# Technique for teaching balance bike?



## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

I bought my 28 month old son a Specialized Hotwalk a few days ago. At the LBS he sat on it and instantly started walking around on it, albeit slowly, but after that, all he seems to want to do now is push it around as he walks next to it.

I understand this may be a process that takes a while, but did anyone else run into this? He loves the bike but just refuses to sit on it!


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## LosAngeles (Aug 21, 2011)

FIND A VERY GENTLE down hill. preferably with grass on the sides.


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## alex_sdca (Apr 6, 2009)

Have him watch the youtube vids of other kids. There are a ton of them. If there is an older child around have them demo it a bit. 
Patience. All we can do as adults is provide a framework...


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## rakeface (Jan 20, 2008)

He is little. Let him play with it the way he likes. Eventually he will start wanting to go faster and figure it out on his own, especially if there are bigger kids already zipping around the block.

My son started at 3 and very nervously walked the bike around for a while. Until he decided he wanted to keep up with the bigger kids, then he taught himself in a hurry.

Be patient.


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## jkeith (Sep 6, 2011)

XJaredX said:


> I bought my 28 month old son a Specialized Hotwalk a few days ago. At the LBS he sat on it and instantly started walking around on it, albeit slowly, but after that, all he seems to want to do now is push it around as he walks next to it.
> 
> I understand this may be a process that takes a while, but did anyone else run into this? He loves the bike but just refuses to sit on it!


when he's on it, do his feet touch the ground firmly? giving up an already tenuous balance isn't something toddlers are likely to do.

my daughter is almost 4, and she still refuses to ride a bike other than a tricycle. she does have a medical condition that has caused her right calf muscles to be underdeveloped, so she has a hard time pedaling too.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

He is tall for his age but I would say they don't touch firmly, he isn't like on his tippy toes to touch the ground but it might do well to cut a tiny bit off the bottom of the post to lower it slightly- his heels are off the ground a tiny bit. The LBS was looking at him and gladly offered to trim it there if I wanted, but said he looks pretty good as is.

I think I may trim it just to make sure he's as comfortable as possible, but I guess the most important thing here is just to be patient and let it happen naturally. 

Thanks for the advice- I will show him some vids and let him play with it as he likes, and see what happens.


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

Youtube is a good primer. Hang out where he can watch *slightly* bigger kids ride. 

If the other kids are too much bigger, the effect is lost.

I taught my kid to ride at 3. His little sister learned to ride at 2.5. I didn't really teach her, he did.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

Well, not really having other kids around to watch, tonight we watched some balance bike vids on YouTube. It worked! As we were watching them I asked if he wanted to practice indoors, and he enthusiastically hopped on and we practiced walking back and forth in the house. He liked it and we are gonna try it outside this week when the rain stops. Sweet!


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

When I taught my son to ride, it was funny. He had been on training wheels and had the whole pedaling thing down. I took the crankset and chain off his bike and lowered the seat and said go to it... He didn't understand what I wanted him to do and got upset. I said watch... I'm 6'4". I somehow got on this 16" wheeled Schwinn Gremlin, pushed off and got my feet up enough to coast. He immediately lit up and yelled I can do that!! He coasted around for thirty minutes or so, we went back in, reinstalled the crankset and he's been riding ever since.


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## nikojan (Jun 18, 2011)

rakeface said:


> He is little. Let him play with it the way he likes. Eventually he will start wanting to go faster and figure it out on his own, especially if there are bigger kids already zipping around the block.
> 
> My son started at 3 and very nervously walked the bike around for a while. Until he decided he wanted to keep up with the bigger kids, then he taught himself in a hurry.
> 
> Be patient.


+1 :thumbsup:


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## jkeith (Sep 6, 2011)

XJaredX said:


> Well, not really having other kids around to watch, tonight we watched some balance bike vids on YouTube. It worked! As we were watching them I asked if he wanted to practice indoors, and he enthusiastically hopped on and we practiced walking back and forth in the house. He liked it and we are gonna try it outside this week when the rain stops. Sweet!


Great!


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## Rob T (Jan 10, 2007)

*Balance Bike - wait and see.*

He will be flying all over the place pretty soon. People freak out when they see my two year flying around on his balance bike. He is 2 yrs. 5 months and able to ride pedal bike now with no training wheels but still loves the balance bike.

Balance bikes are also great to use when you go on trips to parks, etc as it really keeps him going and he is able to keep up with everyone else walking.

Additionally - anyone interested in balance bike - start watching Performance Bike - I posted link below. Was able to pick it up for $35.00 around Xmas time with free shipping. Now it is on sale for $60.00. They are all really only worth about $50.00 anyway.

Performance Balance Kid's Bike - Biketober Bikes under 500 Dollars

This one as held up strong and it is light. He is youngest of 4 boys - all his brothers have abused this thing and its still holding up really great. You may just need to make some adjustments when you first get it such as unbinding wheels and stem. BTW - not impressed with wooden versions. Would not recommend.


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## ccduval (Aug 1, 2011)

I've got two of the Performance Balance bikes for my twins.. They are great.! 

I had a similar experience to the post above with one of the twins as he didn't want to "ride" the bike, instead he wanted to be pushed (nope) or walk beside it. I cut about 3/4" off the seat tube to lower the seat even more. With his feet firmly on the ground at that point he took off and hasn’t looked back. 

I would recommend these to anyone with kids that are interested in biking.


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

balance bikes are the best. my son is 4.5 years old now and has been on a 2-wheeler for a while but have such wonderful memories of him first learning to balance on his strider- so much fun!

enjoy- they really do grow up fast- i'm saying that and he's not even 5 yet


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