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I'm looking for advice on how to help my son learn to ride a bike. (11 years old, dysgraphia, motor coordination issues)

To be honest, I care a lot more about it than he does. He says he can die a happy old man without learning to ride a bike, but I keep thinking that with each new challenge he's mastered (like tying his shoes, zipping zippers, etc.), it's made marked improvements in other areas.

We tried training wheels when he was younger, but pushing the pedals was too difficult at that age. Now he cares what his peers think and won't let me put training wheels on a bike that fits him. We've tried the running beside him holding the bike, but it's like he can't engage his core stomach muscles to help hold the bike up.

Any tips that made it easier to help an older child ride a bike? We're thinking of getting him a more expensive, lighter bike that won't be so heavy to hold up, but I also don't want it to be a bad experience for him either.

Sometimes it helps to let them practice riding on the grass in the backyard. It's slightly slower and requires slightly more strength to push, but the slower speed allows them to concentrate a bit more on the movements and, if a fall happens, it doesn't hurt. Also, backyards tend to be more private.

Another tip would be to hold on the the back of his shirt or jacket rather than the back of the bike. This allows him to balance himself more -- and to feel what that feels like -- but is at a better height for you so you're not braking your back running along behind him bent over towards the seat.

Also, a flat, straight, private bike trail is a good bet. And, if he's worried about falling or stopping, then long pants and knee and wrist pads can help alleviate some of that fear.

Good luck!

I have no idea how my DS9 managed to learn. He has been riding a bike for about 3 years now.....amazing considering that he was entirely incapable of even balancing on 1 leg for 5 seconds when he was diagnosed with SPD 18 months ago.

Is your DS in O.T.? It has worked wonders for my DS.

Mmm, any reason for making the connection with stomach muscles? I thought that sounded odd from my experience - that is, I don't think stomach muscles have any role to play in bike riding - and tried it on DH, a keen cyclist, who also thinks it sounds unlikely. We don't think you do use those muscles to hold the bike up. (I'm sure they're used a bit just because they're used a bit in anything that involves adjustment, but I'd be surprised if they're used more in recreational cycling than in walking.) Therefore, I think going for a lighter bike probably wouldn't help - unless of course the new bike is a motivator!

When DS learned to ride a bike, he found it much easier to go downhill at first. We have a gently sloping path nearby, and I remember him riding the bike down the path, mostly freewheeling and then gradually doing a little more pedaling, and then pushing the bike up the path (or getting one of us to do that for him!) many times. It was a little longer before he could ride on the flat and then a little longer again before he could go uphill. I think it was partly that going downhill, if he wobbled he could stop pedaling for a moment but would keep going and get his balance back, whereas on the flat or uphill if your reaction to wobbling is to stop pedaling you're toast! Once he was comfortable with balancing and pedaling at the same time, he could put it together and keep going enough to do it on the flat and uphill.

DD9 has only been riding a bike for the past year... and not that great, judging by the amount of time she spends falling into ditches, LOL!

Here is what finally worked:

Lower bike seat until both feet can touch flat on the ground - it's easier to catch themselves when they lose their balance and helps them feel more in control, also easier to start off

Practice on the grass - a softer surface to land on

Practice pushing off and coasting first - don't add pedaling until they have their balance

maybe rent a tandem bike for weekend to get used to the sensation on the back and then try a regular bike.

We used one of these trailer bikes for my daughter who was afraid to learn > http://www.amazon.com/WeeRide-96455..._1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322865004&sr=8-1

Good luck

You won't get a float bike in his size but you can still take the pedals off the bike he has. Once he can balance and steer without pedals put them back on. You want long stretches to practice on, ideally gently sloped grass then faster downhill surfaces. If he is embassased to remove the pedals then leave them on and get him to just not use them for awhile.

