{"id":1858,"date":"2022-10-16T22:03:52","date_gmt":"2022-10-16T22:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dadstuffsite.com\/?p=1858"},"modified":"2022-11-13T03:55:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-13T03:55:17","slug":"your-childs-first-bike-lesson-a-must-have-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dadstuffsite.com\/your-childs-first-bike-lesson-a-must-have-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Child’s First Bike Lesson: A Must-Have Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The big day has finally come. You bought your daughter or son a bike and it\u2019s time for the first riding lesson. But don\u2019t grab the bike and run outside quite yet – you\u2019re going to want a plan. The last thing you want is for all the fun to be sucked out of the big moment (for all parties involved) as your child waits for you to fill tires or make adjustments to the bike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So before you start bike-riding class, here\u2019s a checklist of things to decide, prepare, and grab before you call your child outside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Choose a Method for Learning to Ride a Bike<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first thing to figure out is how you plan to teach your child to ride a bike. Do you want to use a balance bike or training wheels? Or do you plan to just jump in and teach them how to pedal without any other steps?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chances are, if you\u2019re at this point, you\u2019ve likely bought a bike already. If not, you may want to consider buying a balance bike (if you\u2019re not sure what a balance bike is, check out this article). They\u2019re a great way to teach a young child (1.5-5 years old) to ride a bike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you already have a bike, don\u2019t worry! There are two options for learning to ride a regular pedal bike without buying a balance bike. The most common approach is to use training wheels. I personally do not like training wheels and have not found them to be helpful (check out 10 Reasons to NOT Use Training Wheels<\/a> if you want to learn more). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But everyone\u2019s experience is different, and if you want to go the route of training wheels, then by all means go for it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other option is to remove the pedals and turn the bike into a temporary balance bike. This is a great way to teach the most challenging fundamental of riding a bike: balancing. And the best news is it doesn\u2019t cost anything. Just take off the pedals! (Check out Turn a Kids Bike into a Balance Bike<\/a> to learn more.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Adjust the Seat Height<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The height of the seat will depend on which method you choose to teach your child to ride a bike. Generally, a balance bike (or bike without pedals) will have a lower seat than your first pedal bike (or a bike with training wheels). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the easiest ways to set the bike seat is to first measure your child\u2019s inseam. The seat height of a balance bike (or bike without pedals) should be about 1 to 1 \u00bd inches below the inseam. If you plan to start with a regular pedal bike (or training wheels), the seat height should be the same height as the inseam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even with these measurements, you will still need to make some final adjustments. Have your child sit on the balance bike seat with their feet on the ground. They should be able to have their heels on the ground with a bend in their knees. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"photo<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

For your first pedal bike or training wheels lesson, the balls of your child\u2019s feet should both comfortably touch the ground with only a slight bend in the knee. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"photo<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

I recommend measuring your child\u2019s inseam and setting the seat long before the first bike lesson. Then, when you\u2019re ready to start, make any final adjustments with the child sitting on the seat (that way he or she won\u2019t be waiting around for too long). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to learn more about adjusting the height of a bike seat, check out Best Bike Seat Height for Kids (Finding the Right Fit)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Take Off (or Put On) the Pedals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you already have a pedal bike and plan to focus on balancing, then you\u2019re going to want to take off the pedals. First grab either a 15mm wrench or a bike pedal wrench<\/a>. The right pedal (that is, the pedal on the right when you\u2019re sitting on the seat) will unscrew normally (that is, \u201clefty loosey\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The left pedal is threaded backwards. To unscrew it, turn the wrench in the opposite direction (that is, \u201crighty loosey\u201d). You can put some blue tape on the pedals to mark which one is which, and set them aside. If you forget to mark them, don\u2019t worry. Each pedal is stamped with an \u201cR\u201d or an \u201cL\u201d (or some other indicator) on the end of the screw. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"Image
Left Pedal<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Image
Right Pedal<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you plan to keep the pedals on, either skip this step, or, if you took them off, put them back on. The process is the same as taking them off, but in reverse. Remember that the left pedal is backwards, so now it\u2019s \u201clefty tighty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Take Off the Training Wheels (or Set them to the Right Height)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you decide to go the route of training wheels, it\u2019s time to put them on and set the height. Training wheels should not be set to the same height as the rear tire. It should sit slightly higher than the back tire.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"image<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The goal is for your child try to balance as much as possible with the training wheels catching them if they get off balance. Both training wheels should not touch the ground at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your first lesson is without training wheels, then simply unscrew them from the bike and set them aside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Check the Tire Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can check the tire pressure in one of two ways. If you want to be precise, use a pressure gauge. You should have one of these in the glove box of your car anyway, so if you don\u2019t have one, buy one. It doesn\u2019t need to be fancy either. At the time of this article, you can get a two pack on Amazon<\/a> for about $7. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Image<\/a>
Pressure gauge<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

