How to teach a child to ride a bike?

If you want to teach your child to ride a bike, first of all, remember that each child acquires this skill at a different time. Usually, this is around 3 years of age but expecting quick results will not help. It is better to wait until your child is ready for a new adventure called cycling.

Choosing the right bike matters!

Choosing the right bike can be a real headache, so there are a few important things to keep in mind. First of all, the weight of the bike is important – it should be as light as possible. The lighter the bike the easier to learn to ride it. The weight of a 3-year old child is about 20 kg. In this case each gram is of great importance. Equally important is the size of the bike. If it is too big for your child it is much more difficult to handle.

First steps before riding.

First step is to set he appropriate saddle height. The child should be able to touch the ground with their feet so that they feel stabilized. This will make getting on and off the bike much easier. All “props”, such as side wheels or a stick held by a parent, mean that the child will not be able to balance himself and will not start feeling the bike well. This will only slow down the learning process. Learning to balance is most important. It is worth explaining how the bike rides and what the pedaling and braking process looks like. If you want to teach your child to ride a bike quickly and effectively, you should choose a good area for learning. The optimal solution is an open space with a slightly sloping surface, as pedaling then does not require as much force. Uneven terrain should be avoided as it is much more difficult to balance. To start with, it is a good idea to put your child on the saddle, keep the rear wheel between the legs and grab the child under the armpits so that they feel confident.

Safeguarding the child

The child’s first step to start moving is to push off with one foot and press the other foot on the pedal, set to the starting position at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. While holding your child under your armpits, you can gradually loosen your grip as the child slowly gains speed. If you can see that the child is doing well, your role is only to make sure that they do not fall. This way, the child will quickly find their balance and learn to ride a bike.

As with any activity, you need to take care of safety. It is very important to teach your child how to brake. Walk next to your child and let your child “play” with brake levers. Brakes in good bikes are adjusted to child’s weight and achievable speed. Thanks to this, there will be no risk that the child will “fly” over the bars in the event of a sudden brake. Always teach the child to press both brake levers at the same time, then braking is the most effective and safe.

Let us do it!

If you want to teach your child to ride a bike, all you need is a little patience and a good attitude. After the child has mastered the aforementioned basics, all you need is to enjoy the ride. We recommend that parents buy good running shoes, because they will be amazed how fast and long their kids can ride roko.bike!