How do you teach your kid to pedal riding toys?

Q. We have bought our four year old son a toddler bike with training wheels but he refuses to pedal and only makes a half-heared attempt at it.

Answer
The wheels on most bikes turn when the wheels move. Just put his feet on the pedals and then push him around. He probably doesn't like having to work it himself. But if he sees how fun it can be, he'll probably get motivated and want you to stop pushing him so he can do it himself. Try it on the driveway where it's easier to pedal.

For the KIDS?

jesse w

Enough with the how old for this, how old for that, which bike is best, which one is better and crap like that!!!

Ask momi, I'm sure she'll have the best answere!

Answer
When I was a kid I ask my mom for a bike, she got me one with two pedals and the only horse power it had was when we hooked a rope to the pony and my bro pulled me across the field ( admittedly not the best idea in the world).

When I ask my dad he said "what the hell you want one of those for? " , you have a pasture full of horses out there !

Finally talked to the guy up the road who owned a few bikes of his own. He ask me how much I had and when I told him $100 he took me out behind his shop and there was a old orange Suzuki 90. he took it in and cleaned it up got it running great and sold it to me for my $100, I rode the piss outta it for three years before I got another one. But that old man was my benefactor to well over 30 years on scooters. So next time a kid ask what you think is a stupid question just think your answer may decide the direction his or her life takes from that point on.

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Tandem bike with kids?

R K

I have a 8year old and a 6 year old. We like to bike but are not seasoned bikers. So far I have only taken my kids to the playground to bike but would like to go out on trails and maybe even use the bike to get to nearby places but I am not confident enough to let my kids ride on their own. I was thinking of maybe getting a triplet tandem so we can enjoy biking together without worrying about if the kids are following properly. Eventually we will get comfortable with biking everywhere and be on our own bikes..
I am wondering about my options as far as the bike itself is concerned. Is there one you use and love? I want both kids to pedal and participate. I would appreciate tips on the bike itself, getting around on a tandem and especially parking it and keeping it safe. If we take it to the library for example, do we just lock it in the normal bike stand area?

Thank you

Answer
The 8 yr. old is plenty old enough to get on his/her own bike. For the 6 yr. old - get a tag-along if you must.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/189-0587099-1815310?url=search-alias%3Dsporting&field-keywords=tag+along+bike

As a parent - it's YOUR job to teach them cycling safety without being dependent on you all the time. Sooner or later they'll want to be on their own. Start with these links...
http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm
http://bicyclesafe.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU4nKKq02BU

My 4 year old can't pedal a bike. Despite how hard he tries, he just can't do it, SUGGESTIONS?

Looking4He

My son is a normal active, healthy 4 year old. He watches kids his age, ride their bikes. He just can't seem to get started with the pedaling process. I really want to help him, I just don't have a clue how to get him started. And honestly, it frustrates me because I can't help him. Can someone please help me, help him?

Answer
I assume his bike has training wheels. Kids have a more difficult time pedaling in the upright position, and I also just discovered they have a really hard time learning to pedal if there is a back break on the bike (it breaks when they pedal backwards). You might try to find a tricycle with no breaks to let him learn on (or a hot wheels). My husband and I were also surprised to find they make 10inch starter bikes (at toys r us) with no back break. The reason we figured it out is because our 2.5 year old got on and started pedaling, but when we put her on her sister's bike she couldn't pedal. The reason was because she needed to push backwards on the pedals first to get her feet in the postion where she had enough leverage to push forward. If the bike breaks when she pushed backwards she could'nt get her feet in the position to pedal forward. He will get it, just give him time and don't be afraid to try a trike, hotwheels, or beginner bike with no breaks (only on safe areas of course!).

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Tandem bike with kids?

R K

I have a 8year old and a 6 year old. We like to bike but are not seasoned bikers. So far I have only taken my kids to the playground to bike but would like to go out on trails and maybe even use the bike to get to nearby places but I am not confident enough to let my kids ride on their own. I was thinking of maybe getting a triplet tandem so we can enjoy biking together without worrying about if the kids are following properly. Eventually we will get comfortable with biking everywhere and be on our own bikes..
I am wondering about my options as far as the bike itself is concerned. Is there one you use and love? I want both kids to pedal and participate. I would appreciate tips on the bike itself, getting around on a tandem and especially parking it and keeping it safe. If we take it to the library for example, do we just lock it in the normal bike stand area?

Thank you

Answer
The 8 yr. old is plenty old enough to get on his/her own bike. For the 6 yr. old - get a tag-along if you must.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/189-0587099-1815310?url=search-alias%3Dsporting&field-keywords=tag+along+bike

As a parent - it's YOUR job to teach them cycling safety without being dependent on you all the time. Sooner or later they'll want to be on their own. Start with these links...
http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm
http://bicyclesafe.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU4nKKq02BU

My 4 year old can't pedal a bike. Despite how hard he tries, he just can't do it, SUGGESTIONS?

Looking4He

My son is a normal active, healthy 4 year old. He watches kids his age, ride their bikes. He just can't seem to get started with the pedaling process. I really want to help him, I just don't have a clue how to get him started. And honestly, it frustrates me because I can't help him. Can someone please help me, help him?

