# Adult stabilisers



## Inspiredmum (23 Jul 2017)

Hi. I have never been able to ride a bike. I would like to start mainly to get fitter, but need stabilisers. I found good adult stabilisers on amazon 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Bikes-Cy...839829&sr=8-2&keywords=adult+bike+stabilisers

The product says; that the rear axle has to be threaded for these to fit. 
Can you please advise me; which women's classic bike would fit this description?
would this one do:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/elops-100-step-over-classic-bike-black-id_8305485.html#v35932

or this Apollo entice mountain bike

NB I also do not know much about bikes (as you can probably tell..) thanks a lot for your help


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## Cycleops (24 Jul 2017)

Should be OK on both of those as the bikes don't have hub gears or q/r wheels and are not larger than 26". I wouldn't bother with them though. Just put the saddle down to a comfortable height and find a gentle hill and coast down trying to balance. You'll soon get the hang. When I got my first bike age 11 I couldn't ride when I picked it from the shop, at the end of the two mile journey home I could.


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## S-Express (24 Jul 2017)

Or save yourself the work and just learn balance on an actual scooter first..


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## Markymark (24 Jul 2017)

It's how I taught both my kids. An excellent way. P


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## broady (24 Jul 2017)

Making a standard bike into a balance bike is quite straightforward and I'm sure if anyone is local you you they will help. Give it a good try
If you can't master it at all you might be better off looking for a trike.


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## S-Express (24 Jul 2017)

User13710 said:


> I'm curious as to how balancing standing up on a scooter would help with sitting down and pedalling on a bicycle. They seem like totally different skills to me.



They're not, simple as. Balancing on two inline wheels is the same, regardless. That's how both my kids got started. As soon as they could ride a scooter with both feet up, I set them off down the field on a pushbike.


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## S-Express (24 Jul 2017)

User13710 said:


> The holding on and steering aspects of scooters and bikes seem quite different



I would say they're exactly the same.



User13710 said:


> Perhaps in children standing up on a scooter is part of the walking progression, but I'd have thought most adults have got beyond that.



Nothing to do with 'learning to walk' - that comes way, way before. It's not related.


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## Markymark (24 Jul 2017)

Hmm. Having had two kids that progressed from scooters to balance bikes I'm not sure they're they same but probably one aids the other. For sure they both had no bike balance at first despite balancing on scooters. They did pick up cycling quickly so it may have helped. 

My gut feel though is to go straight to balance bike.


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## keithmac (25 Jul 2017)

Good luck to the OP, you're never too old to learn!.

I learnt to swim last year at 39 years old, hard work but worth it.

Taking the crank arms off and using it as a balance bike is an excellent idea, The One Show earlier this year taught people to ride and that's exactly how they did it.


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## DaveReading (30 Aug 2017)

Markymark said:


> Hmm. Having had two kids that progressed from scooters to balance bikes I'm not sure they're they same but probably one aids the other. For sure they both had no bike balance at first despite balancing on scooters. They did pick up cycling quickly so it may have helped.



I had assumed that the original, irrelevant reference to a scooter was intended as a weak joke around a previous poster's mention of "scooting along".


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## Widge (30 Aug 2017)

IMO (for what it's worth) a few hours spent with a normal bike-saddle lowered to allow both feet to contact the ground-maybe pedals off, and a few gentle slopes and/or scootable areas of level ground will teach your muscle memory the ability to balance on a bike in short order.

I had no idea there was such a thing as 'adult stabilisers' !....but I can see that they might be useful for people recovering from strokes or with other long-term disabilities that affect their sense of balance.

Not an avenue I would persue. You are really only delaying the moment of truth.(and it's a life enhancing moment of truth that's worth the hastening.)

All best

w


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## buzzy-beans (30 Aug 2017)

Personally speaking I think the very idea of fitting stabilisers is a totally bonkers idea as I can well recall seeing so many kids riding bikes with them poorly fitted stabilisers leaning well over at somewhat precarious angles.
When my grandson was given a balance bike I initially thought it was a bonkers idea, but then I was amazed how quickly he became accustomed to lifting both his feet off the ground and whizzing down the street.
But I still think a kids balance bike is going over the top, instead why not buy the smallest 2 wheel bike with cranks and pedals and simply remove them?
So by the same context when considering the post by the OP why not simply lower the saddle so that both feet can be flat on the floor, remove the cranks and pedals and push scoot along?


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## T4tomo (30 Aug 2017)

buzzy-beans said:


> Personally speaking I think the very idea of fitting stabilisers is a totally bonkers idea as I can well recall seeing so many kids riding bikes with them poorly fitted stabilisers leaning well over at somewhat precarious angles.
> When my grandson was given a balance bike I initially thought it was a bonkers idea, but then I was amazed how quickly he became accustomed to lifting both his feet off the ground and whizzing down the street.
> But I still think a kids balance bike is going over the top, instead why not buy the smallest 2 wheel bike with cranks and pedals and simply remove them?
> So by the same context when considering the post by the OP why not simply lower the saddle so that both feet can be flat on the floor, remove the cranks and pedals and push scoot along?


That's what pretty much every post from #2 to #17 have suggested, bar a slight left fork into scooters helping with balance. Agree that. Balance bikes are for the rich and lazy who can't remove pedals from a crank.


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