Should cycling be a basic expectation? -other people's children

[User]

 

[marinyork]

With how many people are driven to school I'm surprised kids have actually learned to walk!

The other thing that interests me is how much more disposable income knocks around today. When I was younger not everyone on the streets had a bike and yet people wanted them and people would take turns on other peoples' bikes until they had them. Now people seem to shell out large sums of money on things in most likelyhood the kid will get bored off after a short while.

 

[Dave5N]

Bit unreasonable. 4 or 5 is still quite young in non-cycling families.

My own son didn't learn until he was five.

 

[Twenty Inch]

"Walking" and "Cycling" will soon be pursuits confined to a small and ever-dwindling band of eccentrics and oddballs. Bit like Morris-dancing. People will congregate to watch for a few minutes and then drift away on their luxo-comfort electric mobility scooters.

 

[summerdays]

My kids had access to tricycles, and then bikes with stabilizers etc. But the middle child took until she was over 6 before she could turn the pedals in a complete circle.... it drove me mad!!! I gave up waiting for her to learn the correct pedalling technique and took off the stabilizers. It took another couple of weeks of pulling my hair our and bashed legs etc before she suddenly got the idea. Some kids aren't meant to learn early. Equally she took till about 5 to learn how to jump - she just isn't sporty. Doesn't mean that she can't do it, just she isn't a natural.

I want to get my nephews and nieces cycling soon.

 

[Smokin Joe]

My brother is 55 and has never even once in his life sat on a bicycle. He doesn't drive either.

 

[Joe24]

My cousin is 2 or 3. He has a go-kart that he uses alot, knows how to steer it and pedal it.
He has a bike with stablisers and he knows how to pedal it(although one foot doesnt stay on a pedal so good) and steer the bike. I saw him on boxing day and his saddle was too low. His mum(my antie) didnt want it too high for him getting on and off, but it really did mean he found it hard to pedal. As soon as it was lifted, he was off. He didnt go too fast though, so he kept getting off and running after my other aunties dog
Hes very vocal and runs around alot, its good. My mum doesnt think it will be long untill the stabilizers are off because they will be holding him back.
Bless him, hes a crazy kid

 

[Dave5N]

[QUOTE534355]

Bit unreasonable. 4 or 5 is still quite young in non-cycling families.

My own son didn't learn until he was five.

Learn to what though? Riding on two wheels yes, but these two had no concept of anything to do with riding anything.

Kids have access to things you sit on and steer as soon as they can sit up.[/quote]

Yeah he had access to steerable toys. Just couldn't (or as it seemed to me at the time, wouldn't try to) do it.

He can now though.

 

[punkypossum]

I didn't learn to ride till I was 6..., but I was perfectly capable of pedalling on a gocart or a tricycle.

Actually, I could probably ride before then, but just didn't believe it. When I got my first bike at 5 (I think), my parents didn't believe in stabilisers, so my mum held onto the rack while I rode around the playground. She then used to let go, and I happily carried on, till I realised she wasn't there anymore, at which point I'd shout "I can't do it!" and fall over...

 

[barq]

My brother is 55 and has never even once in his life sat on a bicycle. He doesn't drive either.

Same with a friend of mine. She was always talking about spinning classes at the gym so it never occurred to me that she hadn't learnt how to ride a bike. It struck me that I didn't have the faintest idea how to teach an adult!

The non-driving was also quite odd because (the psychology of) driving is her professional field of expertise. She even has to get other people to test the driving simulator for her.

 

[Arch]

Same with a friend of mine. She was always talking about spinning classes at the gym so it never occurred to me that she hadn't learnt how to ride a bike. It struck me that I didn't have the faintest idea how to teach an adult!

Same way you should teach a child. Pedals off, saddle low enough to get both feet down flat, and scoot along. The more confident she gets, the more she'll freewheel between each 'step' and once she can free wheel for a decent period (having an area with a slight downhill slope available will help too), and steer, and stop with the brakes, the pedals can go back on and she should be able to simply put her feet on them when freewheeling, and then turn them. If she's self concious, give her the bike set up (pedals off, saddle height set), in a quiet spot and leave her to just get on with it. I taught a chap in his forties once, using that method, and it took less than an hour from not being able to ride, to riding with pedals, pretty confidently.

I didn't have a bike until I was 10, and it took me a while to learn - we did it with no stabilisers, and my Dad pushing me along and letting go. Not the best way, I know now. A gravelly drive is also a bad place to learn.

Come to think of it, I didn't have a tricycle or anything like that as a kid (we lived in an upstairs flat, which might have been part of the reason why), and I didn't go to nursery, and don't remember there being anything like that at infant school. So I probably never rode anything much until I got a bike.

 

[another_dave_b]

When I was that age it was accepted that everyone could at least pedal, some of us could balance, and those who had bikes used them regularly, both to play and to accompany walking adults. It seemed to be just done, in the same way as walking.

Have things changed? Now that most kids are driven to school, and the furthest some kids walk is from front door to car door?

In yesteryear your bike was your main toy. Kids these days just have different toys, and you don't pedal them.

 

[Maz]

I wonder if it's easier to learn to ride a bike as an adult rather than as a child.
Most (reasonably intellligent) adults know about momentum, balance, centre of gravity etc whereas a kid puts loads of faith in stabilizers and 're-learns' once the stabs come off.

Hmm.....

 

[ChrisKH]

I have a nine year old I can't get off the bike and a six year old who won't get on one. Islabike Beinn 20" anyone? Never used.

 

[Amanda P]

I think I must have been a neglected child. I didn't have a bike, or learn to ride one, until I was nine. Taught myself to swim at 14.