Humble Brag - 3.5 year old - rides bike - no training wheels

[veloduffer]

I think my son was about 5 when the training wheels came off. He started with a kids' Trek bike with training wheels and used the pedals. I/we never pushed him to remove them and one day he decided that he wanted to try.

We drove to a large parking lot (empty) and I started pushing the bike. My wife was waiting about 40 yards away (the target). I pushed may be 3 feet and he was off. He stopped in the middle and looked to see where I was. I told him that he got to that point on his own and he could see I was far away.

The smile of satisfaction that came on his face was priceless - it was so bright that it could have lit up our town.

Then he just started pedaling and doing turns and circles like he had been doing it all along. So much fun.

Now he's 21 and he skateboards (he drives but doesn't like to and doesn't want a car). Life has sped by too quickly.

[d_douglas]

Originally Posted by pdonk

Here is a link to the thread about building her balance bike. It has since been repainted to army green. https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=221654

With number 2 on the way shortly, I decided to go with a more expensive bike would be a wise "investment" and likely cheaper over the long-term. Here is a link to the company - spawn. https://spawncycles.com/yoji-16

And here is a pic of our green bikes together.

Thought a good news thread, could brighten people's day.

Great story! That Dekerf is making my eyes water. That is a classic beauty. The greatest envy bike of my 20s...

[mktng]

What a great feeling right???

My son recently started riding no training wheels. Roughly the same age. Zero pressure from me. It was the desire to be faster than our neighbors kid in a race that made him run to me and ask to remove the training wheels.

[KVN]

My son quickly learned to pedal at a really early age and then one day decided he was to done with it and switched over the a scooter for a year and totally forgot about the bike. He had to relearn all over again at 4 years old and it was much harder the second time around. Weird.

[mcfarton]

My daughter lost the training wheels at 4. I got lucky as the neighborhood kids really inspired and taught her to ride without the training wheels. Now I have to get my 3 year old off her training wheels. I feel like she should stop crashing so often before I press the issue. My kids love their bikes and I even have my oldest(5) running with me occasionally. Life is great


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[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by redir

The balance bikes are the best way to go in the beginning.

I agree..altho both my grand daughters never had interest in the balance bikes I bought for them..both when they were 3..yup, they did the training wheels gig, then off they came when they wanted them off and the rest is history(been about 3 years now)...I loved it when the oldest, now 9, when she went for our first no training wheels ride, I asked how did she like it, 'it feels like freedom'.....
A GREAT thing during the 'rona gig..mom, dad and girls go for a bike ride...

[bitpuddle]

This is awesome and really needed a happy story today. I can’t wait for my 18 month-old to get on a balance bike.

[merlinmurph]

Thanks guys, I really love hearing these stories. I don't have kids, so I get my kids-on-bikes fix living vicariously thru my friends. I've done bike rides with them and truly get a kick out of it.

We're in a campground for a few weeks and I love seeing kids riding around the campground endlessly, around and around and around. They hook up with other kids and get to be, well, kids.

Keep the stories coming.

[veloduffer]

If there’s a silver lining to the COVID situation, the lack of other activities and staying local has helped push kids to get a bike and ride. I haven’t seen so many families going riding in a long time

No more travel team soccer (or other sport) and many other activities. The virus has slowed us down. Unfortunately it remains a stressful period in other ways.


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[pdonk]

Originally Posted by d_douglas

Great story! That Dekerf is making my eyes water. That is a classic beauty. The greatest envy bike of my 20s...

If only it had the open seat stays, it would be so much cooler.

I bought it for myself as a university graduation present summer of 1996. It was my primary mtb until 10 years ago, when I got into dualies.