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Eldest 6yr old girl and youngest 2yr old boy. Neither of them remotely interested in learning to ride a bike.
We did the balance bike thing with the girl, little indoor thing then a nice Strider proper balance bike and she didn’t want to do it anywhere, patio, garden, lane next to house, woods, etc. We bought her a proper bike a couple of years ago and had to put the stabilisers on it. She’ll go on it every now and then despite being offered to go out regularly. When she does go out on it she seems to struggle with even slight inclines. The bike is a proper girly Bobbin bike I think it’s called with a basket on the front. But it’s a ton weight.. I do wonder if I try and get her something lighter to help on that front?
The boy now has his own little Strider balance bike but he really is not interested.. just been down the lane at the side of the house and even after seeming bang up for it in the house he chucked the bike on the floor after about 5 seconds and told me to carry it while he played on the grass.. FFS.
I don’t want to be that pushy dad but it’s really deflating and the girl especially I feel needs to get this sorted and ditch the stabilisers but I just can’t see how it’s ever going to happen at the current rate.
Any and all tips welcome. Cheers!
Well. A 2 year old - you're never going to reason with them. Plus, that's really early (if he's just not interested), with loads of time ahead of him during his childhood.
The 6 year old? You can't force these things. Some kids are just never interested. You seem a bit frustrated on here, so it might be possible that's coming across unintentionally to her?
Do you have friends with kids if a similar age that are into riding? If so, just keep inviting them over with their bikes / meet at the park etc, and let peer pressure work it's magic.
My advice is don't sweat it. If they don't want to ride a bike, that's just how it is, you'll make them even less inclined by forcing the issue.
My daughter is 25 years old. The last bike she had was a 24" wheel size, (although TBF, she's a right short arse would probably still fit her) she's a runner instead. Can't say it bothers me.
Aye I think the eldest probably does sense my frustration which definitely won’t be helping the situation. Good shout on friends and family, all of her cousins ride albeit they’re a bit older than her. I think I just need to make the bikes available/visible to them more as well. Especially the boy, if he can see it on the patio or even in the house he might just jump on it or ask to go out.
Cheers for the replies. I probably need to relax a bit and not sweat it, I just love riding bikes so much myself and with the awesome weather this weekend it’s probably compounded things a bit.
I have two nieces (12 and 10 now) and the issue with them has been that neither my sister nor BiL really ride - also to actually do any riding, they need to drive somewhere, usually Dalby.
The kids can both ride, the younger one has shown no real enthusiasm or interest but the elder one is actually not bad, especially given how little she can actually practice. What made the difference was getting her a decent bike. She had, for a couple of years (much to my disgust) a hand-me-down heap of shit from a friend, the usual kids bike with way too many gears, suspension that didn't work, tyres made of plastic and weighed as much as a small planet. That really hampered her, everything about it was absolute junk, braking was extremely difficult, grip and comfort were low so she hated riding it.
She's on a decent XXS hardtail now with 1x (much easier to understand), proper grippy tyres that can be run at about 10psi and hydraulic disc brakes and she loves that. Although it's still a hefty thing to lift, the gearing on it is low enough that she can ride up most things.
But the main thing, as mentioned above, is peer pressure. Get them in a group with some kids who like to ride in a location where riding is really the only sensible option (ie they can't go off and start drawing or watching TV or playing on the swings). Also, at home, have to the bikes easy to access if possible (works well with a big garden or a nearby bit of parkland). If they can pick the bike up and mooch around on it a bit, it's way easier than having to ask you to get it out the shed, pump the tyres up, take them somewhere to do it...
Also if the younger one sees his sister riding around, he'll want to do it too.
Whether she becomes the next Rachel Atherton isn't really relevant but everyone should learn to (a) swim and (b) ride bikes. Two essential life skills.
I'll start by saying I'm approaching this without having kids of my own!
A bike that doesn't weigh a ton and decent gearing will definitely help them enjoy climbing more, improving their W/Kg (weight of them and bike combined) and allowing them to spin up the hill.
Explain to them that short car journeys cost more money in fuel per mile, if it's safe to do so pop to shops (or something close) on the bike and reward them for riding, whether that's a small treat or the money saved on fuel etc.
It's a lot quicker to get around Center Parcs (at least at Longleat) by bike, unless you are very lucky with timing to catch a land train. Very safe too, only a few staff cars on campus besides arrival and departure day. No doubt applies to other places too.
Take a group of kids, perhaps not just your own, to various types of dedicated bike parks.
If it's traffic busy by home, drive to somewhere quieter to go riding with them.
