A Cycling & bikes forum. CycleBanter.com

Go Back   Home » CycleBanter.com forum » Regional Cycling » UK
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Teaching children to ride a bike



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old June 13th 04, 10:18 PM
Sarah Mansel
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

I am keen on the use of bikes as a means of transport, and would very much
like my children to learn to ride soon. My younger child has just about got
the hang of riding a bike without stabilisers and now needs to gain
confidence - she is 5. My son is too nervous to even ride a bike with
stabilisers - he is 7.
For the past few years we have used a Burley trailer and have now progressed
to a U+2, but he will soon outgrow that too.
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!


Ads
  #2  
Old June 13th 04, 11:01 PM
Tony Raven
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

Sarah Mansel wrote:
I am keen on the use of bikes as a means of transport, and would very much
like my children to learn to ride soon. My younger child has just about got
the hang of riding a bike without stabilisers and now needs to gain
confidence - she is 5. My son is too nervous to even ride a bike with
stabilisers - he is 7.
For the past few years we have used a Burley trailer and have now progressed
to a U+2, but he will soon outgrow that too.
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!


The good old standard. Pedals off, saddle down so he can sit on the saddle
with both feet on the ground then scoot it along. As he gets more confident
his feet will spend less and less time on the ground until he's rolling along
with his feet up. Then put the pedals back on and let him coast with his feet
on the pedals until he is ready to try turning them

Tony


  #3  
Old June 13th 04, 11:40 PM
\(t'other\) Dave
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike


"Sarah Mansel" wrote in message
...
I am keen on the use of bikes as a means of transport, and would very much
like my children to learn to ride soon. My younger child has just about

got
the hang of riding a bike without stabilisers and now needs to gain
confidence - she is 5. My son is too nervous to even ride a bike with
stabilisers - he is 7.
For the past few years we have used a Burley trailer and have now

progressed
to a U+2, but he will soon outgrow that too.
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding

them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!


With all 3 of mine, I just took them to the local park with stabilisers off,
walked along behind them holding the back of the saddle, then gradually let
go as we were moving forward. They all went off without a second thought.
Most satisfying ;-)
Dave.



  #4  
Old June 14th 04, 12:04 AM
Colin McKenzie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

Sarah Mansel wrote:

I am keen on the use of bikes as a means of transport, and would very much
like my children to learn to ride soon. My younger child has just about got
the hang of riding a bike without stabilisers and now needs to gain
confidence - she is 5. My son is too nervous to even ride a bike with
stabilisers - he is 7.
For the past few years we have used a Burley trailer and have now progressed
to a U+2, but he will soon outgrow that too.
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!


Throw away the stabilisers before he gets used to them. They stop
development of the instinct to put a foot down.
Teach him starting and stopping, fully supported, first. This will
involve walking along backwards, holding the handlebars. Make sure the
brakes are good. Then teach him to stop and put a foot down whenever
anything goes wrong. This should help with confidence to try
balancing, and you can support under the saddle. At some point you
will be able to let go without him noticing.

Colin McMenzie

--
The great advantage of not trusting statistics is that
it leaves you free to believe the damned lies instead!

  #5  
Old June 14th 04, 09:03 AM
Peter Fox
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

Following on from Sarah Mansel's message. . .
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!


Fear is ummm 'psychological'. You knew that. It's obviously important
to deal with it as a matter of principle before 7-yo becomes used to
ducking out of /everything in life/ that involves a bit of risk and
effort.

Naturally you wouldn't do something you're terrified of unless there was
a good reason. That is there has to be some reward. _You_ can see the
value of being able to ride a bike but 7-yo can only imagine grazes and
frustration and possibly humiliation.

The other replies here along the lines of take off the pedals and scoot
are perfectly valid - They make it easier by reducing the fear of
falling.

BUT even a little bit of fear will outweigh no reward. There are
various ways of getting rewards - The traditional one is peer pressure
which is a _big_ motivator. (Hence the importance of kids playing on
their bikes.[1]) But you can use all sorts of bribes for really small
but significant efforts. Some overall value that means a lot to 7-yo is
handy. eg When you can ride your bike we'll cycle to see Thomas the
tank engine (or whatever).

