If you have a child learning to ride a bike......
 

Having to bend over and chase your child while holding on to the seat stinks. Your back gets real sore, real quick.

I went searching on E-bay for a handle of some kind that attaches to the seat post to make this easier. I found one made by an Australian couple that is AWESOME. Product quality is just amazing given the price. The attachment point to the seat is a nicely machined solid piece of anodized aluminum. Shipping to the US was quick, about a week.

Nope, don't know these folks, just putting in a plug for a little guy out there selling a great product.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Push-me-Home-Parents-push-handle-for-children's-bikes_W0QQitemZ150101820609QQcategoryZ64647QQssPag eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

One of life´s little back breakers. Particularly with four kids. Once my back had healed it was time for the next in line. I manufactured a similar device myself after kid number two. Not as flashy though..

You think that is bad, try riding a T bar ski lift with a three year old. When our son was learning to ski, I would take him on the T bar, it hit just above my boot top in order to come across his bum, good thing I was really young back then. An investment that was well worth the discomfort. Unfortunately, he can ski my a$$ off these days.

Perhaps you need a different approach than running after the bike. Try this. It’s a much better way to learn to ride a bike.

• Adjust the seat so the child can place both feet flat on the ground.
• Take off any training wheels.
• Take the pedals off.

Now the child can safely and confidently learn to balance and maneuver the bicycle. Once they gain some skill, simply add the pedals. Leave the seat low so they feel safe. Then after a couple weeks you can raise the seat.

Whatever happened to sending them down the street without training wheels for the first time?

I thought I had a new Lance Armstrong when I taught my son to ride. At 4yo my son got mad when I tried to hold his seat while he tried to ride without training wheels. He told me to let go and he took off without training wheels! Unfortunately this was the high point of his riding skills. Now, at 12yo, he just cruises along with no desire to go fast :(. He has no desire to ride the motorcycle I bought him and he doesn't want to race karts :(. I wish I was more of a computer nerd, because then I might be happy that all he wants to do is sit in front of the computer and play WoW.

WoW will ruin a whole generation.

I found inline skates to be the ticket! Just skate along holding the seat and when they start balancing themself, let go! Worked like a charm!!!

IMO, if you are having to do a lot of seat holding and running alongside the bike, the kid isn't quite ready to learn, or you are doing something wrong. There are much better/more effective methods.

make sure there is a gravel driveway at the bottom of the hill. :eek: that is how i learned to turn after my first try without the training wheels.

and we didn't have helmets in those days either. my knees have a permanent purple tone to them from all the scar material acquired in my youth. i don't think i owned a pair of pants w/out patches in the knees till i was in Jr high.;)

I never had to hold on or chase.

Started out with the training wheels both flat on the ground, no tipping at all.

Slowly raised them by an inch or so for a few weeks and they were ready to rumble. You can really tell when they are ready as the are cornering really hard and using the training wheels as skids so they can corner faster.

I just tied a line to the back of the seat

Every winter last ten years (too many kids). With every other ride falling of the lift half way up. Screaming to the rest of kids to wait at the top. Lying in a pile in the middle of the lift track, annoying the couples behind you that have to jump of not to make an even bigger pile... What great fun! :D

Perfect...

David,
I know a 8 year old that would sell his little sister for a gas powered motorcycle!

Seriously, if your son isn't interested in it have you thought about offloading it? Specs?

true, when the trainingwheels are as high as they go and the tyke doesn't allow them to touch when riding, send them.

We did that with ours and at 2 1/2 he was riding without. Sent him down a slight grassy hill at first. He took a few spills but learned in about 10 minutes.

Here's my technique.

I do the run-along with one hand on the handlebar so they get used to wiggling it to maintain balance. The other hand is grasping the saddle, holding the bike upright. Once they get the hang of this, I find a gentle slope.

Use a bike with a handbrake. They start on the top pointed straight down the fall line. The seat is adjusted so they can put both feet down to keep the bike upright if needed. They use the handbrake to adjust bike speed to their comfort level.

Then it's just a matter of practicing going down the slope until they get used to balancing and steering so the bike maintains a straight line. They do this often enough, they'll eventually try both feet on the pedals instead of splayed outward.

Next, they pedal on a flat space to maintain the minimum straight-ahead speed. They practice turning after this by going in large circles both directions. Done. After this, it's just a matter of practice time in the saddle.

The only time I fall off my bike is when I forget to unclip, usually in front of a large crowd.

Sherwood

It's a Yamaha PW80, but I use it as a pit bike too so I'm not ready to sell it just yet :)

I'm buying my son one of these for his fourth birthday in 2 weeks.
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