Teach a child how to ride a bike in less than 60 minutes and in 4 steps

When to start teaching a child to ride a bicycle

Generally speaking, it is when a child shows interest in it. Based on presumptions to completely handle cycling, the ideal period is when a child is 4 to 6 years old.

Balance bikes as a first choice

Though already around one and half to two years old children can get to know the various kinds of balance bikes. At this particular age, a child is also able to manage the technique of riding a two wheel balance bike, which is a great way to naturally learn how to balance themselves.

Bike manufacturers who are already thinking about balance are offering bicycles for various age groups.

Children bicycle Dema with 12 inch wheels is suitable for 2 year olds with the minimal height requirement being 90 cm.

Frog 40 is a light bicycle for children for 3 year olds with 14-inch wheels.

Frog 44 is a 16-inch biclycle for 4 year olds.

TIP: Bicycles from Frog have amazing parameters and adjusted geometry for small riders. High quality rim brakes, both in the front and back, brake levers that fit the child's hands just right are a certainty.

The method to teach your child how to ride a bike

The method for teaching your child how to ride a bicycle without helping wheels is pretty easy and you can manage it already in 60 minutes with a little bit of effort.

Start with pushing-off

At the beginning, disassemble the pedals from the bicycle. Set the seat of the bike to a height that the child can put his/her feet flat on the ground. Now, you can just let the child go. It might be surprising, how fast the child goes from the uncertain walking with the bike between it's legs to pushing-off faster and riding the bike.

Gradually going faster, running and increasing the time of either legs being in the air. The child is learning to keep balance without even noticing and also getting to know how the bike reacts.

You will learn quickly that it is safer to put on the running shoes and compression clothes, because from time to time, you will need to sprint for a little bit as well. If there are braking levers on the bike, focus on trying to learn how to break as well.

Getting to know the pedals

If the child is getting really confident with pushing-off and it is handling the bike well, steering it, breaking without an issue and can go long distances without it's legs touching the ground, the time has come to use the pedals.

At first, hold the bike for him and let the child put it's legs on the pedals and then put them on the ground again while the child is staring in directly to the front. This way, this step will become automatic for the child and will use it while riding the bike.

Scootering

If there are no problems with finding the pedals with it's legs, the next step can be scootering - the child has one leg on the pedal and the other leg is used for pushing-off, like a scooter.

Pedaling

From scootering a child can fluently transition to pedaling, if it manages to push-off, gain speed and bring it's other leg to the pedal and then pedal forward.

Some children can manage this whole process really fast, other children may take a little bit more time. If a child has a big problem with pedaling, there is always an option to take a step back. It is important for the parent to stay calm and patient.

Useful final advice

Also there is a chance that you will need to hold or push your child a little bit. In that case it is good not to touch the bike - touching neither the handles nor the seat - because the child can lose balance. The parent should be standing behind the child and grab the child under the arms or push it in the middle of it's back if necessary.

How to choose the right bike

Choosing the appropriate bike requires great focus and you will have to keep certain variables in mind.

Size

The sizes of children's bikes are given by the size of the wheels in inches. For better understanding, we advertise the common sizes in the chart.

A helpful thing to know is also the inner foot length of the child, which is in the name of the model given to us by the brand Frog.

Weight

The lighter the child's bicycle, the better the maneuvering of it for the child. If the bike is going to be two thirds of the child's weight, it is going to be too hard for the child and it may mean giving up on bicycling for the child.

TIP: Frog 47 weighing 6,75 kg belongs to the lightest in its category. This 18-inch children's bike is suitable for kids 4 - 5 years old and older.

Brakes

Children's bikes introduce us to 2 basic types of brakes - coaster brakes or classic hand brakes, these types of brakes are also very common on adult's bikes. That is the reason for their high recommendation.

Parents are usually afraid if the child has enough strength to press the lever. Nowadays, the majority of manufacturers are using special brakes for children's bikes where the levers are adapted to the child's needs with ther hardness, size and shape so they are easily managed by children.

Terrain

When choosing a bike, you need to take into consideration type of terrain that your child will be riding on. The parents who are cycling enthusiasts will get used to waiting for that moment where their child will grow enough for them to go cycling into nature together.

In that case there will be a time to consider a mountain bike for children which is adapted for the harshest of terrains. Do not overlook the GT Stomper Prime with 24-inch wheels or a bigger 26-inch bike GT Stomper Prime Guiness with a 7-speed shifter and rim V brakes. The frame is made from light aluminium and has geometry engineered for better stability in the terrain.

Also, do not overlook different models from Frog, which offer children's mountain bikes in 3 sizes for chilren 8 years old and older – Frog MTB 62 – 24-inch, Frog MTB 69 – 26-inch and Frog MTB 72, also 26-inch. All of them weigh a little more than 11 kilograms have hydraulic wheel brakes and 9-speed shifter. The geometry and other parameters are adapted for the ride in terrain.

When buying a bicycle, don't forget about safety and choosing the right helmet. Children's helmets for a bike they are designed to protect the child's head to the maximum, protect it from harm and to be light and durable as well.

Now you are a step closer to enjoying your first kilometers with your child on a bike. Choose it's new bike and start teaching your kid.