Finally. There is a possibility that 7-yo has an additional problem you
don't know about. For example a vision problem[2]. (Children's visual
system is still developing up to say 9 and things like lack of spatial
awareness is why letting them out on the roads on their own is not a
good idea.)

[1] Plus the kids that know how to do things can be good teachers as
well as motivators for those that don't.

[2] This covers a lot more than short sight. If 7-yo is no good at
catching a ball or has reading problems then this should be worth
checking - pronto.
--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded

www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides
  #6  
Old June 14th 04, 09:19 AM
Velvet
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

Colin McKenzie wrote:

Sarah Mansel wrote:

I am keen on the use of bikes as a means of transport, and would very
much
like my children to learn to ride soon. My younger child has just
about got
the hang of riding a bike without stabilisers and now needs to gain
confidence - she is 5. My son is too nervous to even ride a bike with
stabilisers - he is 7.
For the past few years we have used a Burley trailer and have now
progressed
to a U+2, but he will soon outgrow that too.
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them
holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!



Throw away the stabilisers before he gets used to them. They stop
development of the instinct to put a foot down.
Teach him starting and stopping, fully supported, first. This will
involve walking along backwards, holding the handlebars. Make sure the
brakes are good. Then teach him to stop and put a foot down whenever
anything goes wrong. This should help with confidence to try balancing,
and you can support under the saddle. At some point you will be able to
let go without him noticing.

Colin McMenzie


I'd have to second the idea about removing the stabilisers, and the
scooting along with feet is a great way to learn. I had stablisers as a
kid, and they were always disconcerting because of the lean of the bike
if you were on one or the other, and the motion when you flipped from
one to the other. Most unpleasant, and not all that confidince building
till you learnt that they really WOULD stop you falling over - does he
actually trust the stabilisers?

Velvet

--


Velvet
  #7  
Old June 14th 04, 10:49 AM
JohnB
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

Sarah Mansel wrote:

I am keen on the use of bikes as a means of transport, and would very much
like my children to learn to ride soon. My younger child has just about got
the hang of riding a bike without stabilisers and now needs to gain
confidence - she is 5. My son is too nervous to even ride a bike with
stabilisers - he is 7.
For the past few years we have used a Burley trailer and have now progressed
to a U+2, but he will soon outgrow that too.
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!


The method I have used with all my four has been the same.

First of all, drop thoughts of stabilisers. They can make the situation
difficult and do little for teaching a child to ride, although they do
have some benefit in getting a child to understand braking.

Before doing anything make sure that the child can reach the brake
levers and knows what they are for. To set a youngster off and to see
them disappearing into the distance can be somewhat disconcerting - I've
been there :-(

Take the pedals off the bike if possible, although its not essential.
Sometimes taking them of will confuse a child who is already used to
pedalling (as with stabilisers) and their legs will flail about tring to
locate them.

Find a gentle grassy slope that doesn't head towards anything
potentially dangerous, like a road, or a prize rose bed, or stinging nettles.

Put the saddle really low so that the feet are flat on the ground.
Hold the bike up by the back of the saddle and gently set off, walking
behind the bike. Do not walk at the side as it is only a distraction and
the child will look at you rather than ahead.

Keep talking. Encouragement works wonders as does lashings of praise. It
also gives the child security, knowing you are there.
After a few short supported rides, you will sense balance coming.
You can then let go of the bike.
They will almost certainly wobble and possible have a minor crash but
keep the encouragement up and try again straight away.

It will only take a few goes before the child's face changes from worry
to absolute joy.
It is so satisfying.

Yesterday I was out with a family group who had taken their four year
old with them. On a mini childs bike with 10inch balloon tyres the
little mite covered 11 miles, including two big 'mountains'
To see his face when he received his Bike Week certificate was a joy to behold.

Good luck.

John
--
http://www.hampshirecycletraining.org.uk/
  #8  
Old June 14th 04, 10:50 AM
JohnB
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

Sarah Mansel wrote:

I am keen on the use of bikes as a means of transport, and would very much
like my children to learn to ride soon. My younger child has just about got
the hang of riding a bike without stabilisers and now needs to gain
confidence - she is 5. My son is too nervous to even ride a bike with
stabilisers - he is 7.
For the past few years we have used a Burley trailer and have now progressed
to a U+2, but he will soon outgrow that too.
We have read about techniques for teaching your child to ride a bike, but
they all assume that your child will let you run alongside them holding them
up. He is too nervous to go fast enough to even attempt to balance for a
microsecond. Has anyone got any ideas!


