Teaching kids to ride can be very challenging!

[Tom B]

No more riding his own bike, we too the mother-in-law to Zip World.

We decided to make it a bit of trial for our minimalist "quick camp" car boot camp trips and turn it into a two day trip. We decided to ride the Lon Ogwen Trail.

We took the bike seat for number 2 (aged 2) and the tag along for number 1, I was pretty much amazed that the little lad managed 22 Miles on the Lon Las Ogwen trail from Bangor to Ogwen and was still pushing the pedals around at the end. He got a bit giddy and practiced standing up and going hands free.

I can feel a real difference now that he isn't leaning to one side or "lolling" about, he's balancing it.

 

[ianrauk]

Awesome stuff.
He's come along way since your first post.

 

[Dadam]

Wondering if there is a tagalong that might be suitable for my lad (11)? Even with him not pedalling I'd have no problem towing him behind my Cube eMTB! Ideally I'd need to hire one first. He might not even be prepared to get on it.

 

[Tom B]

Wondering if there is a tagalong that might be suitable for my lad (11)? Even with him not pedalling I'd have no problem towing him behind my Cube eMTB! Ideally I'd need to hire one first. He might not even be prepared to get on it.

That's what we did.

Www.Padstowcyclehire.com/our-bikes/

Have tag alongs upto 10yrs and adult and child double wheel tag alongs.
I seem to recall I had to hire the bike too.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

.

 

[ricknmorty28]

I feel that it is always important to know how to ride a bike but they should also want to learn, I do think once you pick it up it's something you then never forget how to do!

 

[Dadam]

The post above is a timely reminder that I started this thread.

We had a breakthrough with autistic son yesterday, thanks to the lovely people at http://www.experiencecommunity.co.uk and Leeds Urban Bike Park. Experience Community help disabled people access the outdoors, including cycling, walking etc. They have a presence at the bike park and keep all sorts of adaptive cycles for disabled people.

They arranged for my son to have a go on a child's KMX recumbent tadpole trike. To be honest we took him along with the attitude that getting him to sit on it and maybe be pushed around a little for five minutes would be a win, but he totally smashed our expectations. He was happy to sit in it and try pedalling but didn't quite get it at first (he never really had, even with toddler trikes). With push assistance he'd pedal forward for half a revolution and then stop and backpedal a bit. However after a few gentle runs up and down a small cordoned area of the carpark he started to get it. He also struggled at first with the steering, understandable as the two side handlebar arrangement would seem a bit alien but he picked that up quite well too. The main thing is he was really having fun. The first run on his own, pedalling with a very slight downhill when he got up a little speed with his own steam, he chuckled and put on this massive grin!

Then he actually did a bit of riding down one of the tarmac tracks, negotiated a narrow gap in a boulder barrier and downhill. We had one mishap though, he picked up some speed down the hill, then the steering went a bit skittish and for a second he panicked and put his feet down before the assistant could stop the bike, which pushed his legs back hitting the frame, ouch. Cue lots of tears but fortunately not going fast enough for injury, just a couple of mild bruises. Amazingly though he wanted to carry on as he was having so much fun. What a result!

 

[DRM]

Wondering if there is a tagalong that might be suitable for my lad (11)? Even with him not pedalling I'd have no problem towing him behind my Cube eMTB! Ideally I'd need to hire one first. He might not even be prepared to get on it.

https://www.leedsurbanbikepark.com/coaching
Is that any good? assuming your within striking distance of Middleton
Edit: Was only on page 2 Duh!

 

[Tom B]

We're still plodding on with the learning, big is now 6 and is getting pretty confident.
He's just joined the local cycling club. He's not the most confident, but its bringing him on a treat.
Amazing how much he listens to the leader/instructor more than me.