September 2007
Learn to Ride a Bike
The traditional method of teaching a kid to ride a bicycle was to run along side of him, holding him upright, and pushing him until he finally moved under his own power and coordination.
Contemporary specialists advocate an alternative method, which separates the skills of riding a bike into steps, so that the child doesn’t have to master everything at once.
This is the sequence:
Feel the Balance:
1. Select a bike with a seat that can be lowered enough so that the child can be seated and have both feet flat on the ground. Remove the training wheels.
2. Find a grassy field with a gentle downhill slope of 30 yards or so, that then flattens out or goes uphill slightly. Ideally, the grass is short enough that it doesn’t create too much drag on the wheels, but can still provide a soft landing in a fall.
3. Strap a helmet on the child’s head. Tuck in shoelaces. Long pants and gloves can add additional protection.
4. Go about 15 yards up the hill and hold the bike while the child gets on. Have him put both feet on the ground. You should be able to let go of the bike, and nothing should happen.
5. Tell your child to lift his feet about an inch off the ground and coast down the hill without pedaling. He will come to a natural stop from friction with the ground and/or the uphill slope. Try not to hold the bike to steady the learner. Because the bike will coast slowly, the cyclist can put his feet down if he gets scared.
6. Repeat this until your child feels comfortable coasting and doesn’t put his feet down to stop. He might want you to run beside the bike the first few times. Do so, but don’t hold the bike. Let the child feel the balance.
Begin Pedaling:
1. Now have your child put his feet on the pedals and coast down the hill. After several runs, have him begin pedaling as he is rolling.
2. Repeat coasting/pedaling until your child feels comfortable, then move up the hill to make a longer run. When the child is comfortable coasting/pedaling at this level, raise the saddle and do a few more coast/pedaling runs. Have him try braking so that he stops sooner than he would naturally.
Add the Other Skills
Go to a flat part of a field, cul-de-sac or unused parking lot and practice starting from a standstill, riding in a straight line, stopping and turning.
1. Starting from a standstill – Start with one pedal pointed at the handlebars (2 o’clock). This gives the rider a solid pedal stroke to power the bike and keep it steady until the other foot finds the pedal. Kids tend to want to rush and take short cuts on this and get off to wobbly starts. Work to have them develop habits so that they consistently get smooth, steady starts.
2. Riding straight – Look straight ahead. Keep the elbows and knees loose and pedal in smooth circles. When a novice rider turns his head, his arms and shoulders follow, causing the bike to swerve.
3. Stopping – Apply both brakes at the same time (if the bike has both front and rear brakes). Using just the front brake can launch the rider over the handlebars. Using just the rear brake limits the rider to just 20 or 30 percent of braking power, and the bike is more likely skid.
4. Turning – Initially, slow down before entering a corner. Turning is a combination of a little leaning and very little steering. Keep the inside pedal up and look through the turn. As confidence grows, let the speed gradually increase.
As kids master the skills of bicycling and want to go on longer rides, keep it interesting at their level. Bring snacks, plan appropriate rest breaks (initially, these may be a mile apart), stop for fun activities (i.e. playground, beach or ice cream shop) and invite your kid’s friend along.
Note: the highest rate of bike-related head injuries is among boys 10-14 years old. For more information on helmets, go to www.ibike.org/education/helmet.htm.
David Mozer is the director of the International Bicycle Fund, a Seattle-based, nonprofit organization promoting sustainable transportation and international understanding (206-767-0848; www.ibike.org).
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