Some places have incredibly quiet lanes as well as being beautiful to ride around, it's one of the reasons I love cycling off campus around Longleat Center Parcs. Two weeks ago I did ~6 hours ~84 miles on daily rides Mon-Fri and I think I had less than 20 cars overtake me all week while riding around King Alfred's Tower; Gare Hill; Maiden Bradley; Shearwater; Longleat Estate etc.
But more than anything, having mates that love riding will have a huge influence on whether they get the bug too.
I have a 5&3 year old both ride. 3 year old was pedalling when was 2. I think much of it comes from mates around them that ride, but also going o family rides o either a shotgun or a trailer. But also make it fun go for rides with ice cream or a cafe or a pub at the end/mid way
This summer we rode to a hut in the alps to stay overnight(3 year old rode and had a bit of help on the shotgun) i think they see it as a way to have fun now.
I got both ours riding their pedal bikes by turning them into big balance bikes so they get used to the bike then off they went pretty quickly.
2/3 of mine ride regularly, the 3/3 is the best/most ballsy but prefers to go swimming
It is what it is, just because I enjoy it doesn't mean that they will
Opposite experience, but the same result for both kids. Balance bike before 2, both riding at 3 having never used stabilisers. Both enjoyed bikes for years, on their own terms, but then just got bored of the whole thing by about 12. Daughter now 22 and will have the occasional mad week on hire bikes in some city somewhere, but otherwise not keen. Kids do what they want to do!
Aged 2 & 6 you've got marginally more chance of reasoning with a teenager. 😉
I'd not push the point. Let them get on with their kid stuff, have some bikes available.
Yes riding a bike is a skill everyone would benefit from learning (although less vital than swimming IMO but I live on the coast) but that's not an age to push it.
See and focus on your riding as your time (very valuable at that age IMO/E) and do other things with the kids.
Count yourself lucky...mine was very keen and did a decent chunk and then turned teenager and hasn't touched a bike in 2 years and declines any offer of a pedal... hopefully they'll return as they leave teenage years and realise it was great fun.
There's a squillion hobbies. There's no reason they should like the same as you. TBH I wish my daughter had liked cycling more. It's certainly cheaper than horses.
My dad is massively massively into Bridge ( the card game).
Despite having brains that would do well at it he didn't push or force me or my sister into it at all. We tried it a couple of times, dad predicted our cards by magic and told us what we should have played. I realised just how much work it would be to get to anything like his standard and never bothered.
I hope not to push fencing and bikes on my two. The 5 year old likes his bike and the odd 45 min session at jumps. 2 year old is nooooooot bothered
Hard to accept, I'm taking my dad as a good example
The only thing we insisted our kids do was learn to swim. Eldest learnt to ride at 6, his sister probably 4 or 5. I never wanted to be a pushy biking dad, but they always enjoyed an easy pootle or a green or blue trail before they got serious about things they enjoyed more.
They will still go for a pootle with sometimes, and I'm pleased that eldest defaulted to a bike to get around at uni.
Three kids here. Youngest is 14 eldest is 21.
Eldest I taught to ride as a kid he never did it loads but pootled around. At about 14 he got into it massively, bought him a Vitus something or other for his 16th birthday. Intervening bikes were an Isla Bike and various kids Carreras. Now rides an Airdrop and does stupid things that are above my paygrade.
Younger two never really got into it. Tried to teach them but just wasn't their thing. Feel a bit sad as I LOVE cycling and feel like they'd get loads out of it but no point forcing them to enjoy something, kinda counterproductive.
So if they're not into it just let it slide, they'll find their own hobbies, even if they're not as good as cycling 😄
Try a kiddiback tandem. We toured with one and used it for local transport until junior was strong enough to enjoy his own bike. He enjoyed swimming but then went to uni and the 06:00 team sessions put an end to his enthusiasm. He now swims when it's hot and sunny. Skiing is the only one I had to push briefly. He gave up ski cross which we agreed on as it was the period when things were getting too big, and was reluctant to continue racing which was essential to getting his instructor qualification. I think it's one thing he did for us as much as for himself and is very happy he did as it's his job 5 months of the year and he loves it. Biking? On his last visit he invited me out 3 times in a week to do local cols with a total of 6500m +ve.
But 2 and 6? Invite but don't push, and try a tandem.
My eldest to an age to be persuaded to pedal but he's stubborn and isn't keen on change. Doing well now.
Youngest has a screw loose I've given up telling him to slow down on the blues. His back wheel pings off everything bounces around and he just keeps trucking on.
When we go round the block they frequently take their scooters and I pedal around wishing we were on bikes.
They'll discover it at their own time.
Or, if they don't decide bikes are ace, just put aside all the cash you would have spent on their bikes and spend it on your bikes.
Regular beatings not working ?
