Pedaling a bike

[~inbalance~]

I just got DS1 a bike with training wheels and DS2 a tricycle.  Neither of them are very good at pedaling.  We have another tricycle but it has never really gotten used as it was always too big for my boys' short legs, so this is the first time they have properly fitting bikes to ride (well, technically DS1 could ride the larger tricycle now but he is kind of past the age for one).  I'd like to get to the point where they can both ride them on the sidewalk so we can take them when we walk DS1 to school, but they're both so lost, although I think the foundation is there (they will pedal while I push them and then for a few feet afterwards, but as soon as they lose momentum it's like they can't push hard enough to keep going).  Is this something that will just come with practice?  I'm worried they will be easily discouraged.  When did your LO learn to pedal, and did you have to take the time to 'teach' them, or did they just get it naturally?  I'm finding it hard to take both of them out and spend time helping each of them by myself, but I'm also rarely in a position to take just one of them! 

[lilisuze]

DS just got the hang of his after Xmas this year, so 3 years 2 months. just got it one day, and never looked back! tbh the scooter is easier for walks abecause if he gets fed up I can hook it on the buggy and DS can walk!

[~inbalance~]

We have a scooter, DS1 makes it about halfway down the block before giving up and getting in the stroller (I do hang it on the handle of the stroller, it is very handy that way!)

I think my kids are lazy!

[*Liz*]

Jacob can't do it yet either - he does know what he has to do after watching kids at preschool - but can't. I assume his little legs are too weak  .

He does well on his scooter now though - he recently mastered leaning to turn corners so now he will go a reasonable distance before whinging.

Does your yard have a small area they can try in? That way you can do one alone as it is hard when you are by the side of a road with one  . I am OK again now as J will scoot so I can help M.

I think J can stay on his balance bike!!!

[~inbalance~]

They can't really practice in the yard as it is too hard to pedal on the grass and the ground is uneven.    I think they will get it, but I think I need to find time to take them individually or have DH come with me so we can each help one.  It's just a strange thing, because I always thought kids would hop on and know what to do!  I think they sort of get it, but don't want to try that hard to push the pedals when they slow down, they would both just rather have someone push them along. 

[okinawamama]

We use a Strider,which is a bike without petals. My sons balance improved drastically with this, and he transitioned to a two wheeler at 2yrs 8 months.  I'd look into a balance bike and see if it's something your LO would be interested in, the transition to the two wheel bike seems to be very smooth and fairly unguided on the parents part. Once the balance is developed, the rest seems to come naturally.

[Tweakster]

Em a balance bike is really good for this thing...because they can coast.  Finn loves his now.  He can pedal but he gets tired too easily on his trike.  I don't think these kids are lazy, perhaps we forget how little their legs are LOL

Steph are you saying Ambrose is riding a regular bike sans training wheels now??  How does he handle the stopping??

Oh and for the record, Finn learning to pedal was a horror show.  Many crying screaming upsets in the driveway and us having to 'put the bike way now' because it was upsetting him too much.  I think he cottoned on in early fall.  But he's a sensitive lad and won't do something unless he can do it 120% perfectly 

[~inbalance~]

I thought long and hard about the balance bike but decided it wasn't for my boys.  Just one of those things.

DS1 is doing well with his.  It helps when he can see other kids riding them because he feels more motivated.

DS2 still has little interest but we'll just keep trying.

[Mashi]

I think the key to a balance bike is starting them young - my DH was adamantly against the balance bike and insisted on a tricycle when DS was at the right age (18-30mo ish), and the trike was an epic fail...I finally got him to agree to the balance bike and by then DS was too old for it, in that he was old enough to fear it iyswim...he was 3y6m at the time. I would think T is also probably too old to start on a balance bike as well, esp as he has the bike with training wheels already. 

The only thing I can think of to get them working on the pedalling is if you or your DH can fashion a way to get the bike/trike up in the air so the wheels are not touching the ground, and they can work on the pedalling while stationary and when it would not be powering the bike.  If that makes any sense?  

[okinawamama]

Wendy, yes. We went straight from the Strider balance bike directly a two wheel bike without training wheels back in November. Initially, the breaking/stopping was the hardest part and he just drug his feet (which was absolutely horrible on his shoes :/) to stop. Now he's able to use the break, but he's still really jerky when doing it. We stay in our little neighborhood and there's a slight decline on one of the streets, but nothing terrible, so the bike never gets away from him (and even if he felt like it was I know he'd go back to just dragging his feet).

[~inbalance~]

I think too is they just have to want to, and neither of them seem to have much of a desire or motivation to try, iyswim.  Like I said, DS1 gets more motivated when he sees other kids.  The other day I packed them up with their bikes and drove to the park around the corner (even though it's close enough to walk!) because there is a big basketball court there and I figured they could practice.  Well, neither of them wanted to.    But then some kids came along after a bit and were riding their bikes around the park pathways (one about the same age as DS1 with a similar bike) and all of a sudden he wanted to try.  He was doing well, but again once he loses momentum and stops he can't quite get going again, especially if it is on a hill or there is a bump.  So I think we will have to just keep trying.  DS2 just gets off his and walks.    But if I could take him out with just the two of us and push him along, he might enjoy it.

I doubt it's like they will never learn to ride bikes, they just don't seem to care much about it atm!  I suspect it would be the same whether it was a balance bike, tricycle, or bike with training wheels.  

[Mashi]

I doubt it's like they will never learn to ride bikes, they just don't seem to care much about it atm!  I suspect it would be the same whether it was a balance bike, tricycle, or bike with training wheels. 

Same here....my DS would just rather run!  I'm pretty sure that when he is about 8yo we will have to put a GPS tracker on his bike but for now, he just does not have the interest in it.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I have the opposite problem...Spencer really wants to ride her bike but does not have the co-ordination to pedal, and then there is Masyn who can't ride without training wheels because her balance sucks (which is really odd because on her feet she has awesome balance).  I'm pondering looking for a 2nd hand balance bike for them to play around on.

[Tweakster]

Yeah it is usually a desire/interest thing.  Seeing other kids doing it can be motivation for some, and for others it can be 'yeah, well look what *I* can do?' LOL

Finn prefers his balance bike to the pedal bike because it's less work and he can handle it better...only reason I suggest that.  He finds pedaling hard work.  I suspect he's going to be like Ambrose and just go right to a regular bike without training wheels, and just throw his feet down to stop

Hills and steep grades on the bike still cause crying here...

[okinawamama]

think the key to a balance bike is starting them young

I completely agree with this! We started Ambrose on a balance bike around 18months. He obviously didn't get it until a bit later, but he would stand with it in between his legs and walk a few steps from the very beginning.

My DH also rigged up the bike so that the back wheels weren't touching the ground so that Ambrose could practice pedaling ( it so happened that he put it together during a week that it did nothing but rain, and it provided some physical activity while inside, it was awesome!). He used the training wheels, that we weren't using, and just took the actual wheels off, bent them in a certain way so that they'd lift the back wheels of the bike up, and then screwed them down to a board. It's hard to explain but Ambrose loved doing it!

Wendy, I totally would not put him on training wheels after the balance bike, it would be a step backwards I would think.