About 3 years ago, we bought our adult bikes when there was a huge discount offer. Ever since, we have been riding our bikes at the park on most evening. We also bought a used double seats bicycle trailer that we put the kids in when we go for biking. Little ones enjoyed the ride while we look forward to the day that we could ride along side with them.
In summer 2015, daddy introduced bicycle to gege. He was about two and half year old and tall enough to stand on his feet on a 12 in. bike.
Daddy started off teaching him how to steer in different direction with training wheels on. After few attempts, gege was able to steer on his own and slowly navigates around by gently giving him a push forward. Next, the pedaling circular motion with training wheels. The pedaling skill took much longer for him to excel. Whenever we visit the store, we would use the model bikes to practice the pedaling skill.
Before the end of summer, gege pedals without problems and daddy bought him a bike. Woo hoo! In just first couple of days, he was riding the bike with training wheels all by himself at the park and bike trails. We were elated and ride along with him whenever we go to the park. Soon after, we learned that balance bike seems to be a better option for kids to learn how to bike with two wheels. We then switched him to a balance bike by Radio Flyer from Walmart in the mid spring of 2016. Little did we know, he was running up and down with the balance bike in no time. We also encouraged him from time to time to lift up his legs and cruise. This helps with balancing skill and to gain confidence in controlling with 2 wheels.
After few months with the balance bike, riding like an expert; daddy removed the training wheels of his bicycle towards the end of Spring 2016. We took him to a parking lot for the moment of truth with his regular bike. At the beginning, he had difficulties managing the tasks of steering, balancing and pedaling all at the same time. However, after just few attempts, he got a hang of it and started to pedal short distance with daddy assisting next to him. Next thing we know, he was riding the bike all by himself around the small parking lot! It took him less than an hour on the first day! It was an amazing feeling to see this small little boy pedaling with a 2 wheels bike with no training wheels on!
The final part was to show him how to start and stop the bicycle. Since the kid's bike is more like a cruiser bike with no hand brakes, he learned to stop the bike by using the tip of his shoe gently brushing the ground. The starting part wasn't as straight forward as we thought. He needed a way to create that first push forward and we helped him to formulate a rhythm. Push the bike 3 times with one leg counting 1, 2, 3 and with that little momentum, balance himself and start pedaling. This little rhythm works pretty well for him. Gege was able to fully control the bike and ride with us without any additional assistance.
On his 4th birthday, we upgraded him to a 14 inches bike, which better suits for his height and faster speed. He loved it.
Now come to the younger baby, didi. While gege was doing pretty good with his balance bike, we thought maybe we could let didi have a taste of it as well. This time around, we planned to start him off with balance bike instead of the regular bike with training wheels. Since didi was only 1 and 1/2 year old, he was too short for many balance bike available at the local store (including the balance bike we had for gege). Finally, we found Strider balance bike to be a good fits for its design quality and size. Although we must say that the bike cost more than double of the one we got for gege from the store.
Our experience with didi learning the strider balance bike was a little different. He was standing and walking with the bike at first and wouldn't sit to push the bike forward with his legs like gege did. Strider did a good job explaining that the first stage for most very young kid is exactly that. It wasn't too long that he got his balance while sitting, and started cruising the bike around.
Before the end of summer 2016, he was able to lift up his legs and balance himself for short distance. That was pretty impressive.
Daddy started teaching didi the circular motions of pedaling whenever we patronized our local store. Same method we did for gege :) It took him few times to pick up the skill. But not long after his 2nd birthday, he was able to ride the 12 inches bike with training wheels at the park. Daddy knew that it is just a matter of time that didi could ride the bike without training wheels.
In Spring 2017, didi was few months over 2 year old and was just tall enough for the kid bike. Daddy removed the training wheels and took him to the parking lot (anyone got the hint now?). With daddy assisting and gege cheering him from the side, in less than an hour, we got didi to ride the bike by himself without the training wheels at the small parking lot! He still needs a little assistance with starting and stopping, and reassurance from daddy next to him. Few days into it, he got pretty good riding the bike and gaining more confidence of stopping the bike himself but still need some help starting off.
About few weeks into didi's two wheels cycling journey, he was able to get a good start, cycled around, and stopped the bicycle all by himself at about two and half year old! Jaw dropping!
With patience and practice, our dream has come true. We are amazed of these two fellows' ability to ride a two wheels bike without training wheels at such a young age: gege at 3 year old and didi at 2 year old.
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