Taking off the training wheels

Hi - I was wondering:

1) When did you take the training wheels of DCs bike (how old were they, grade?)

2) How did you know they were ready?

I don't think my DS is ready but, my friend decided her DD was and took them off her bike this weekend. Her DD was talking a good game to my DS and made him feel miserable so he wants his off too.

My DS is just getting confident on his bike with training wheels after a fall last year so he isn't ready but, I just wanted to get an idea as to when.

Taking off the training wheels

We took DS' training wheels off right when he turned 4. He hated them and he would rather use his balance bike. Within minutes of taking off the training wheels, he was riding his bike around the block all because of the balance bike!

Re: Taking off the training wheels

Re: Taking off the training wheels

WE just bough my 6 year old a bigger bike for his birthday -
It really depends on the kid, and like the whole potty training thing, IMO, it's when they are ready.
My older son is a very nervous, cautious, kid and it takes a long time to build his confidence. I'm in no rush to force him to ride w/o the training wheels. DH didn't want to get them, but I couldn't see the point in buying him a bike he wouldn't have fun and want to ride. - I'm hoping by the middle to end of the summer we can talk him into trying it .....

My 4 year old, honestly, will probably be on the same schedule taking his training wheels off at the same time as his brother b/c he's the daredevil

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Re: Taking off the training wheels

Re: Taking off the training wheels

Posted by MarisaK

Posted by ali120206

Posted by MarisaK

WE just bough my 6 year old a bigger bike for his birthday -
It really depends on the kid, and like the whole potty training thing, IMO, it's when they are ready.
My older son is a very nervous, cautious, kid and it takes a long time to build his confidence. I'm in no rush to force him to ride w/o the training wheels. DH didn't want to get them, but I couldn't see the point in buying him a bike he wouldn't have fun and want to ride. - I'm hoping by the middle to end of the summer we can talk him into trying it .....

My 4 year old, honestly, will probably be on the same schedule taking his training wheels off at the same time as his brother b/c he's the daredevil

Thanks- my older DS sounds like yours. He was in no rush to take them off until yesterday when my friends DD was talking a big game.

I was just curious since my friend, as well as another friend of mine, seem like they are pushing their kids to take them off.

I see no reason to push - I mean, to me, riding a bike is supposed to be a fun thing they want to do - get them outside, get them exercise etc. - I'm not worried about his coordination or ability to balance (he place ice hockey and is a great skater) so, he'll do it when he's ready. I'm sure once he starts feeling comfortable and confident on the bike, and really enjoying it - and then seeing other kids w/o the trainers, he'll want them off too.
If not, we'll have to push ........but not at 6 y/o. I'm not competing w/ anyone ......

Taking off the training wheels

Mine just learned to ride her bike last Spring in 1st grade without training wheels. A balance bike is a waste for an older child. You can take the pedals OFF the bike for the same effect (no focusing on pedaling, just balancing down a small slope). I did this for my DD, then put the pedals back on once she mastered balancing, and she learned to ride very quickly after.

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My 6yo still has wheels, I'm too nervous to take them off

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Taking off the training wheels

Thanks so much for validating my feelings.

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wait. I took my Ds's off in the fall and regret it. Now we can't really go back because he is into it but, it's not fun. He stops so often and hasn't figured out how to get started and is very wobbly. We can't go on a family bike ride anymore until he gets better. He is all over the place. I think in a few weeks or so he will be better but, i wish i had waited.

Re: Taking off the training wheels

my 6 year old still has them on.

Taking off the training wheels

We took the training wheel off DS' bike this weekend. He's 4.5 and asked to have them removed. he's been using a balance bike.

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Try raising them a little so they need to balance more. My ds learned to ride at 4 BUT he is very comfortable falling and was super determined to learn. I see that my neighbors kid who is almost 6 is afraid to fall so it's hard to teach when they are so cautious. The one thing I was glad he wasn't cautious about lol.

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My 5 yr old DS still has them and don't see taking them off anytime soon.

Taking off the training wheels

7 I think. We live in the city so he didn't have much chance to practice. I looked online and found a method to try. Find a grassy area with a bit of an incline. (Luckily my moms backyard has a long gradual hill). Then lower the seat so their feet can comfortably touch the ground. Then practice going down the hill again and again (without pedaling) until they get their balance. This way they are learning to balance without having to worry about pedaling to get moving. And the grass was a soft surface to fall on. Once they have the balance thing down, then you can raise the seat and they can add pedaling in. I carried that bike up the hill a lot that day but it worked!!

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All of my kids were done with training wheels around age 4. It was definitely before kindergarten.

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The trend I notice on my block is the oldest takes the longest and sibs want them off sooner. Both my girls wanted them off last summer. The oldest had just turned 6 and the younger just turned 5. It depends on the kid and rushing it only brings frustration for all involved. Honestly my oldest might have still had them on but our neighbor's girl (youngest of 4 kids in that family) is a year younger than her and was zooming down the block kind of showing off and my daughter saw it, I could see the wheels turning in her head. Sure enough she said "well I guess I can try it". She got it quick with no help from us because I had just had a c-section and DH has a back injury so mine had to learn on their own which meant they had to be pretty determined.