If you use a pressure gauge, a child\u2019s bike tire should be at about 20-40 psi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have a pressure gauge (or don\u2019t feel like fishing one out), then you can use your hand. Either press down on the top of the tire with the heel of your palm or squeeze the sides of the tire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"Pressing
Pressing on a full tire<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"squeezing
Squeezing the sides of a full tire<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

There should be a good amount of resistance. A little give is okay, but not much. If you can make a good sized dent with your hand, it\u2019s time to fill it up with more air. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"Pressing
Pressing on a flat tire<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Squeezing
Squeezing a flat bike tire<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. Check the Brakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your child\u2019s bike should have a hand brake. Most bikes use a back-pedal or coaster brake. This is the kind of brake that works when you move the pedals in reverse. While you may have used this most of your life, they\u2019re not great for beginners. A hand brake is much better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child\u2019s bike doesn\u2019t have a hand brake, buy one. It\u2019s doesn\u2019t have to be fancy, and you don\u2019t need one for each wheel. A simple brake for the rear tire is fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you order one from Amazon, check the brake mount on the bike. Some bikes have two places where the brake connects to the bike, and others have one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"Brake
Brake with two contact points with the bike<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Brake
Brake with one contact point with the bike<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Also, double check the measurements of the brake calipers. I made the mistake of not doing this and the brakes I bought were tiny. I have no idea what bike they\u2019re supposed to fit as my child\u2019s bike is the smallest pedal bike you can buy. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Too<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

If you need a simple brake, go with this one. I have it on my child\u2019s bike and it works great. I got it for under $20, and while the picture didn\u2019t show it, it came with the cable and brake handle. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
1999 Brake Set & Lever<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

7. Find a Good Location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Generally, you\u2019re going to want to find a spot that has a smooth, paved surface, that\u2019s relatively flat. This is great for learning to move on a balance and pedal bike for the first time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you plan to work on gliding, though, consider a location that has a slight slope. This will help them to use gravity to get a little momentum. It is much easier to balance when the bike is moving than if it is still. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For my kids, I started on the street in front of my house (mostly flat). After spending some time scooting, they were ready to work on gliding, so we moved to the top of the driveway (which sat a little higher than the street). I waited at the bottom of the slope in the middle of the street to watch traffic and help catch them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Clothing\/Sunscreen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Okay, I\u2019m trying to not sound too helicopter parent here, so just a couple basics. First, closed toed shoes and definitely no flip flops (check out Can Kids Bike in Flip Flops? (9 Reasons It’s a Bad Idea)<\/a> if you really want to know why). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have ridden barefoot all your life, but the fact is, your child is learning to balance and will be using their feet to catch themselves a lot. Have them wear something that will protect those little feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, nothing too baggy. That princess dress might be super cute on your daughter, but it\u2019s something that can get caught in the pedals or the spokes. Luckily parachute pants (\u00e0 la MC Hammer) are not back in fashion. Yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And don\u2019t forget the sunscreen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Bring Water<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

They will get thirsty. Even if they\u2019re not really thirsty, they\u2019re going to say they\u2019re thirsty. If only to give them a little break, bring the water. It\u2019s super annoying to have to drop what you\u2019re doing to argue about it or to have to run inside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you\u2019re at it, bring some water for yourself. Let\u2019s be honest, you probably need to be more hydrated anyway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Gather a Simple Tool Kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t tell you how many times I had to stop what I was doing to run to the garage and grab a tool to make a simple adjustment. You don\u2019t need much and you can probably fit it all in your pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each bike manufacturer is a little different so there is no standard list of tools you need. Here\u2019s a list of things I\u2019ve had to adjust in the moment: <\/p>\n\n\n\n