My DD was nearly 5 when she got her float bike, she rode it sans pedals for at least 9 months (anxiety at play) and then went straight to riding it just fine. She had a few dramas learning to correctly position the pedals before she tried to get started but could balance, pedal and steer from the get go. She needed a new bike within a week or two of using pedals as the float bike had short cranks and no gears and she could not go fast enough to keep up on family rides, which she was instantly ready for.

Thanks for all the advice.

Ok. To be ignorant, what is a float bike?

My son kind of learned when he was 7 - he managed to go a few yards, and considered himself done. He tried again a few months later, but couldn't do it. He really had no interest in learning, though. What worked for him was a scooter, this past summer (when he turned 8) - at first he was very hesitant on the scooter, too, but he actually enjoyed it, so gained confidence with the balancing. After using the scooter over the summer, going faster and faster, I persuaded him to give the bike another try. Lo and behold, he got on and rode it straight away without a problem

We HAVE a scooter. When the doctor clears him (recovering from broken leg) in a month for full activity, I may encourage him to start using the scooter. Not un-cool, so he may be more willing to try it.

This may not be universally popular, but there is always the idea of rewarding him in some manner for trying, for perservering even when it's hard/embarrasing/frustrating, and for succeeding. You could offer a new helmet, a new bike, a new cool biking t-shirt, a trip somewhere together, a new book on cycling, or really anything that might motivate him to just try it and stick with it. If it's really challenging, incremental rewards might be best, but you may just find that he picks it up quickly once he actually starts to try to ride more.

BTW: I agree with lowering the seat until it's easy for him to reach the ground. Anything, really, to make him feel safe and in control.

A float bike is a bike without pedals, there are lots of wooden ones for toddlers around now, and I firmly believe it is far and away the best way to teach bike riding. My DD had the pink version of this bike:

http://kidsbikes.net/reviews/trek-float

It's just a normal bike with pedal cranks that are designed for quick and easy removal, but you can get the cranks off of any bike if you want to and I highly recommend you try it.

After my son got very good on a scooter, I suggested he try gliding down a very slight incline (our driveway) on a bike that was too small for him to pedal. This allowed him to easily put both of his feet flat on the ground for balance as needed. When you go down a slight hill, you get the speed that's necessary to keep the bike upright.

Then I encouraged him to try pedaling a bit. From there, he learned how to ride a bike.

When he first started, I put the seat a bit low so that again, he could easily put his feet on the ground for balance. I did this with my daughter too. If they can't put their feet flat, they're going to fall eventually (my kids anyway).

I always had him position the pedals in the optimal position for starting, too, and ALWAYS reminded him to LOOK AHEAD, NOT DOWN!!

Knee pads and other pads (+ helmet)are your best friends in this situation. They reduce injury and enhance courage.

HTH.

My DS8 just learned to ride a bike at the end of summer right as he turned 8. He had tried when he was younger but just stuck with the scooter because that was easier for him and didn't really give it a serious try until this summer when DS5 picked it up in a weekend. So not to be outdone by his little brother he gave it a whirl again and was able to figure it out on his own in about the span of a week.

However, around this same time is when he started doing OT for motor coordination challenges and I really do think it helped in this. Since starting OT in August he has learned to ride a bike AND tie his shoes, both of which were a challenge for him. If I remember what the OT said, I believe the core strength comes into play because it is what helps you control and balance your body. We don't think about it much and it often doesn't seem like you are using those muscles, but if they are not developed sufficiently, it can effect balancing activities like bike riding. Kids with low core strength often prefer to lie down rather than sit or they sit in a sprawling manner rather than straight up and down.

If your DS is in OT, you might ask the therapist for ideas and/or help. We ended up not needing to do it, but DS's therapist actually offered to teach him to ride a bike during therapy! She did teach him to tie his shoes which was great.

DS9 has not learned to ride a bike yet. He's had a couple of them -- one that we bought him and one that he won at school, but the one we bought was eventually given to a neighbor kid and the one he won he won't ride but won't part with either.