So if they're not into it just let it slide, they'll find their own hobbies
This really. There's nothing that says they should do what you do... In fact I think the opposite might be true!
Two of my girls were into athletics and the other rowing - neither of which I did.
Good on 'em.
I get your frustration but I agree with the don’t push, encourage and be patient advice. Try not to show your disappointment and definitely don’t make them feel they are failing. Keep things fun and avoid stress, cold, discomfort and long or committing cycling sessions.
Riding a bike is a pastime/sport as well as a ‘life skill’ so my aim was to get my girls to be able to use a bike as daily transport… and anything more than that was a bonus. I turns out they like riding, enjoy touring and gravel riding and two of them take their kids to school on cargo bikes… but they don’t really go ‘mountain biking’.
Kids’ interests develop and grow over time and sometimes they will want to do the same as you if they think it’s fun and cool… but sometimes they will reject what you want or the things you like and see it as an opportunity to rebel and assert their independence.
lastly, odd as it may seem, some people don’t get bikes and cycling. If that is the case then focus on other stuff… even I have to admit that cycling isn’t the only thing that’s important in life.
Put them up for adoption?
Surely life is too short to waste it around people who don't like bikes.
Do you have friends with kids if a similar age that are into riding?
That's how we encouraged our boys when they were young to enjoy cycling. A group of us used to go to a place with a promenade (ie large hard flat surface areas so easy to get a bit of speed/confidence up) the morning/afternoon finished with a suitable reward (hot chocolate or ice cream or nice biscuit or .. etc..) and all very social, seemed to do the trick.
Though I also agree with those who note that kids will also find their own leisure activities to enjoy.
My eldest (15) was born on a bike - it's as big to him as it is to me. Races a bit of DH and Enduro, loves tolerates a long gravel ride and rides after school on his DJ with mates at the local jumps. Basically, just loves being on a bike.
My youngest (12) had all of the same opportunity and encouragement but generally wouldn't touch a bike until this year, and I've really tried over the years to get him into it - for loads of reasons, really. This year, he started riding to school every day (about 3 miles each way) and now increasingly rides for hours after school with his mates on the way home. He still doesn't want to ride with me, but I'm working on it 😉
if they don't decide bikes are ace, just put aside all the cash you would have spent on their bikes and spend it on cricket bats, golf bats, etc etc
I refer you to a parallel thread on kids and golf......
JnrEpicjnr loved his balance bike and his islabikes and the alps, but sports w his mates became more engaging. He still rides on the downs, but mostly at my instigation, and only if it doesn't interfere with his own activities. Encouraging them to be active and sporty in something they enjoy is more important
We had a gaitor tow thingy for our Nephew. It’s hilly here, so he got towed up tracks and roads and loved the flat and downhill bits. Also hasn’t too keen until the children of friends rode better , then he was really into his Isla bike.
is there a little jump park near you? These are always full of kiddies, egging each other on and giving tips. I wouldn’t worry too much about the 2 year old, there’s plenty of time yet.
4 girls here...
1. Learned to ride at 5, now 22. Was into it until pre-teens then lost interest. Now likes the occasional pedal around with her bf but has moved out.
2. Learned to ride at 4, now 21. Was into it until pre-teens then lost interest. Zero interest since. Moved out also.
3. Learned to ride at 7, now 12. Has always had zero interest. Hoping it may come back but I'll let her decide.
4. 6, can use balance bike but struggles with pedalling a proper bike. Loves going out in the trailer attached to my bike. Work in progress.
Eldest 6yr old girl and youngest 2yr old boy. Neither of them remotely interested in learning to ride a bike
at those ages they're still quite young really!
although he had a bike from an early age, my son's interest in being out on his bike really only bloomed when he was around 13, and since then we've done a fair bit of riding together, but he's much fitter and faster than me now, as a late teen, and has his bike with him at university, where he's now, we've just booked a week in the Lake District for early Jan (!) and will have the bikes with us.
my daughter is a bit younger, but blames me (probably rightly) for putting her off cycling when she fell off her bike once in some nettles and says (still) I was too unsympathetic at the time...
so I'd say wait and see 🙂
if they don't decide bikes are ace, just put aside all the cash you would have spent on their bikes and spend it on cricket bats, golf bats, etc etc
Turns out a decent level flute costs the same as a decent level bike. International Scout jamborees aren't cheap. And don't get me started on the cost of gymnastic training, costumes, representing GB at the non-competitive events....
Even without bikes, they will still take all your money. I just tell them they've already had their inheritance
I thought of this thread while watching the Matt Jones video where he build a pump track in his garden "for his son to ride his balance bike".
