One of the great memories of childhood is your first bicycle ride without training wheels. After many false starts, probably even a few scrapes, you finally pedal away from your parent’s grasp and take flight. Holding your breath and hanging on, you wobble down the sidewalk, building confidence and picking up speed. It’s exhilarating. You can hardly believe you did it. And you can’t wait to ride farther and faster. That first ride is one of your biggest accomplishments as a kid and something you’ll never forget. Maybe that’s why, as a parent, you can’t wait for your children to learn to ride.

That first ride is one of your biggest accomplishments as a kid and something you’ll never forget. Maybe that’s why, as a parent, you can’t wait for your children to learn to ride. 

Kids Bikes

Typically, children learn to ride between the ages of 2.5 and 7. How early and how fast they learn varies considerably. Kids who’ve owned tricycles sometimes take to bicycles more quickly because they already know how to steer and pedal. Yet, this can work against them, too. They may not want to move up to a two-wheeler because they’re so comfortable on their tricycle. Usually, they’ll change their mind as their friends start to ride two-wheelers because they don’t want to be left behind.

In order to ride a bicycle, a child has to be able to sit on the seat and reach the ground comfortably with his feet. The smallest bicycles have 12-inch wheels and training wheels. These bikes accommodate children from 2.5 to 5 years old.

Next up in size is the 16-inch wheel bike, which is also equipped with training wheels. It’s right bike for 4 to 8-year-olds. The next bigger bicycle has 20-inch wheels, but because these are taller bike with a higher center of gravity (more tippy!), they’re not ideal for training wheels, so it’s best for a child to learn to ride on a smaller model.

When looking for you child’s first bike, the team at Turramurra Cyclery we keep in mind that children learn fastest on bikes they feel safe on. Turramurra Cyclery will ensure right size bike is chosen: not too big, not too small. Of course, how fast they learn also has a lot to do with their personality, coordination and confidence.

Safety First

The most important cycling safety rule is always wearing a helmet, and it’s the first thing about bicycling to teach your child. Get them in the habit of putting on their helmet before riding so that the act is as natural as using the seatbelt in the car. Be sure to show them how to put the helmet on so that it sits squarely and snugly on their head. And, let them know how cool it looks!! If you’re riding with them, put your helmet on, too, to reinforce the message that all cyclists wear helmets.

It’s best to teach kids to ride where it’s completely safe (no traffic) and where there are few distractions. A sidewalk with grass on both sides, such as you’ll often find in a park or housing development, works nicely. Get there early before the crowds arrive, so you’re not dealing with skaters, dogs and other hazards. The good thing about a path like this is that if your child weaves off the cement, she’ll quickly stop on the soft grass. And, if she happens to fall, there’s a good chance that it’ll be a soft landing.

Pick a section that’s fairly straight and flat. While a little downward slope can help kids learn to pedal and balance, you definitely don’t want anything too steep because it’ll cause the bike to roll on its own, which is scary.

Where to take the kids to ride?

Sydney Olympic Park

Centennial Parklands