He did show a bit of interest this summer when his sister got a bike with training wheels, and he rode it all around in the house and some outside, but it's so little for him it's not like he has to balance, and it still has training wheels anyway. We may try the training wheels on his bike next summer, if he still wants to try.

He inherited his balance from me, I'm afraid. The stomach thing made sense to me, because I can feel the stomach muscles if I think about how to balance on a bicycle -- maybe that's a thing used by people who have a lousy sense of balance? I rode a bike as a kid, but I've never been able to ride one at what is considered "the right height" because that means not being able to touch the ground without tipping the bike, and I'm no good at that. And riding slowly, or turning loose of the handlebars, no way. So I don't know if he'll ever get the hang of it either.

Honestly, an intensive OT and PT program using horseback riding, among other things, was what made the difference for my son, who has very similar challenges, and who also didn't learn to ride a bike until age 11. He'd been trying to learn since he was 4, so it wasn't an effort or motivation issue. After about six months of daily horseback riding, he suddenly learned to ride a bike and swim, when he had previously struggled terribly with both skills.

We are also doing horseback riding and swimming, along with dance classes, but no luck yet riding a bike. It seems to be the peddling motion that is difficult for her. I can't tell about balance on the bike since she has training wheels but still can't seem to make it work. Interestingly she can post on a horse while doing all sorts of things with her arms (i.e. flapping them like a bird) so I wonder if it is a left/right coordination issue.

She has asked for a pogo stick for Christmas and I found one with a large area to balance on. I'm wondering if that may help. We have an OT appointment next week - maybe I'll ask about the bike riding and see if she has any ideas. We got the same core strength explanation as LNEsMom.

Thanks so much for all the feedback thus far. Lots of food for thought. Because he received his OT through the school, they would only deal with skills needed for school - and shoe-tying, zipping, and riding a bike fell outside of their defined purvue,

He mastered swimming last summer after multiple failed attempts before, and learned to tie his shoes as well. At this juncture, we can't afford private OT, so all of the suggestions really help.

I don't suggest this method but I thought everyone might be amused by my story of learning to ride.

My father figured the best way to have me learn quickly was to put me on the bike at the top of a steep grassy hill that gradually flattened at the bottom. The first time he pushed me down the hill I crashed of course. After the requisite crying. He pushed me down a second time. The second time I did not crash.

Fear can be a powerful motivator. I always remind my father of this story when biking comes up. Also, this took place back in the days before helmets were considered mandatory equipment.

I don't recommend our first attempt with DD9 either...

We took her to a field by our neighbourhood playground. It was lush and green. We gave her a pep talk and set our bee-phobic 7-year old sailing into a sea of dandelions. About 50 bees flew up off the flowers and it too almost a year before we could convince her to get back on the bike!

Ha. Yeah, think I'll pass on those methods.

I did exactly what Val did an taught four kids one summer, including my four year old an a nine year old with some undiagnosed obvious issues. The trick is to use a bike that is too small. They don't peddle and they coast down a slight ramp. I always had them end in the grass jut incase. When coasting was easy, I had them try to peddle small bike. This always worked. When my four year old was ready I took off one training wheel. She rode her bike fo a week like that and then decided that the remaining wheel was in her way and asked me to take it off. Good luck. The child I taught to ride with the issues still doesn't ride very well. Her parents don't bring her often and she needed a lot of practice.

DS7 finally learned to peddle this summer. Last summer he would ride down my parents' drive, but couldn't peddle on flat ground. I think the coasting downhill helps a lot.

My DS7 (dyspraxia/dysgraphia) took a group class on learning to ride a bike with 3 other children who had similar issues. The OT had a great method and all the kids were riding independently at the end of the 6 classes. Here is what she did:

-no training wheels
-take off the pedals for the first 3 classes
-lower the seat so both feet are flat on the ground
-use a bike that is a bit too small for the child
-practice going around in a large circle (drawn in chalk, diameter of 10 feet or so) balancing and pushing along with the inside leg. Do this in both directions.
-practice doing s-shaped movements around pylons, so you have to switch balance from one foot to the other
-after the alternate foot balancing exercises described above, practice gliding with both feet held off the ground. Some kids found this scary, but the teacher was standing at the end to catch them if needed
-after a couple of weeks of this, she put the pedals back on and added the pedalling movement to the gliding exercise -- and they were biking!!

