I have been a pediatric physical therapist for 21 years with Fargo Schools. In that time, I’ve learned that kids learn to ride a bike at all different ages.
Let me reassure you that the 3-year-old who learns to ride a bike without training wheels is very rare, but it does happen. That 3-year-old is probably your niece or your neighbor’s kid, so that your 8-year-old still riding a bike with training wheels is a stark contrast to make you feel like a failure of a parent.
Please know — you’re not a failure!
Most kids will want their training wheels off at some point. They’ll want to go fast and turn fast, and they’ll realize the training wheels are actually a hinderance.
But, some won’t.
I had to tell my own second grader, who I was certain had the capacity to remove those training wheels, that it was time to try. She was the oldest kid and a little leery of doing things with no sibling example of success.
Any typically developing child over the age of 9-10 is likely ready to ride a 2-wheeled bike. But go ahead and let your 6 and 7-year-olds ride bikes with training wheels if they’re just not ready; they’ll still learn a two-wheeled bike eventually.
I’ve seen some common problems in my years of teaching my own children, and kids with disabilities, how to ride bikes.
Teaching Your Kid to Ride a Bike
Common Problems & How to Solve Them
Problem #1: My kid won’t wear a helmet.
SOLUTION: You must wear a helmet.
Would you expect your kids to wear a seatbelt when they start to drive on their own if you don’t wear a seatbelt when you drive? If you want your kids to wear a helmet past 3rd or 4th grade, YOU must wear a helmet. If we’re looking to professional bikers…. ever seen one without a helmet? Everyone should wear a helmet.
Problem #2: My kid can’t/won’t pedal the bike.
(They keep hitting the foot brakes by pushing backwards, or they just can’t get the bike to move forward.)
SOLUTION: Set the seat as high as you can so that their toes just touch the ground.
This positioning allows them to move the pedals with the least physical strength and effort.
If the bike is too small to set the seat that high, and they can’t pedal it at the top height, you need a bigger bike.
Be sure their training wheels are as low as possible to keep the bike from tipping, or some kids won’t like this feeling of barely being able to reach the ground. It doesn’t have to be the tippiest-of-toes-only touching, but at least just the ball of the foot. And give them a push to get them going!
Problem #3: My kid isn’t ready to ride a two-wheeled bike, but they’ve outgrown their bike with training wheels.
SOLUTION: Buy a bigger bike with training wheels, or put training wheels on a bigger bike (single speed with foot brakes if possible).
These training wheels or these rubber wheels can be put on a bike up to 22″ tall and are very affordable. For kids who need a more sturdy training wheel, these fat tires are available.
Some bike shops in town sell and install kits. They are very affordable (around $35), and they will install them in the bike shop.
For kids that can’t yet ride a two-wheeled bike, dealing with hand brakes and multiple speeds is too difficult. So try to find a single speed bike with foot brakes in a bigger size.
Problem #4: I just can’t get my older child to ride a bike with training wheels.
SOLUTION: Contact a pediatric therapy clinic and inquire about a physical therapist helping your child achieve the goal of riding a bike with training wheels.
Most children over the age of four or five can ride with a bike with training wheels. If you find your older child is still having a tough time learning, you could see about an assessment with a pediatric physical therapist (you would likely need to provide the correct-sized bike and training wheels).
There are many different reasons children might not be able to easily learn to ride a bike with training wheels with their caregivers:
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- Physical or cognitive disabilities
- Autism
- Learning or developmental delays
- Anxiety
- Low muscle tone
Problem #5: My child with a disability is unable to learn to ride a bike with two wheels.
SOLUTION: “I Can Shine” bike camp
I have seen kids with learning disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, arthrogryposis, and muscular dystrophy learn to ride a two-wheeled bike at this camp.
Also, this camp always needs volunteers! It’s a terrific option for high schoolers looking for volunteer hours, or college kids looking for volunteer experience to put on an application to a graduate/doctorate program or on a resume.
Problem #6: My child is too big for a balance bike (Strider), or doesn’t like to ride it.
Solution: Use a bike with training wheels instead.
Most bike shops will recommend a balance bike for young, typically developing kids when learning to ride a bike.
For a child with any kind of disability, low tone, or anxiety, they often can’t get to the point of “fun” on a strider, and so they don’t want to do it. It’s too laborious to be fun. Those same children are also not often ready to ride a bike or strider until they are four to five years old. And then the striders are often too small.
I have recently seen larger-sized striders, but they’re pretty rare. When my own very tall kids were learning to ride bikes, they outgrew the balance bikes before they could walk.
Hopefully these tips will help as you teach your child to ride a bike!