4 kids here:
1. Son#1 - now aged 30 - started riding independently from about 4/5. Bit of a pause mid-late teens, but had a bike at Uni, did a couple of short cycle tours with mates up in Scotland, commutes in London on a SS, and has a FS at my house and joins me on rides when visiting Leeds, or he, me and son#2 will have a couple of day trips/weekend rides each year.
2. Son#2 - now aged 27 - learnt to ride around 6 years. Massively into BMX, also into MTB from 7 through to about 12, came back to it around 15/16 (we built him a bike up with cheap/donated parts), he did MTB as his GCSE PE practical assessment. Dropped out of it (and any sort of riding) at Uni and for a few years afterwards, but has been back into it for the last 4 years or so. He lives nearer so he and I ride a bit more regularly together.
3. Daughter#1 - now aged 18 - learnt to ride around 6/7, would be cajoled into small family rides, but has lost interest really in riding of any sort since around 11/12. I took her on a night ride once (she was about 8/9) and we stopped and I turned all the lights off ... which freaked her a bit (but she reassured me that wasn't the reason for not feeling the love for bikes!)
4. Daughter#2 - now aged 15. Has Down Syndrome, so we did worry she might never learn to ride a bike (many children with DS cannot - balance and brain-processing reasons), but delighted when she learnt at the age of 8. Still rides occasionally, and enjoys it when she does, but still very much a local easy potter with a treat at the end.
All have been encouraged, supported, given opportunities and money spent on bikes, but without (I hope) me/us being overbearing .. and whilst at times I've felt a little sad when one of more of them loses interest, I've accepted that they develop their own interests at different stages in life.
Social media probably holds a lot of the blame for pushing out the message that kids should be shredding. I'm probably guilty of beings sucked into it. Rides round the block to the park can be good and we get to practice the green cross code / stop look and listen
As if to prove your point, this pops up in my feed:
Footage of Jackson Goldstone when he was young enough to be shredding on a balance bike:
Re the other thread:
You could get them some golf clubs instead....
My girls have never taken to bikes either, they are now in their 20's and living their best life...
I went through all sorts to try to get them interested in bikes, even building two from scratch including custom paint jobs (One pink with a glittery Finnish the other jet black) I spent a small fortune but to no avail.
At some point they will either get interested or they wont, just prepare yourself for the later and move on.
Get a Weeride for your 2 year old. Use it to go to the shops with him, ride him to the park. Make it part of what daily life is.
While you ride, talk to him about looking for traffic, ask him to help navigate, get him to do arm signals to cars at junctions & wave at grannies - grannies (usually) wave back.
And keep at it with the balance bike. Five seconds today might be five minutes in a week or two. Little ones change fast.
and tandems are *brilliant* for getting them places before they can pedal.
As for a six year old, who knows! Bribery with snacks, and jealousy when her little brother can sudden do skids will likely work. Or not…
but if bikes are a fun part of their day it’s much more likely than if they’re forced to ride!
its not for everyone other wise the trails would be crowded, plus now you get a bit of time by yourself
Have you considered getting them to do Cyclocross, they can start at age 6 and they only ride for about 10 minutes
Some great advice above, and I'd just emphasise to chill out and let them do what they want.
My kids hardly touched their bikes when they were younger. Daughter still has no interest but 12 year old son will do a ride with me now and then (never mad keen though, would rather play footy).
I've got a sinking feeling that he's not gonna be the next Jackson Goldstone 😀
Don't worry about it. Are your kids happy? Thats what counts. Let them find their own way and enjoy what they enjoy.
Also, Dads who make a big thing about how well their little Timmy is progressing are often boring and a bit sad.
I have 2, 11 and 13, who both learnt to pedal at 3 and I'm happy to say are still keen, they were both at Firecrest MTB coaching this weekend gone and the older one just rode Woburn backwoods for the first time and loved it.
I've made sure they've always had access to very nice bikes and gently encouraged it without insisting they race or dragging them out on death marches in the rain, tried to keep it fun.
So far it's worked but I have no illusions that I have any real say in whether or not they stick with it. In 3 years I could be spending every weekend watching them race or neither of them could ever touch a bike ever again and their current rigs will have been sold off.
Such is parenthood, so long as they're into something that isn't just staring at screens I will support it.
Not having many/any friends who also ride will be the killer in the coming years I feel and that's certainly a huge factor in girls giving up as they move away from always being with their parents.
Dads who make a big thing about how well their little Timmy is progressing are often boring and a bit sad.
How dare you say that about Weeksy! 😉
I will say, it's not all about the balance bikes. Obviously, my little Timmy is no Jackson Goldstone, but he went from stablisers on a Halfords special to a very decent rider 18 or so years later.