I almost cried when I saw the first boy who pedalled alone the length of the parking lot. He looked so happy and proud!

very cool, Verona!

Our ds never saw much of the allure of biking so that was always a hold up for him, plus he definitely felt it was dangerous so was basically afraid of failing off the bike. We don't have much of a great place to bike up here anyway, but finally when he was 10/11 a kid from scouts asked him to go on a vacation with their family and he had to learn to bike for that, so we just took him down to the park for an afternoon and he got it. Just needed some real reason to try for long enough to have it click.

Hi all, new here.
We had great success with the Go Glider. They come in all different sizes, from little kid to big kid. I would never try to teach another kid to ride a bike again without one. (Taking off the pedals is almost the same thing, although they say they build the glider a bit longer to lower the center of gravity.) Apparently in Europe, all the kids get these glider bikes from a very very young age, they don't use any training wheels at all which is kind of interesting.

Absolutely the key is to get your cihld a bike that is too small, like comically too small. The idea is if they feel themselves falling, they just stand up and the bike can roll out from under them.

next locate a safe place to bike that has a gentle incline. It doesn't have to be on grass if the bike is small and the incline is gentle. Stand the child at the top of the hill, sit him on the bike, and have him just scoot himself down to the bottom of the hill. No use of pedals at this point, just scooting (think Fred Flintstone car).

Gradually encourage your child to lift his feet off the ground as long as he feels like it. You could encourage him to count how long his feet ar off the ground...3 secs, 5 secs, ten seconds. The gentle incline should provide enough speed to keep him balanced for longer and longer periods of time.

All of this can be accomplished without removing the pedals from the bike if that's a pain. ust tell your child to keep his feet away from the pedals.

Your child will develop a sense of balance this way. When he's ready, you can raise the seat a bit, but stay on a small bike and move him to a flat, large area. Bike trails and sidewalks are no good for this next step as your child can't worry about going in a straight line. Church or school parking lots on a Saturday are a good place.

Still on the small bike have your child bike with you holding the back of his shirt and run after him. He can still scoot if he wants or you hold him and provide the motino while he pedals a bit. this part can be frustrating. It might help your child to practice pedalling on a stationary bike first, and it also helps to watch some YouTube videos of kids learning to bike.


After your child really masters biking while you hold him, then let him bike on his small bike around the parking lot. Don't think of graduating to a larger bike until he is very comfortable with a small one.

Bother I just lost my reply. I really disagree about putting them on a significantly too small bike, seat down so they can put their feet flat on the ground and use it like a float bike yes, undersized no. A bike that is too small is harder balance, pedal and control.

I would also add lots of practice "float style" on the surfaces they will ride on. Let them learn to balance and steer on your local paths until thy are really comfortable before adding in pedals as well. DD "rode" everywhere we went locally for months and this provided lots of natural, incidental practice and lots of confidence on those paths once she could ride.

I would highly recommend buying or borrowing a balance buddy from a friend. It completely saved my back and made my DS 100% confident that he was not going to die riding his bike. We took him to a large parking lot at the high school where there weren't any obstacles to hit or cars to worry about first. It was really difficult for him to trust that he wouldn't get hurt because he had taken a bad fall the first time at a friend's house.

Riding a scooter seemed to mess up his bike balance- I don't know why but to him they require very different balance. Swimming made his bike balancing far better! He was riding confidently at 7, about two to three years later than most of his friends. It took several months of practicing before he was very confident.

I found a convertible glide bike that is sized for older learners. It might be worth looking into.

http://www.glidebikes.com/SuperGlider/SG-20-S.html