Answer
I assume his bike has training wheels. Kids have a more difficult time pedaling in the upright position, and I also just discovered they have a really hard time learning to pedal if there is a back break on the bike (it breaks when they pedal backwards). You might try to find a tricycle with no breaks to let him learn on (or a hot wheels). My husband and I were also surprised to find they make 10inch starter bikes (at toys r us) with no back break. The reason we figured it out is because our 2.5 year old got on and started pedaling, but when we put her on her sister's bike she couldn't pedal. The reason was because she needed to push backwards on the pedals first to get her feet in the postion where she had enough leverage to push forward. If the bike breaks when she pushed backwards she could'nt get her feet in the position to pedal forward. He will get it, just give him time and don't be afraid to try a trike, hotwheels, or beginner bike with no breaks (only on safe areas of course!).

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What would be the most affordable bike to get that is safe to put a 2 year old on the back?

best kids pedal bikes image

Paula G

Hey There - we are looking to get a couple of bikes to ride around white rock lake with our 22 month old son. We are novices - so we just want something decent, but doesn't need to be the tour de france. Also - what is the best seat for the baby to get? Thanks!

Answer
You do not put a child of 22 months on a bike!!! Are you out of your mind?

OTOH your child can ride WITH you on almost any bike with age appropriate compatible equipment

The child goes on/in the equipment, the equipment attaches to the bike/bikes you choose.

Got it?

Generally speaking if/when your child is old enough to hold his/her head up WITH an infant helmet the progression is usually this:

infant to toddler - best solution is a child trailer. Your kid is sheltered, somewhat protected, sheltered from the sun, and if YOU take a tumble the trailer stays upright!! This will let you go from novice to experienced while your child is safe.

A trailer can go on almost any bike. Some will convert from trailer to jog/stroller.

Check with your local bike shop.

DO NOT BUY AT A BOX STORE. Your LBS will show you how to attach it safely and use it and what bikes will be compatible.

Toddler to lets say maybe 4-5 depending on kid. Some manner of rear mounted child seat. Who knows what will be available by the time the fruit of your loins reaches that age. Same principle, go to your LBS and have them show you how to safely attach it to your bike.

BTW in all this and at all stages GET A HELMET FOR YOUR CHILD and you too. Makes no sense for the child to survive and you to be relearning the alphabet. ;-)

5-9 or so depending on child: tag-along trailer. Like a tandem in principle attaches to your bike. Your child can pedal ... or not. But gets the feeling of participating and helps Mom/Dad move along. You know where said child is (behind you). Said child is not likely to hit me or veer all around the trail unless you do that too ;-)

9 and up plus or minus depending on your child, their interest etc now you may be talking ride with their very own bike or some equip a tandem with crankset the right length for said kid (which can be adjusted as your kid grows)

Have fun out there!!!!!!

Why do the cops let some kids ride their 4 wheelers on the streets and without helments?

jean ann j

Concerned people that see kids going as fast as they can without helments on, on four wheelers, call the police. The police come out and just look and do nothing. Also the kids suddenly go into their houses.

Answer
Yeah, you're in the wrong section. This is a Cycling section. 2 Wheels with pedals.

Cops don't always let this by, but in some cases they do. I've seen multiple 5-8 year olds ride a bike without a helmet in a park which is right across a police station. Now some cops just don't always bust people when they see something wrong. I once road on a sidewalk to get through a intersection on my bike and a police officer just starred and took a grin at me. He knew i saw him, yet i still didn't get a ticket.

If you are so concerned, maybe you should just call and make a complaint the next time you see them

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How do you raise your kid in a more outdoors kind of place?

best kids pedal bikes image

Scott k

This is weird question, but when I have a kid, I don't want them to be raised in a technology driven city or town. Somewhere when they can be out in the open. I don't want to rid them completely of the world, but you know what I'm
Gettin at.

Answer
Our family lives on a "hobby farm" in the country. There is a gas station, grocery store, pharmacy, library and a few other things within minutes but we have to drive about 20-30 minutes to get to Wal Mart, the mall, our bank (though there is a bank in our small town), the hospital, etc.

We live on a little over ten acres, which allows us to garden (we grow some, but not all, of our own food), raise chickens, have a pond which they fish in and have, on several occasions, gone swimming in, and go around in a pedal boat. They ride bikes, go swimming (we have a pool), jump rope and hula hoop and climb trees and have races and walk around our property and have obstacle courses. They ride golf carts and dirt bikes and go carts and have a pedal car. They play basketball and jump on the trampoline. They have a clubhouse, a tree fort and they have a hideout in the woods.

They also have their own cell phones (works better than any walkie talkies for communicating with them while they are out on the property, out of sight/hearing). They have Nintendo DSs and a Wii. Technology does have benefits and I think is important for children to know and understand. However, we balance their television/computer time with outdoor recreation s they are excercising and getting fresh air. I feel as if we have the best of both worlds:)

Why do many kids bicycles' pedals not rotate freely in reverse direction?

Nash R

I have to buy a kids bicycle (20"). I noticed that pedals in many of these bicycles do not rotate freely in reverse direction. Is that a feature or a bug? It's useful to have them rotate freely so that you can easily bring to them to starting position when you're just starting your ride.

Answer
As others have noted that style of brake is known as a 'coaster' brake and is very common with bicycles designed for younger kids. It operates much like a drum brake in that when operated by pedalling backwards small internal plates are pressed against the internal shell of the rear hub. Kids bicycles have coaster brakes because smaller children for the most part do not have enough hand strength or have not developed enough coordination to operate a hand brake that you would see on most adult or larger kids bikes. Yet they do need to be able to stop, hence the coaster brake. On larger kids bikes -- with 20" wheels or BMX style frames -- you will often see a combination of a front hand brake with a coaster brake. This is sort of an inbetween bike, if you will, designed to allow the developement of the hand strength and coordination necessary to operate a normal hand brake.

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