The method I have used with all my four has been the same.

First of all, drop thoughts of stabilisers. They can make the situation
difficult and do little for teaching a child to ride, although they do
have some benefit in getting a child to understand braking.

Before doing anything make sure that the child can reach the brake
levers and knows what they are for. To set a youngster off and to see
them disappearing into the distance can be somewhat disconcerting - I've
been there :-(

Take the pedals off the bike if possible, although its not essential.
Sometimes taking them of will confuse a child who is already used to
pedalling (as with stabilisers) and their legs will flail about tring to
locate them.

Find a gentle grassy slope that doesn't head towards anything
potentially dangerous, like a road, or a prize rose bed, or stinging nettles.

Put the saddle really low so that the feet are flat on the ground.
Hold the bike up by the back of the saddle and gently set off, walking
behind the bike. Do not walk at the side as it is only a distraction and
the child will look at you rather than ahead.

Keep talking. Encouragement works wonders as does lashings of praise. It
also gives the child security, knowing you are there.
After a few short supported rides, you will sense balance coming.
You can then let go of the bike.
They will almost certainly wobble and possible have a minor crash but
keep the encouragement up and try again straight away.

It will only take a few goes before the child's face changes from worry
to absolute joy.
It is so satisfying.

Yesterday I was out with a family group who had taken their four year
old with them. On a mini childs bike with 10inch balloon tyres the
little mite covered 11 miles, including two big 'mountains'
To see his face when he received his Bike Week certificate was a joy to behold.

Good luck.

John
--
http://www.hampshirecycletraining.org.uk/
  #9  
Old June 14th 04, 11:30 AM
audrey
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 09:03:39 +0100, Peter Fox
wrote:



[1] Plus the kids that know how to do things can be good teachers as
well as motivators for those that don't.

Exactly so - my 4.5 yo learnt more from his 5 yo friend about how to
ride a bike with no stabilisers, than he did from me running behind
holding on.

FWIW, 5 yo's advice is: scoot along with one foot on a pedal and one
foot on the ground. Learns you how to start off yourself, as well as
improving balance. My 4.5 yo practised that up and down for about an
hour (refusing all offers of help from me) then started attempts at
pedalling with both feet, then gradually increased the amount of two
footed pedalling time.

A


--

email = audmad aaatttt hhhottt mmmaailll dddoottt ccccoommm
  #10  
Old June 14th 04, 11:43 AM
Roos Eisma
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Teaching children to ride a bike

Peter Fox writes:

Fear is ummm 'psychological'. You knew that. It's obviously important
to deal with it as a matter of principle before 7-yo becomes used to
ducking out of /everything in life/ that involves a bit of risk and
effort.


Naturally you wouldn't do something you're terrified of unless there was
a good reason. That is there has to be some reward. _You_ can see the
value of being able to ride a bike but 7-yo can only imagine grazes and
frustration and possibly humiliation.


And spend some time trying to find out what exactly it is he is frightened
of, so you can address that specific detail. Acknowledge that he is
scared, saying "just get over it" doesn't work for me.
When I was learning to roll a kayak I never had any problem learning the
movement but my panic under water stopped me from progressing. Once I was
able to narrow it down to my head filling up with water and not being able
to look for fear of losing my contacts a simple diving mask which also
covered my nose made all the difference. And a nice warm swimmingpool with
clear water. And friendly patient people.
So if he is afraid of bumping into things: find a spaceous area to
practise on. If it falling over: make sure he can get his legs on the
ground and practise that first.
It may be just a small adjustment that is needed, or a correction of some
irrational idea he has about something.

Good luck, Roos
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
2004 Mayors' Ride FINAL Report Cycle America Rides 0 August 5th 04 04:21 PM
Indy using Mayors' Ride to Celebrate Connectivity, Red Carpet for Don and Robert Cycle America General 0 July 22nd 04 09:00 AM
aus.bicycle FAQ kingsley Australia 4 December 15th 03 12:08 AM
First long ride on my new bike (long) David Kerber General 17 November 26th 03 01:59 PM
FAQ? Just zis Guy, you know? UK 18 October 1st 03 01:02 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:26 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CycleBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.