Balance bikes for learner adults?

[wheres_my_beard]

Is there a learner bike designed for adults, a bit like some designed for children (like a bike), but that can have parts added during a training process to go from a basic hobby-horse style action up to having foot pegs (to lift feet up onto) then up to a full pedalling setup?

 

[deckertim]

Why not just take the pedals off a normal bike to start with

 

[ColinJ]

How about doing this sequence on a conventional bike with flat pedals?

1. Take the pedals and chain off, lower the saddle so both feet can reach the ground, and get used to scooting about like that.
2. Now put the pedals back on, and get used to scooting about with both feet on the pedals.
3. Now put the chain on, and get used to pedalling while it is still easy to put both feet down.
4. Gradually raise the saddle towards its correct position, getting used to it each time and not raising it until totally confident to do so.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

What about simply taking the pedals off a normal adult bike and lowering the saddle so the feet reach the ground whilst sitting? Once the balance is there, I would have thought the pedals (perhaps preventing them from turning) would serve as foot pegs.

EDIT: I knew I should have posted this immediately!

 

[ColinJ]

EDIT: I knew I should have posted this immediately!

Yeah, and deckertim sneaked in before me too!

 

[wheres_my_beard]

These are all very reasonable suggestions. However, in the back of my mind is learners with extreme anxiety (such as some of my clients) or learning difficulties where a balance bike is likely to be used for longer, and probably need to be more robust (and less noisy when it falls over?). I imagine man adults learning to ride for the very first time are unlikely to have a suitable bike of their own.

I'm also thinking it may be a useful piece of training equipment, so that initial learning will not mean taking the learners bike apart or the risk or concern of damaging it (likely to be new).

 

[ColinJ]

How about this cheap and simple solution ...?

Ask around for a couple of old singlespeed bikes or even keep an eye open for them in skips! I've seen quite nice bikes being chucked away.

Take the transmission (chain, cranks/pedals/chainring and bottom bracket) off the more tatty bike and use that as a balance bike. Decide for yourself whether or not to leave the brakes on that one.

I'd buy a quick release mechanism for the saddle height adjustment on the other bike, so it was very easy to raise or lower the saddle.

There would be no gears to worry about or damage so both bikes would be very rugged. (If you can't find suitable singlespeed bikes, remove the gears from donated multi-geared bikes.)

I'm sure if you asked on the forum, you could easily rustle up a few old bikes which are surplus to requirements. In the past, I've given away bikes better than the ones that you'd need.

 

[summerdays]

If I was trying to design a bike for an adult learning I would make sure that the reach to the handlebars wasn't too big or low and a big squishy saddle as that seems to be something that gets complained about by new cyclists (after all if they aren't spending ages cycling on it, it won't matter if it is that type). And probably a step through frame as would make getting on and off easier.