Handlebars for kid's 'learner' bike

Making time to teach my 6 year old son to cycle at last (!) and it strikes
me that his 16" bike has very high and wide upswept handlebars like chopper
bikes used to have.

When I were a lad, we had very short and straight handlebars, with a lot
less leverage and things to go wrong once you built up a certain speed.

I have a sense that my son sort of 'hangs off' these handlebars and if he
pull unevenly then the massive leverage creates problems quite quickly.

Do you think these handlebars do make a difference or is it a case of dad
blaming his tools instead of his crapness as a teacher.

Peter Clinch wrote:
The best way for teaching in most cases is start off with balance and
steering by taking the pedals off and taking the bike to a gentle hill
(preferably grassed, in case of a tumble). Letting gravity do the
propulsion work, have him use the bike as a scooter

IME a smoother surface is better. An asphalt tennis court was the
breakthrough for my kids versus sloping, cambered or rough park paths
or grass. Start with the seat low enough to allow two flat feet on the
ground and then follow the scooting methiod. Mind you, my experience
is with rather younger children who have smaller (12") wheels and less
momentum.
Don't sweat it if it doesn't come quickly though. It will come and it
is probably better not to labour it if it isn't working on a particular
day.

best wishes
james

IME a smoother surface is better. An asphalt tennis court was the
breakthrough for my kids versus sloping, cambered or rough park paths
or grass.

I'd go along with this but I used a path with grass either side.
If they wobble so much that they are likely to stray off the path then the
chances are that they are going to fall anyway.
If they fall then the chances are that they would stray onto the grass.

--
David Brown )

David Brown wrote:

I'd go along with this but I used a path with grass either side.
If they wobble so much that they are likely to stray off the path then the
chances are that they are going to fall anyway.
If they fall then the chances are that they would stray onto the grass.

Good thinking batman!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

David Brown wrote:
IME a smoother surface is better. An asphalt tennis court was the
breakthrough for my kids versus sloping, cambered or rough park paths
or grass.

I'd go along with this but I used a path with grass either side.
If they wobble so much that they are likely to stray off the path then the
chances are that they are going to fall anyway.
If they fall then the chances are that they would stray onto the grass.

Don't agree with this, though it may depend on the child. You want
them to steer enough to balance without worrying about direction.
Sometimes they will lose balance because they're trying to stay on the
path.

In the 'no-fall' method, you teach stopping and putting feet down
first, then pedalling, then balancing. A gentle downslope is helpful
if they're timid about pedalling hard enough.

Colin McKenzie

--
On average in Britain, you're more likely to get a head injury walking
a mile than cycling it.
So why aren't we all exhorted to wear walking helmets?