Kids bikes and training wheels go hand in hand. After all, when teaching a child to ride a bike, training wheels are vital in building their confidence and keeping them upright. There is no way that a youngster should hop on a kids bike without training wheels.
Actually, none of that is true.
Training wheels are not necessary on a child’s bike as they learn to ride. In fact, they could be detrimental as they can give the young rider an unrealistic sense of balance which won’t be of much benefit when its time to take the training wheels off and start riding on two wheels. Balance is one of the most important things for a youngster to develop as they learn to ride which is why balance bikes appeal as a much better way for a child to set off on the right foot – and we mean that literally.
A balance bike has pretty much everything you’d expect to see on a kids bike: a frame, fork, handlebars, and wheels. The only things missing – and they’re big things – are pedals. To move the bike forward, kids push off the ground with their feet and away they go. As balance bikes are low to the ground, kids can easily reach the ground with their feet and when they push off they can do it by walking the bike and then get faster as their confidence grows. While they are gliding along independently, they are mastering their balance at the same time. When they reach this stage of complete balance, they are ready to begin pedalling. Balance bikes also teach kids how to steer properly by leaning the bike towards the corner, with the added assurance of having their feet close to the ground should they need to stop.
Balance bikes are easy to get the hang of but for all their simplicity, there are a few things to check should you want your child to learn to ride on one. They include:
- Finding an open space free of obstacles and rough surfaces. The back lawn might seem like a nice, soft surface but grass can slow down young riders and make it difficult for them to gain momentum as they ride.
- Invest in a good-quality helmet to make sure that a small fall doesn’t affect your child’s confidence.
- Adjust the saddle height so your child’s feet sit flat on the ground with their legs straight.
- If the balance bike has brakes, show your child how they work.
- If your child is a little hesitant, there’s nothing wrong with giving them a gentle push to get them moving. The key word here is gentle – you don’t want to scare your child off riding.
If it’s time to teach your child to ride, and you’re thinking of doing it with training wheels, think again. A balance bike will make your young one a more skilful rider, by developing their balance and coordination from the second they hop on.
