thread: When did your toddler learn how to pedal a bike?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    1,074

    When did your toddler learn how to pedal a bike?

    My DS is 3 and can't pedal on his bike. We have a basic smart trike that has a terrible parent handle that I can't use very well. I was thinking of buying the smart trike deluxe that has the proper parent handle and that way I can push him and he can gradually learn to pedal. Not sure if this is a good idea? The catalogue says it goes to 3 years for this trike. If I bought him a normal bike with training wheels I doubt he could use it then I couldn't take it out for walks. Any advice? Thanks!!!!!!

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Add Kazbah on Facebook Follow Kazbah On Twitter

    Sep 2006
    Dandy Ranges ;)
    7,526

    Pip picked it up fairly easily, we did push him and he got the hang of it quickly. he would have been about 2 1/2 years old.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Add krysalyss on Facebook

    Feb 2007
    on the move.....
    2,745

    If he is 3 I would definitely move away from the trike. A bike with training wheels actually seems easier because of the leg position. Take him to BigW or Target and let him try the bikes there. We just got DS a balance bike that coverts to a pedal bike and after a week he can already do a fair stint with both legs off the ground. We are hoping he will be able to go directly from a balance to a pedal bike as we have heard it can be harder to go from training wheels to pedals.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    1,074

    Thanks for replying! I didn't know that you could get a balance bike that converted to a pedal bike. What is it called? I've taken him to target before and he just couldn't push the wheels. It was like he doesn't have enough strength to get the wheels going.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    In Bankworld with Barbara
    14,222

    You just have to make them practice, practice, practice until they get it. Our DS2 learnt a few months ago, but if he's not on the bike for a while, it takes him a while to get the hang of pedaling again. The more you put them on a bike, the quicker they will pick it up. We just have a normal bike with training wheels and never had trikes for them. If it were me, I would go straight for a regular bike and just make him practice heaps on it.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    May 2006
    Igglepiggle Land
    2,742

    DD is 2.5yrs and she doesn't know it yet, but for Xmas she is getting a bike with training wheels. We've never had a trike, so I'm hoping she'll get the hang of it....Geez I'm more excited than she will be I think!

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Victoria
    7,260

    DD is 2.5yrs and she doesn't know it yet, but for Xmas she is getting a bike with training wheels. We've never had a trike, so I'm hoping she'll get the hang of it....Geez I'm more excited than she will be I think!
    :yeahthat: lol I am so nervous for Charlotte!!

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Add krysalyss on Facebook

    Feb 2007
    on the move.....
    2,745

    The convertible balance bike that we got is from the hipkids website. All up with postage it cost $150 which I thought was alright considering it is well made and comes with proper brakes etc and should last him a few years as the seat does adjust up. (front only for balance bike and back as well for pedal bike). It also comes with training wheels in case you do want that option. We have only had it a week but so far I am pretty happy with it. The only thing is to check whether your DS could touch the ground as our DS is pretty tall. He can do it fine with the seat all the way down but may have trouble if he was a bit shorter.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    Melbourne
    6,745

    Personally I would not worry about the pedaling and get your little ones onto a balance bike (or run bike). The hardest thing to learn on a bike is balance - once you have mastered that then pedaling is the easy bit. Little kids often don't have the leg strength to pedal, especially on hills.

    DP put a video together on this FB page called "Why a runbike?" so check out DD1 on her journey to riding a 2-wheeler with no training wheels when she was still 3 - he has put in heaps of information on the sorts of bikes and reviews etc there too. Welcome to Facebook

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    5,951

    DD1 has been able to pedal from about 2 years of age. She has a bike with training wheels, and we've just raised the training wheels a little recently so she's not so dependent on them, and she's doing really well. A friend of hers who is the same age got a bike (with training wheels) for christmas and she still can't pedal. They practice with her every day, but she can't get the hang of it. All kids are different, some pick it up real quick, others don't.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    Terrace BC, Canada
    1,004

    My Ds caught on to peddalling a trike around his 2nd birthday and can ride his friend's bike that has no brakes (since pedalling backwards does not stop the bike). He has his own bike with pedal brakes that he is not able to pedal yet, as he can't figure out only pedalling forwards. He didn't like his friends' balance bike very much.