How Young Can You Start on a Bike?

BigLights

Hello

What's the youngest age you reckon it's appropriate for a toddler to be given a bike? My 2.5 year old daughter goes to nursery on mummy's bike, and I commute by bike every day as well as the occasional weekend roadbike blast, so she's very used to seeing bikes being used. She's able to pedal on her tricycle, and is now asking about her own bike almost every night. Mummy has forbidden it until she's 3 on the grounds that she's too young, but I'm not sure I agree.....it would be fun to bomb around the park with her and I cannot wait to get her cycling.

What do you think?

Many thanks.

drays

My son had a balabnce bike for his 2nd birthday, and learned to balance on that. Starting on level grassy field helps to offset the inevitable tumbles as they get used to it. He also pedalled along on his trike from about 2 1/2. He then got a pedal bike for his 3rd birthday and was quickly able to put the two elements together (balancing and pedalling). He's now 3 1/2 and very proficient on his bike. My younger son is now 18 months and will inherit the balance bike when he turns 2.

Underscore

drays wrote:

My son had a balabnce bike for his 2nd birthday, and learned to balance on that. Starting on level grassy field helps to offset the inevitable tumbles as they get used to it. He also pedalled along on his trike from about 2 1/2. He then got a pedal bike for his 3rd birthday and was quickly able to put the two elements together (balancing and pedalling). He's now 3 1/2 and very proficient on his bike. My younger son is now 18 months and will inherit the balance bike when he turns 2.

+1

3rd son will be moving onto a pedal bike in the spring, I suspect. We've let them all adopt each bike at there own pace but all three have been scooting confidently on a balance bike by 2.5 and the older two have been happily pedalling about by 3.5.

_

BigLights

Awesome - so perhaps mum is right. She's got a toddlebike, a scooter, and a trike. So perhaps we wait for her 3rd birthday in May so I can spend the summer riding with her....

craker

I was at Cycletots in Newport on Sunday - there was a chap there with his daughter who can't have been 3. Teeny tiny wheeled proper pedal cycle, she was weaving all over the place though. To think you'd be going out for a bike ride with anyone that old is a bit far fetched. Is it worth shelling out the cash for a teeny tiny bike that's going to last less than a year?

baudman

The next step on from the toddle bike is a proper balance bike, so they she learns balance. There's YouTubes of 2 yr olds riding them with aplomb. Both of my girls were 3.

Daz555

Both my kids had balance bikes from the age of 2 and loved them. My eldest's transition to a 16" pedal bike at the age of 4 was seamless - he was up and running in just a few short hours.