Bicycle Training Wheels
What are "bicycle training wheels"?
Bicycle training wheels are an important element to your kid's bike if they're just learning how to ride. So your bicycle, it could be a sixteen-inch bike, it could be a twenty-inch bike, and they're little tiny wheels that go on the back axle that you can put on yourself or you can have a bike shop put on for you. But it give the child the sense that they can ride a two-wheeler, but they've got some helper wheels in the back that help keep balance. And they're very important to check. Make sure that you tighten those bolts and make sure they have contact with the ground. You don't want to have one bike wheel higher than the other so the child feels they're going to tip. It'll make them really nervous and real hesitant about riding a bicycle. So make sure they're evenly touching the ground when your child rides. They're just smaller little wheels that go on the back, and I call them 'helper wheels'.
How old should a child be before riding a bicycle with training wheels?
The age a parent needs to consider to put on training wheels is any age that a child needs help. A child as young as two, three, and four can ride a bike with training wheels. I've seen children who are ten and eleven who need training wheels. There is not a real age that you can put training wheels on a bike. It is what your child is comfortable doing, and it's really important that you make an older child not feel silly about riding a bike with training wheels. They'll only need them for a while, and it's just like beginner drivers id, when learning how to drive a car. Training wheels are just giving some extra help until they learn their balance, so it's really important to talk to your child and let them know what training wheels are, and if they're comfortable riding with training wheels, put them on the bike so your child can enjoy riding bicycles safely.
When should I take the training wheels off my child's bicycle?
Training wheels can stay on your bike as long as your child feels they need them. And then what you can do to get them used to riding a two-wheeler is to take one of the training wheels off. Let them know you're taking one training wheel off and if they feel like they're going to fall, they can lean to the right or whatever side that training wheel is. So it's a little extra safety measure. And then you can start raising the little training wheel so it's higher and higher off the ground. So they know the training wheel is there, but they're not using it. But it goes back to where your child is. Is your child ready to take the training wheels off? Don't force a child to ride a bike without training wheels if they're not ready. It'll make them not like bicycle riding, they won't trust you and they won't feel safe. So talk to your child. Leave the training wheels on as long as they want, and take training wheels off when they're ready to take them off.
How do I safely teach my child to ride a bicycle without training wheels?
The best way to teach a child to ride a bike without training wheels is to take them to an open field or park with lots of grass and no cement. Tell them ahead of time what you are going to do, don't surprise them. Tell them that they are going to practice riding their bike without the training wheels and make sure that they agree, let them tell you if they ready for that or not and only go ahead with teaching them to ride a bike without training wheels if they are ready and willing. Don't do it on your time schedule, do it on their time schedule. Once they agree, go out to the field, take one wheel off and let them ride around with one wheel. When they feel comfortable and when they are ready, ask them, "Hey, how about taking the second wheel off?" When they are ready take that second wheel off. Then walk behind them, holding the seat, and give them a little push and see how far they can go. An afternoon will work for a lot of kids, if they feel like you respect their choices, they trust you, and you don't push them. Let them learn at their own pace and that way you will have a dedicated bike rider for life. But never force them to ride a two wheeler when they are not ready.
