Once you learn you never forget. Fixing bikes around Crouch End, Hornsey and Muswell Hill, we’ve never seen more proof of that old saying than in this past year. Customers of all ages, fitness levels and needs picking up bicycles for the first time in years or decades and re-discovering the joys of pedalling.
But when it comes to first learning, it’s really important for toddlers and kids to start correctly from the moment they sit in the saddle. This can turn them into confident, safe and comfortable riders from the very beginning, and keep them pedalling strong throughout their lives.
Most of us at Butternut Bikes learned to ride on training wheels. But nowadays, we usually recommend that you start your toddler on a balance bike, skip the stabilisers and graduate straight to two wheels. This of course depends on the child’s individual needs, sometimes training wheels are the way to go.
Why not stabilisers?
One of the biggest reasons is that training wheels make it harder to steer and teach bad habits. Think about it: you steer your bike by leaning. But stabilisers interfere with this leaning and teach the rider to stay upright. Then, with one training wheel on the ground while going around a corner, the child learns to lean the opposite way to counterbalance it, which is the opposite of what we do on two wheels.
Overall, training wheels are meant to keep the cyclist from tipping over, but as a result they prevent the child from learning how to balance, making it harder once the stabilisers are removed.
As long as the balance bike is equipped with working brakes (like the Frog Tadpole bike we fixed in the picture!) and the child’s feet reach firmly on the ground, she or he can cycle longer distances, over uneven terrain and around corners more easily. Add to that the fact that balance bikes usually fit toddlers better than a 12-inch bicycle with stabilisers and they’re lighter and more nimble.
Saddle height once they pedal
With balance bikes, kids are usually ready to pedal on two wheels around four years old. Once they do, the saddle height becomes an important part of helping the child cycle comfortably and confidently.
There’s a common (and understandable) misconception that the saddle should be low enough for the child’s feet to step flat on the ground. This is wrong. We understand the temptation, it’s nerve-wracking to watch your child speed off and wobble around!
However, low saddles make it harder for any cyclist to pedal, because it forces you to turn your leg while in a squat position. That restricts the power you can exert from each pedal stroke, and causes knee problems in the long term.
The ideal saddle height for any cyclist leaves a slight bend in the knee when the leg is extended. As long as you can get one foot on the ground when you stop, you won’t tip over.
Get that mini cyclist in your life starting strong and you’ll be setting her or him up for a long, happy, healthy and comfortable cycling future!
(And we look forward to seeing them whizzing confidently around Priory Park, Alexandra Palace and all of our lovely North London spots!).
Balance bikes in the shop
We keep a run of balance bikes built and ready to try at 143 Crouch Hill. These are the three we point most parents at, and there are more on our kids’ bikes page.
woom GO 1The benchmark. Tiny, light, and has a steering limiter so the bars can’t jackknife. From around 18 months.
Hornit AIRO 12″Seriously light, friendly price. A brilliant first taste of two wheels.
Hornit AIRO 14″The bigger AIRO, for taller toddlers or a later start.Ready for pedals? The woom GO 2 and the belt drive Early Rider Belter 14 are the usual next step, and our size guide explains which wheel size fits which inside leg.
Come and sit them on one
Every kids’ bike we sell is properly set up and ready to go, which is worth £50. No building needed: turn up and ride away. They get the memory of buying their first bike from a bike shop, and you don’t spend the evening swearing at a box and fiddling with hex keys.
We’re at 143 Crouch Hill, Crouch End, London N8 9QH. Call us on 020 8347 5534 or pop in, and we’ll sit them on a couple of sizes and set it up properly.