How old for 1st bike?

sarahjared

DD's friend from preschool was on one at the park the other day.  We haven't considered getting DD one but I think that is just because we don't really ride (don't have bikes, we live in AL and hills are everywhere).  I want her to know how to ride and after seeing her friend DD wants one.  I'm talking a bike with training wheels:)  DD will be 4 towards the end of March.  Is she too young for one?  Or is she old enough and mommy is just really behind on this stuff?

goodheartedmommy

DD was 3, but DS was 4 (he didn't enjoy riding bikes until then). We have a hard time riding in our neighborhood because it's straight uphill for a solid mile (steep, and then steep downhill on the way back!), but we put the bikes in the car and go to the park alot. On the weekends, I'll take them one at a time on a bike ride so I can help push when they get tired on the hills. They ride in the driveway, too.

redshe

My DD is getting her first bike for her 4th birthday in May.  I don't think she is too young (as long as the bike is not to big for her).  she has also outgrown her 3 wheel bike (the one with the handle for us grown ups to use) also.

~appletini~

Well my DS has had one since he was one! LOL  My MIL was INTENT on beating me to buying his first bike. She won. I wouldn't have dreamed of buying him a bike that young. Needless to say, it sat in the garage until he was 3.  Duh.  He could barely walk, much less pedal a bike!  Crazy lady.  She sure showed me.

LOL Anyway, I think 4 is the perfect age! DS really took off on it around age 3.5 but was frustrated for a bit first, but he zoomed all over the place last summer.

Said bike is now falling apart (he's a rough rider!) and I'm waiting to see what crazy MIL does for 5th b-day. Maybe a car? 

shopgirl78

DD got one at age 4 and DS1 at age 3.   DD didn't start riding hers until she was 4.5.  DS hasn't "got" his yet.

Mominator

DD got her first bike when she was 3 and DS#2 will be getting his first this summer, he'll be just over 3. I forgot how old DS#1 was, but probably around the same age.

kada626

We got dd1 her bike for her 3rd birthday. She got the hang of it right away. She used it a lot last summer.

Purrrfect433

It depends on the kid. If she can ride a trike well she can handle a small bike. I'd get a 12" instead of a bigger bike she can grow into. We got Ben a 14" for his 5th and its too heavy to ride for long. He gets tired.

jettagurl

B got his 14" when he turned 3.  N got her 12" when she was abuot 2y9m - because she was going crazy riding the tricycle around. She hopped on the bike and off she went.  B will need a new one this summer, as his is much too small (borderline by late last summer) and N may need a new one as well - she's grown a lot. 

I think if the trike is no prob, a bike will be just fine, regardless of age, really.

ETA:  I will say that we ride bikes a lot - esp H.  We have road bikes and trailers and go riding several times a week in warmer weather.  The kids love it. 

Andrewsgal

Purrrfect433:

It depends on the kid. If she can ride a trike well she can handle a small bike. I'd get a 12" instead of a bigger bike she can grow into. We got Ben a 14" for his 5th and its too heavy to ride for long. He gets tired.

Make sure you take your kid to get measured, DD got a 14 for her 3rd birthday and it is the perfect size, DS got a 12 for his 2nd and he can pedal with help, but it fits him right.

lsufan

E got a balance bike (no training wheels, but no pedals) at 3.  We got him a 16" bike with training wheels a few months after he turned 4, and a few months after that we tried taking the training wheels off and he did fine.  B is 3 and now riding the balance bike.

AnnapolisLari

FWIW, DS is 4 and doesn't have a bike. He hasn't shown any interest and we aren't a bike-riding family.

This board is the only place I've seen where kids are on 'real' bikes so early. Hell, I didn't get my first bike until I was 5 or 6.

mulrooney

DD turns 4 next week & is barely interested in her tricycle. So she won't be getting a real bike until 5 at least. But she doesn't see other kids riding them so it is not a big deal to her. I guess if she showed an interest we would get her one. 

justEK

DD was riding her tricycle at 2 so we got her bike at 3. DS took off on DD's pink tricycle at 18 months, so we got him his bike.

Lari- I don't think it's just a nest thing. We have a trike-a-thon at DD's school every year and all the kids love it. This will be DD's 3rd year so they have all been doing this since 2.

citygirl22

We got DS his first bike on his 4th birthday. It was the perfect time for him. He can't wait for the warmer weather so he can ride around again.

august06mom

DS got one for his 4th bday.

Angela814

Annalise got one for her 3rd birthday. She's not the most coordinated kid though, so it took until almost the end of last summer (4y3m) before she really got the hang of peddling.

outnumbered

AnnapolisLari:

FWIW, DS is 4 and doesn't have a bike. He hasn't shown any interest and we aren't a bike-riding family.

This board is the only place I've seen where kids are on 'real' bikes so early. Hell, I didn't get my first bike until I was 5 or 6.

I think it depends on where you live.  My neighborhood is heavily populated with young children. The two year olds ride tricyles and the three and ups ride big kid bikes.  I cannot think of one child without 'wheels'.  They all have a ton of fun and spend a lot of time in nice weather riding around driveways, sidewalks and the quiet streets.

shopgirl78

outnumbered:

AnnapolisLari:

FWIW, DS is 4 and doesn't have a bike. He hasn't shown any interest and we aren't a bike-riding family.

This board is the only place I've seen where kids are on 'real' bikes so early. Hell, I didn't get my first bike until I was 5 or 6.

I think it depends on where you live.  My neighborhood is heavily populated with young children. The two year olds ride tricyles and the three and ups ride big kid bikes.  I cannot think of one child without 'wheels'.  They all have a ton of fun and spend a lot of time in nice weather riding around driveways, sidewalks and the quiet streets.

This is true of our neighborhood too.