5 year old and bike

balancelife

thanks for those ideas guys. I have lowered the seat and taken the stabilisers off so hoping it might work. the co-ordination is probably an issue bless her!

I'll look at the brakes too if I can work out adjusting them.

Wilma33

balancelife wrote: »

She wants to learn and ride to school instead of going in a bike seat.

How about a tag-a-long? http://www.whycycle.co.uk/cycling_with_children/tag_a_longs_and_trailer_bikes/

MX5huggy

Crikey 15kgs at 5 my 22month old is 15kgs!

Anyway I would go balance bike.

MERFE

My 2 were struggling to learn to ride so hubby took the pedals off (completely removed the crank on DS since its constantly goes round, smaller bike), let them play with them like that for a week, took them to the park and let them go down the hills on them so they had really got their balance before he put their pedals back on, chucked them down the same hill and after a couple of goes they had mastered it. Honestly either a balance bike or removing the pedals for a while is the way to go. They are 5 and 6 and could not get it last summer when they were 4 and 5 when the pedals were on their bikes - they could do it but then refused to try again if they fell. The 4 year old actually spent a whole day riding his bike, fell once then refused without stabilisers. But the pedals off method really gave them confidence to put their feet down when they are falling etc and was just what they needed to really go for it. Now they have both had falls but just got up and straight back on, no fuss.

balancelife

MX5huggy wrote: »

Crikey 15kgs at 5 my 22month old is 15kgs!

Anyway I would go balance bike.

yeh she is tiny! born at 6lb and stayed on the bottom lines of the charts ever since. I've got a 21month old who weighs 12.5, he will over take her soon!

thanks for the ideas guys, will keep perservering. she isn't keen though so we will see.

tankgirl1

Wow!

Thanks for this thread!

DS 6yo just cannot ride a bike - he just can not or will not pedal - he is quite delicate - moans of leg ache on walks, limps if he has the teenyist scratch on a leg - fell over yesterday, grazed his hand, and then announced he wouldn't be able to write or use a fork for a week :rotfl:

I dunno where he gets it from coz I'm the polar opposite - horseriding taught me that - quit moaning and get back on :rotfl:

Anyway, I was worried that he was just being a wimp with bikeriding, but tbh his stabilisers are wonky despite all efforts, and he gets nervous. I've been lusting after a balance bike to help him along - it never occured to me to just remove the pedals! :T

The wonky stabilisers are going too!

tankgirl1

balancelife wrote: »

yeh she is tiny! born at 6lb and stayed on the bottom lines of the charts ever since.

DS was 9 weeks early, 2.8lb, and is now the tallest in his class :eek:

Can't remember what he weighs - will have to stick him on the dog scales next time I pop in to see the ex work mates

diable

broom handle by the seat post and you run behind your child teaching them stability

angelil

Don't worry - I was 8 before I could manage without stabilisers (and I certainly wasn't small, just had no coordination ), but have got on fine with bike riding since then and actually quite enjoy it (miss it though! don't have a bike atm). She will pick it up in the end. I agree with seeing if Halfords or somewhere like it (or even just yourselves) can make a few adjustments too.

custardy

i picked up a little Thomas bike for my boy
it has caliper brakes and on each brake lever there are reach adjusters to bring the levers closer to the grip.
does yours have them?