Talk to me about bikes for kids

RondackHiker

Right now DS has a fold and go trike, which he loooooves. But he's not really able to do the pedals yet, so he just pushes it around.

Am I a horrible mom for thinking of selling it and buying him a balance bike or a trike with a push handle once we move? When do they start pedaling?

Please tell me about your kid's bike and why you do or do not like it.

Libby1978

Oliver got this trike from Santa.  He started pedaling on Christmas morning when he got it.

RondackHiker

Libby1978:

Oliver got this trike from Santa.nbsp; He started pedaling on Christmas morning when he got it.

How old is your kid?

Libby1978

RondackHiker:

Libby1978:

Oliver got this trike from Santa.nbsp; He started pedaling on Christmas morning when he got it.

How old is your kid?

He's 2 years 8 months old.

RondackHiker

So am I just teaching him to do this wrong? I don't know what to do. I got a trike because I thought learning to pedal was important, but ds gets impatient and just pushes it. Then I've also heard you should get a balance bike because learning to balance is what is important.

Is it possible to get a regular small bike and put on or take off the pedals and training wheels so he can experience both?

RondackHiker

eddy321:

RondackHiker:

So am I just teaching him to do this wrong? I don't know what to do. I got a trike because I thought learning to pedal was important, but ds gets impatient and just pushes it. Then I've also heard you should get a balance bike because learning to balance is what is important.

Is it possible to get a regular small bike and put on or take off the pedals and training wheels so he can experience both?

I think you're putting too much thought into this.  I could be totally wrong, but at almost-three, he's still pretty young to be perfecting his bike riding skills.  I'd say just let him play with the one he has until he shows more interest in riding it.  You could encourage him by taking him somewhere special to try riding it or something.  If he's still having trouble in six months, then you can start to worry about it.

I know nothing about balance bikes.  They're probably an awesome concept, but I don't think they really existed when we were kids, and everyone in my neighborhood still learned to ride a bike without a whole lot of fuss or intervention.

But would you move the bike he doesn't ride and just pushes around seven hours, or sell it and buy a different one? He does love it, hence the guilt, but it's a big thing to move when he doesn't ride the darn thing.

Mommy guilt is eating me alive on this one.

RondackHiker

I know you all see me over thinking this, but I'm just so torn about what I should do so I'm not seeing it... KWIM?

Part of me thinks it's silly to move a bike that he can't use and could grow out of before he can use, and that he'll love a new bike.

Part of me thinks I just haven't given him enough time to try to learn and that I shouldn't sell a toy he loves. If PP's kid learned in one day, what am I doing wrong that ds hasn't learned?

Then when I think about selling it, I wonder what I should buy to replace it.

Libby1978

RondackHiker:

I know you all see me over thinking this, but I'm just so torn about what I should do so I'm not seeing it... KWIM? Part of me thinks it's silly to move a bike that he can't use and could grow out of before he can use, and that he'll love a new bike. Part of me thinks I just haven't given him enough time to try to learn and that I shouldn't sell a toy he loves. If PP's kid learned in one day, what am I doing wrong that ds hasn't learned? Then when I think about selling it, I wonder what I should buy to replace it.

If he loves the bike keep it  He will "get" pedaling at some point.  I think it's probably a coordination thing.  Oliver has pretty good coordination for his age.  He can already hit a plastic ball with a plastic bat when you toss it to him.  Every kid is different and you aren't doing anything wrong.

RondackHiker

So move the bike and stop beating myself up about ransom crap? K. I can do that.

Sorry I freaked out. I tend to freak myself out about "failing" ds in different ways at least once a month.

Today it's about pedaling the damn bike. I can realize it's stupid and feel so guilty at the same time. I'll blame my crazy on feeling exhausted and sick today. My tummy is mad at me.

kcisthebombdotcom

When ds started pedaling his trike we graduated to a real bike. That's what I would do.

jorkz821

Olivia has a tricycle at her grandparents' house. She'll do like 2 pedals then get frustrated and want to get off and push it herself.

We just got her a balance bike last week for home and she loooooves it. It's really just her walking with her bum on the seat but eventually she'll get to gliding for periods. I'd say a balance bike over tricycle any day. Supposedly it helps them develop balance so they don't need training wheels later. Plus the pedalling motion on a tricycle is in a different position than on a bike.

argonne

DS has a Strider.  He's really starting to understand the concept now.  Before, he just liked to push it around instead of straddling it anc scooting.

Balance bikes are supposed to be better than training wheels, because the child actually learns how to balance and turn correctly on two wheels, whereas training wheels don't.

hmp1

DS favorite toy by far is his Strider balance bike. We have a radio flyer trike with a parent handle but he rides his bike more often. He has had it since he was about 18 mo old. At the end of summer he started picking his feet up to coast. He goes pretty fast now and coasts a lot. We plan to get him a real bike next spring and think he will be able to do no training wheels.