Get the pedals of.....

jamLCFC

This is his first pushbike that started out as a fixed wheel. From all the suggestions on balance bikes we opted to modify it in order to see if we can get him riding. Within a week he has progressed to warp speed shuffling around the garden...



He has become so confident on it(and to much time watching xtreme sports) that we have added a little obstacle course to the garden



...and finally the mandatory me and my bike pose. The problem that we have now of course is that he is like a little whippet on the `balance bike` and getting him to practice on the pedal bike is nearly impossible because ` its to slow Daddy`




The helmet is a kids moto x helmet and cost £25 at last years bike show. Such a great investment as he has had some bumps and spills that i think the ordinary cycle helmet would not have helped with

All part of the fun and the balance bike / pedals of idea really works and i am sure he will be pedalling as soon as he decides he wants to.


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jamLCFC

......and today he as started riding properly. We make that 3 weeks from pedals of to riding properly.Not bad for a kid of 3 1/2.........proud father

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redvee

It's when you see him on the PC looking at sites such as CRC & wiggle rather than Cbeebies you know you've got problems with him

jamLCFC

redvee wrote:

It's when you see him on the PC looking at sites such as CRC & wiggle rather than Cbeebies you know you've got problems with him

those are very wise words :shock:

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baudman

Tidy work jamLCFC!

jamLCFC

...and we had our first collision the other night as he managed to run his baby brother over in the garden. No harm done just a few tears. :roll:

So i guess its now time for training on the benefits of brakes ...

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aralice

hi this is great can i just ask :

how big are the wheels?

it seems that 10in wheels bike with chain are not easyly available...
I'm not sure if 12in are too big

thanks for your advises
ila

jamLCFC

the tyres on the no pedal bike are 10 inch but he is now riding a 14 inch tyre bike.

The knack to the no pedals is being able to get as much of the foot on the ground as possible so the bike will very much depend on your childs hieght.

Good Luck.

baudman

THIS is a really good video, which shows the progression of learning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwebrL5oZYE

(It's an ad - but it works for any runbike). And I agree, they need to be flat footed (or more) to gain confidence in the early stages.

dylanpavier

Hi JamLCFC - love the pictures

My 4yr old has just started to lean to ride without his stabilises. It's early days as I can't let go of his seat yet, but I hope eventually that he's going to be a chip off the old block (just like his old Dad)

jamLCFC

your right great clip for pedalless bikes.

The thing is that getting them pedalling is only the start. As we have found over the last few weeks he wants to go everywhere at 100 mph and has no concept of the dangers around him.

I have started playing a game in the garden that when daddy shouts stop he must put his brakes on. Its taken a while but we are starting to get there.

He has discoveed how easily the bike moves so all down a pathway he goes along zig zagging so that stops us going anywhere near roads. Let alone the fact that he is pedalling like mad and trying to see what the dog on the other side of the road is barking at.

...and of course he has heard mummy and daddy ring the bell on their bikes so that people know we are behind them. Imagine him trying to ring the bell as well as all the other things.

It has made me realise that getting him to ride is only the start.........but it is good fun!!

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pyro_maniac

very good idea there, i will be getting bikes for my kids and teaching them
my son is 3 and a half, about the same age so thats gonna be fun,lol and my daughter who will be 7 in october, so i dont think i will need to take the pedals off for her, just a set of stabilisers to begin with
shouldnt be to bad as she has a lot of common sense and a great sense of balance (unlike me lol)

baudman

pyro_maniac wrote:

... so i dont think i will need to take the pedals off for her, just a set of stabilisers to begin with...

She has good balance? So go the other way around - take the pedals off AND the stabilisers. It may only take an afternoon.

baudman

Visited a mate's new bike shop on Saturday. 3.5yr old had to have some stickers. Got home. She wanted to put the stickers on her bike. She had no idea what they said.

secretdancer

jamLCFC wrote:

the tyres on the no pedal bike are 10 inch but he is now riding a 14 inch tyre bike.

The knack to the no pedals is being able to get as much of the foot on the ground as possible so the bike will very much depend on your childs hieght.

Good Luck.

Sorry to resurect an old thread, but just wondering where you got your sons bike with 10" wheels with chain? I've searched everywhere and I can't find one for my daughter. She's a wee bit short for a 12" but is desperate for a grown up bike!

Mike Healey

dylanpavier wrote:

Hi JamLCFC - love the pictures

My 4yr old has just started to lean to ride without his stabilises. It's early days as I can't let go of his seat yet, but I hope eventually that he's going to be a chip off the old block (just like his old Dad)

Don't hold the seat, just keep your hand on his back, giving him a little help. If you hold the seat, the bike tends to go where you're pushing, which might not be
quite where he's steering it.

(We've just taught our 53rd kid to ride this year. 8) )

jamLCFC

secretdancer wrote:

jamLCFC wrote:

the tyres on the no pedal bike are 10 inch but he is now riding a 14 inch tyre bike.

The knack to the no pedals is being able to get as much of the foot on the ground as possible so the bike will very much depend on your childs hieght.

Good Luck.

Sorry to resurect an old thread, but just wondering where you got your sons bike with 10" wheels with chain? I've searched everywhere and I can't find one for my daughter. She's a wee bit short for a 12" but is desperate for a grown up bike!

Sorry for the delay only just read through your question.

This is a Magna bike that my mum purchased through one of the sports shops. JJB i think. You can always search through Ebay as they have an option for results by wheel size. Hope that helps.

baudman

More proof.

Picked up this hold heap of a bike in hardrubbish months back. Her little buddy also acquired a similar one (altho, he got the girl's version). Anywayz, he was in stabilizer hell, so they borrowed a runbike and two weeks later he's riding like a demon.

So, my daughter utters those words... 'Can I ride a bike with pedals?'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-J7-Yez-m8 - that's her first, and second tries, respectively, in the one shot.

(Apologies for low quality - shot and edited on my phone).