My son has become a complete whizz on his Hotwalk balance bike since getting it last summer, aged 2 1/2, constantly hunting out steps and ramps to ride down, but recently has been desperate for some pedals so on Saturday, I stuck him on his sisters far too big, Ridgeback Melody MX16 complete with pink doll seat on the front, and he rode it first time!

It was on tarmac at first, but we then went off road slightly through the woods and he was loving it! Kate got the bike for her 4th birhday and rode it immediately without stabilisers having had her own balance bike, but Charlie is only 3 1/4 and was on a bike far too big for him.

He’s certainly far more of a natural than his older sister and has amazing balance – a few times he’s nearly lost it at speed on the Hotwalk but instinctivly knows how to catch it, so I suspect he’ll be running rings round me in a few years time!

So, in true competitive dad stylee, how old were yours when they rode properly for the first time?! Have seen a couple of 4 years olds riding with amazing skill at the BMX track, doing manuals I’d be proud of, so he’s got some targets to aim for!

my 2 1/2 year old boy rode his Scoot properly for the first time last week.
This weekend he did his first North Shore and Doubles. Seriously. 🙂

My eldest was about 8 before she took the stabilisers off.

My son was 5.

Excellent, balance bikes are great! Our eldest (now 4), was on a balance bike aged about 2 1/2, and because of that she was riding a proper bike with pedals, no stablisers, at age 3 1/2, way ahead of any of her friends. Not that I could care about the latter, but it gave her a real confidence boost & she just loves riding her “proper” bike.

My made up 3 year old managed to do a 16 metre gap jump on a plastic tricycle last weekend. With cross up!

Only the smiles are important 😀

Bikes are ace. by thepimpmessiah, on Flickr

i should point out the northore and doubles were part of a “junior” bmx track around a park in a nearby village. and I was right behind him all the time.
At least when he fell off (on the doubles}) he got up laughing.

Just ordered a Knoc 16 this morning for my boys 4th birthday to replace the Specialized Hotwalk he has grown out of.

He managed almost 20mph the other day in a tense moment down a hill when I was towing my daughter in the trailer – I can’t wait for him to get some brakes! I thought his toes would be poking out of the bottom of his shoes at the bottom, but he was fine. I do think they should come with some type of speed limiter as we have had a few scary moments.

My only concern is that on the Hotwalk he can ‘ride’ the bike up quite steep stuff, but with the gearing on a proper bike he’ll struggle to get up even a moderate incline.

It’s great seeing how much they smile when riding! When Charlie falls off, he’s usually shouting “I’m OK” before he hits the deck! Unlike his dad who hit a tree at speed on Sunday he doesn’t need 5 minutes to compose himself after an off!

The future is looking bright for the next generation of mtbers!

Girlz can do it too… My 3yr old daughter getting good on scoot. She has mastered the classic DH’er rest position on the bars while explaining where and how she is going to ride the next bit…

Doesn’t get that from me 8)

My daughter was 3 last November, I got her a 2nd hand specialized last month, took the stabilsers off and she was riding within 10mins. My son didn’t ride properly until 5 and a half, which was my fault as he’d used stabilisers.

both mine riding pedal bikes by 3.5yrs old thanks to the balance bikes they used from around 2yrs old, my youngest has been riding for about 6 weeks on the islabike and on sunday he popped his offroad cherry with a 2hr loop around the forest with his older bro (5yrs) and a mate doing roots and small steep sections…proud as punch and really enjoy watching them enjoy themselves.

My daughter was 4 last November and we bought her the Hotrock for Christmas 2009 (When she was 3). She didn’t seem to get it and last September I bought her a cheap (and heavy) balance bike. This seemed to do the trick and 4 weeks ago I got the Hotrock out of hibernation (without the stabilisers) and she was riding it within minutes. The advice I would give to anyone is, get a balance bike first! The only negative about her riding is that the Hotrock looks too small for her now! Lets hope I can get it to last until November/December.

A then and now, both at the Forest of Dean, first the then, when he did the first feet up on the like-a-bike:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si7ZN2iloJs[/video]

The now when he managed the full family loop (10 miles)!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMlYi1inPBg[/video]

I have a massive battle with my 21 month old son every time we take him out on his balance bike. He only wants to find the steepest slope around and ride down it, push back up, ride down it again there is no way he wants to go home. I came home from work last week and he was having a tantrum – apparently his mum had taken the bike away as he was trying to ride it down stairs!

He rode his first boardwalk in the Lakes at the weekend and was very upset when my friends and I went out biking leaving him sat on his bike at the front door – I don’t think he’s really ready for a 33mile loop round Skidaw yet.

A mate has just sent me this video clip of a 7 year old doing a 20ft tabletop! Looks like Charlie’s got plenty to live up to!!!

Check this out!

My 2 1/2 year old son has an Isla bike and has been able to trundle along on it since just before 2 but has somewhat stalled in his development mainly due to the winter. I am trying to train him up now but the lure of the trundle car with proper doors we also have means he always goes for that instead.

Any ideas how I can lure him away from it?

I also have a L.O.C.T. saddle which attaches on bars connecting from the stem to seat post – he sits in front of me holding the handlebars, he loves that – he’s already bloodied his mouth when his bit the bars once (I now wrap a soft jumper for padding around the bars!)

My problems is knowing where to spend the time/effort/focus : balance bike, biking with me, swimming, language skills and general development like drawing/painting and other things.

I’m off to see Jedi in Herts next Friday so hopefully can I teach him some good habits when he gets drops and jumps!

Mine was about 4 or 5 – I videoed the first day, which is pretty funny to look back on… “Oh yeah, off road!”

He’s 8 now and better than me

I think at 2 1/2 just spending time doing stuff that makes him smile is all that matters! I was probably too pushy with my eldest (now 5 1/2 and probably 18 months to 2 years ahead at school which causes some concerns of its own) whereas with my son we’ve been far more relaxed and it doesn’t seem to have hampered him in any way shape or form. My eldest loves riding her bike but sometimes can’t be bothered – she has done 2 years of gymnastics but has now lost interest in that! We’ve taken them swimming from an early age and she can swim OK but now has asked for lessons as she lacks confidence at times. Basically kids get bored very quickly so just let them do what they want unless you’re trying to create the next Tiger or Venus!

Good call, difficult to resist the competitive Dad syndrome!

Its a great feeling when they ride their bikes for the 1st time! My lad was about 2 1/2 on his balance bike, maybe a bit less. It was too big for prior to that, and wouldnt sit on it – telling us it was too big. Its a Skuut. He now takes it everywhere, and most of the time to the pub with me after work 🙂

That clip from Rogate is nuts! My fairly accomplished at jumping mate of mine slashed his leg open on that double, he wont do it again! I’ll send him that link 😉

Well picked up a CNOC16 this weekend and after dropping the saddle ALL the way down (with a slight trimming of the seatpost!) he was off like a mad man!

He needed a slight push to get him going first time, but after a quick demo from his 5 year old sister on how to get going he can now set off by himself on the flat. Considering his balance bike didn’t have any brakes he got to grips with them immediately and was doing skids today!!

Asked me today when he’ll be old enough to do a loop the loop which he saw on youtube – I feel a youth spent in A&E on the horizon!

Happy days!