short distance before they put their feet down and the bike will have a tendency to wander about rather randomly. It is important that your kids keeps a light and relaxed grip on the handlebars and does not try to steer the bike in a straight line, but instead allow the bike to move in a straight line on its own accord. After about half an hour to an hour, your kid will be able to propel the bike over a considerable distance in a straight line without putting their feet down. They should also practice stopping the bike with the brakes.

 

6. Pedalling. Now that your kid can propel the bike over a considerable distance without putting their feet down, and they can stop using the brakes, it is time for them to try riding with pedals. Re-attach the pedals to the bike by screwing the right pedal clockwise and the left pedal anticlockwise and tighten both pedals with a spanner. Show your kid that pushing the pedals forwards moves the bike and pushing the pedals backwards does not move the bike. Have your kid sit on the bike and rotate the pedals so that the right pedal is in the 2 o'clock position which is just forward of the top of the pedal stroke. This position results in a solid pedal stroke that gets the bike up to speed and avoids wobbly starts. Tell your kid to push down hard on the right pedal and when the bike moves forwards, place their left foot on the left pedal. They should now be able to propel the bike with pedals although it might take a few attempts to master this starting procedure. Being able to ride a bike with pedals will be an exhilarating feeling for your kid although initially they will be wobbly and have difficulty at riding in a straight line.

 

7. Riding with pedals. Let your kid ride the bike with pedals and tell them to keep a light grip on the handlebars and look straight ahead. This will ensure that they are able to ride in a straight line. If they turn their head then their arms and shoulders will also turn causing the bike to swerve. Your kid should also practice stopping the bike using the brakes until they can stop without losing balance or skidding. Another useful exercise is slow riding by trying to ride the bike as slowly as they possibly can without losing balance.

 

8. Steering. Once your kid can ride in a straight line they can learn to steer around bends and obstacles. Initially it is best to practice steering in an open space before letting your kid negotiate real bends and obstacles. Steering is a combination of a little leaning and a very small rotation of the handlebars. Your kid should first slow down before entering a corner, then look through the turn and rotate the handlebars in the direction of the bend before pedalling. After completing the turn, look forwards and rotate the handlebars back to the straight ahead position. Have your kid practice riding round imaginary corners until they can skilfully steer the bike where they want it to go.

 

9. Handling the bike. Your kid must now practice riding on sloping and undulating surfaces and negotiate kerbs. A good way to improve co-ordination is a slalom. Place a number of empty drinks cans equally spaced on the ground in a straight line and have your kid practice riding around them. As their co-ordination improves, gradually reduce the spacing between the cans. If the bike has gears then your kid should practice using them on both flat surfaces and gradients.

 

10. Re-adjust the bike. As your kid becomes more experienced at riding a bike, they will find the settings from Section 2 does not result in the most comfortable or efficient riding position. Increase the height of the seat so that when your kid sits on the bike with their foot on a pedal in the 6 o'clock position, their knee is slightly bent. If this feels too high for them then lower the seat slightly. Also adjust the height and tilt of the handlebars to the position your kid finds the most comfortable to hold.

 

An alternative. If your kid is uneasy at the idea of learning balance with a bike then they can use a two wheel scooter instead. Those aluminium scooters with roller blade type wheels are ideal. If your kid can ride a scooter for a considerable distance without putting their foot on the ground then they have learnt most of the balancing process from Section 5. Many kids feel uneasy at learning to ride a bike without stabilisers or give up due to lack of success, but readily take to a scooter. Some time later they unexpectedly find - often to their disbelief - that they can ride a bike without stabilisers.

[bethlynette]

Thanks to all of you for your replies!!!

 

I'm glad to hear that it's not just us that are going to have some trouble with the biking thing. Special thanks to Canopus for the very informative post about learning to bike. We had actually looked at a Like-a-Bike too but they're super expensive, but maybe for DS's birthday... it seems like that might be the best bet for learning how to bike safely. Then we also have to have the helmet battle...

 

Thanks again all!

[Flora]

beth, I thought I'd replied to this post but obviously not. My AS son didn't learn to ride a bike until he was 11. He had a course of vision training exercises last year and 4 weeks into the programme he learned to ride a bike; prior to that he couldn't ride one WITH stabalisers or push the peddles. My youngest son could ride a bike at 4 and my NT DD 6.

 

I've heard of people who's kids had Cranial Osteopathy with good results for bike riding. It's expensive though. I was taking the boys there a few years ago originally for Luke's glue ear. It had a remarkable affect on both of them in every area of their development but I had to give it up, it was too expensive... at 25-30 a session it was costing me ?60 a week...!

 

Some people never learn to ride a bike. I have a 60 yo old auntie who can't ride a bike, swim or drive a car.

 

Lauren

[Stephanie]

I just had a similar thread going.

 

My son is 5 and is getting more and more confident on his bike with stabilisers, his steering continues to improve.

 

Last year, he could not pedal at all ... they used to make him sit on a bike at his Playschool and he would just sit there, he just did not get it.

 

Perserverance got him pedaling, his leg strength continues to improve. The day I first saw him do a full pedal rotation, I was so overjoyed.

 

Yes, I think your son will be able to ride responsibly - but he will need your help.

 

I also asked if ASD kids can drive in later life ... and was pleased to hear that many ASD people go on to become great drivers.

 

There is always hope ... get him a bike, what have you got to lose? Wear shin guards!

[Canopus]

Lots of kids bikes are quite badly designed machines. Some are poor build quality, others are wrongly proportioned, and most are way too heavy for what they should be. Manufacturers are more obsessed with making kids bikes both flashy and cheap rather than well designed and perform well during use. I think many kids bikes from 10 years ago are better than those today. The simple lightweight well proportioned mountain bikes of the 1990s don't look anywhere near as good as todays dual suspension machines but they are much easier for kids to handle. The suspension on most kids bikes is just for the looks and does nothing but performs badly and adds lots of weight. The best 20" wheel mountain bikes are the simple rigid frame machines with 5 or 6 gears. If your kid is about 10 years old and can't ride a bike then they would probably best best starting with a BMX because they are lightweight and easy to handle. I would be a good idea for your kid to test ride their friend's bikes to find out what they find best before buying their own bike.

[OPooh]

That's useful to know about the stabilisers as my 9 year old can't ride a bike with them on still...feels embaressed to go out on his bike too - so wont practise either.

[lisann]

My no dx daughter is nearly 8 and still has stablizer she simply can't ride without them on.Char is 4.5 and he was riding his bike today I say riding he can't get it to stay straight even with the stablizer on.He just get's mad with it and packs in he can't co-ordinate the brakes to stop himself and he doen't get the steering but give him his go kart and he is off like lightening.

 

Hay ho

 

Lisa

[bethlynette]

Thanks for these replies all! I think I have decided to try the somewhat cheaper metal LikeABike for Sam's b-day using his grandparent checks. It seems like the stabilizers are just not a good idea for him. We'll see how it goes!