We're constantly being asked how we were able to get Kai so comfortable on a bike at such a young age.
In today's world, bikes are improving for little ones daily. They're lighter, more ergonomic and have advance from the traditional trikes and training wheels.
We've put together some of our best tips to help you and your little one get peddling.
Yes it can be terrifying to watch your kid fly down a hill or trail but we will try to help you be calm and some what relaxed.
Frequently asked question:
Q: What bike do you go with?
A: Starting with a push or glide bike then onto a pedal bike and advancing into hand brakes and gears.
Glide bikes- There are many brands of these bikes and any will work for you, just keep in mind the lighter the better.
What this bike is all about is that it does not have pedals and specifically designed to allow your kid to push with their feet and glide along the trail or path. Your kid will have the stability and the security that they will need to build confidence while they ride. Working on their balance and speed with the glide bikes makes a huge difference when they go to transition.
We recommend finding a smaller glide bike and introducing it to your child as soon as they become comfortable with walking. This actually helped Kai learn to walk, and he very quickly became comfortable with it.
We used a Strider, it came with two different stems for the seat so when they grow you can extend the seat.
It comes in a variety of colours and the best thing about this bike is it has ski blade attachments for the winter. Yes, you read that right! You can take them out and slide around the snow. This option is our favourite to be honest as its something that they can do year round and really work on balance, coordination and have a blast. The Strider bike tires are made of a hard foam, meaning there is no air or tubes to worry about.
This sounds odd but with studies have proven that these tires are the best in all types of terrain compared to a traditional tire.
We also used a Mountain Equipment Co-op glide bike. This one was a bit bigger but not by much. We swapped the tires out with a really rugged mountain bike tire to allow better grip for when Kai rode on the trails. They have tubes so there is the chance they can pop and as any mountain biker will know, preparation is key.
We would ride the trails and pathways with Kai, or run beside him.
Letting him go at his own pace and fall in love with his bike. Devin would carry a rope/bungee that would allow for pushing/pulling when he needed a break. This is a great option to have as it will be way better for you as a parent .... Meaning you wont be bent over trying to push them up hills, with pulling them it allows you to stay upright and a more natural position.
Look for pump tracks or bike parks around your area those are great for them to work on their skills. They usually have green all the way to black tracks which allow a great uphill progress. Calgary is great as it has many around the city plus a great indoor track called B-Line. Having the indoor track adds the additional benefit so they can continue to work on bike skills through the winter and its not a learning curve when spring and summer hit.
The next step is pedals and brakes .... ahhhh!
Do not get sucked into training wheels.
They are not needed. Children become dependent on training wheels and they become a hard habit to break. You see it all the time with kids riding a bike with training wheels for many years before they come off.
We would recommend keeping your little one on a glide bike until they are ready. Let them choose when they are ready to switch.
We would recommend keeping a pedal bike by the glide bike so they can see the difference. Ride your bike so they see what is the next step, and when you think they might be ready take the pedals off their new bike which most likely is bigger and let them glide around getting the feel for a bigger bike.
Having them being comfortable is key and also having them choose to ride that bike is key.
Kai would notoriously ride his glide bike everywhere. We introduced him to a bigger bike with no pedals. Once he was comfortable he asked us if we could put the pedals on his bike because he wanted to try.
It took a few days, but over the course of a week he was comfortably riding up and and down a sidewalk. We walked beside him and originally held onto him for balance, and eventually he just didn't need our assistance anymore.
We would encourage him to make skid marks with his back pedal in order to get the hang of breaking (and not using his feet).
Braking is important and is overwhelming for them. If its a back pedal brake or hand brake you need to beat this into their head how they will stop. Tell! Tell! Tell! Ask them! Ask them! and Ask them! This is key that they tell you and know how they are stopping on their own. It gives us parents some faith in letting them be speed demons. Practice! Practice! Practice! That is the next step and you want to start on a flat surface and get them braking at different speeds. Then move to a small incline and progress from there. What we used when we moved to a hill was a carabiner with either a rope or bungee. Why? this allows you to control your kid so they can practice braking without constantly crashing or losing control. If your stress level goes up usually people cant think in the moment and panic. This is what your kid will do if you let them "figure it out". Then you will risk them not enjoying it and also risk them potentially not wanting to pursue biking. Crashes will happen but as they learn the basics being positive and building confidence is more key to the success of your child.
Helping your kid build confidence is key and one way you can do that is riding with them. Riding behind them letting them lead the way and pick the trails can help bring some excitement to the ride.
If you go ahead of them they can also watch where you ride or how you maneuver your bike around rocks or roots and this can also help them advance their biking skills.
If you have the ability, the best way to help your child advance their bike skills is to run with them. If you don't this is a great opportunity to learn and develop with them. You have to walk before you can run, and you have to pedal slowly before you can pedal quickly.
How does this help?
Running beside them lets you encourage them. They can talk to you, and they have the confidence in knowing that the person who cares for them the most is there every step of the way. This also allows you to help push them up the small hill when they need some extra help. For the bigger hills, or if you find yourself in a situation of discomfort we encourage you to pull them up the hill.
There is an amazing invention called the tow-wheee which is designed for your bike and is also an amazing tool when its attached to your waist to pull them without a bike.
When you're on a down-hill work on communication so they don't hit you or crash, if they are confident on downhills, have them practice going slowly (without the tow-whee). If they're not, don't scare them. Just have them walk down.
Here's what we used for Kai's bike progression:
- Kai started on Strider
- Then he had a Cannondale Trail 16 inch with a back pedal brake
- Now he rides a Woom 4 with pad brakes
- And he has a Woom 4 OFF which has disc brakes and wider tires
The key to a kids bike is to get quality. The most important part is the weight of the bike. Aim for a kids specific bike and look for a light weight bike which will be easier for them to ride and maneuver. It will go a lot further for you kid riding on a good kids bike plus if you have more than one child it actually pays itself when they're able to use it year after year.
If you have any questions on bikes, where to take them riding or how to adapt to various terrain or anything else please send us a message and we be happy to help.
Enjoy the trails!
