Adaptive Training Wheels for Special Need Kids with Autism

The adaptive training wheels are not ordinary training wheels available in the market. On the contrary, these devices are designed to “adapt” to riders as they grow up. With easy-to-follow and straightforward instruction, you can replace the existing set of brackets with a more extensive set when purchasing a new bigger bicycle. There is no need to spend lots of money on an expensive adaptive bike anymore.

There are several bicycle models for people with disabilities on the market, but, unfortunately, most of them are too pricy, and few parents can even afford them. The adaptive training wheels have emerged as a budget solution for them. With less than one-third of the cost of purchasing the adaptive bike, you can have a regular bike with adaptive training wheels installed for your unique needs kid.

As you might know, children with autism usually suffer from gross motor and sensory processing problems, which can discourage cycling in some autistic kids. According to the research conducted by the University of Michigan, the report has shown that less than 20% of autistic children and only 10 % of down syndrome kids can ride. For more information on toddler bikes with training wheels, click here to read.

Therapy biking for Autism

Autism is a biologically determined behavioral disorder in the area of relationship, communication, and behavior. Also, autism is characterized by restricted and repetitive interests and recurrent sensory disturbance. According to the guideline for autism published in 2011, the treatment of choice must be behavioral, intensive, early, and curricular, with rigorously individualized programming that includes table learning and in a natural environment.

Generally, most kids with autism are suffering from great difficulties in relationships and communication. They cannot actively participate in social life, and they sometimes struggle to get involved in group activities. Furthermore, children with autism can be disturbed by loud noise or color.

More importantly, they have no sense of danger, often have not developed a functional verbal language, and the frustration of not being understood, together with the boredom of empty free time. Finally, it causes many behavior problems.

Biking enhances the strengths of a kid with autism, above all the physical strength and the preference for simple and repetitive individual activities, without requiring sophisticated relational and communicative skills. Besides, the bicycle’s role is not only of aggregation for cycle-cultural excursions or environmental protection but it can also be used for relevant and beneficial activities for kids with autism.

Biking activity can thus be a valuable experience. Kids can generalize in a natural environment some learning acquired in the context of therapies, such as personal autonomy, social skills, orientation in space, and time. Finally, physical activity also allows kids to keep their bodies in shape and to channel in a practical and socially acceptable, and even appreciable way that physical energy could otherwise originate aggressive behaviors.

Bike riding lesson for special needs kids with Autism 

Teaching specific needs autistic kids to ride a bicycle could be very challenging to accomplish. The challenges are likely to include balancing difficulty, lack of determination of how to pedal, inability to coordinate steering and to pedal, inability to use the brake, lack of safety awareness, possibly being distracted by surroundings, and many more!

The bike lesson aims to provide autistic kids with an opportunity for socializing and integration. It also promotes the development/enhancement of logical-cognitive skills with cycling practices, encourages the acquisition of manual skills and road safety rules, and activates networking among children.

Therefore, training wheels are used as the primary tool to help autistic kids get quick lessons in riding a bicycle. By installing adaptive training wheels to a regular bike, parents don’t need to hold on to the seat while their kids are pedaling a bike. With assisted adaptive training wheels, your kid will gradually learn how to pedal, steer, and stop it. However, the lesson may take longer than usual as most autistic kids tend to rely more on the internal proprioceptive sense than on visual input from the environment.

To encourage autistic kids to gain a sense of balance, people use a systematic approach to help autistic children on the spectrum. The core value of the strategy focuses more on mastering individual learning steps than the whole riding procedure. Since the autistic brain tends to focus on proprioceptive sense than the surrounding input, it is an excellent idea to let those kids learn each step such as pedaling. To do so, parents can attach adaptive training wheels and let kids focus on pedaling while staying close to the bike. Keep monitoring until kids show signs of improvement.

>>>find more useful information about a complete guide on cycling with children

Big adaptive training wheels for autistic special need

Regular training wheels don’t work well with autistic kids as they tend to tip easily, making it difficult for autistic children to steer and pedal the bike. With a sensory processing problem, autistic children have many difficulties in controlling their balance and coordination. The big adaptive training wheels are invented to do this job. The most popular adaptive training wheels maker on the market is FATWHEELS.

Inspired by their son, who is suffering from a rare genetic disorder called Kleefstra syndrome, Colleen and Tony Berlingieri have purchased and marketed FATWHEELS brand for kids with special needs. FATWHEELS markets and sells their product online only.

The “FATWHEELS” has claimed that their adaptive training wheels are capable of growing with your kids using the special upgrade bracket. Just replace a new set of brackets and attach them to your old traditional bike.

Typically, there are 4 types of FATWHEELS kits available on the market: small kit, small (HD) kit, large kit, and adult kit. These 4 types of packages accommodate riders of different age groups, weights, and heights. The small kit is designed for children with a height of around 34-56 inches and 150 lbs. of weight while the small (HD) kit is suitable for children with up to 250 lbs. The large kit is destined for youth with a height between 56-62 inches and up to 150 lbs. of weight. Finally, the adult kit will be used for an adult rider with a height between 56-62 inches and up to 250 lbs. of weight.

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To install FATWHEELS, make sure that your bike is;

  • Constructed with an “A” shape frame and equipped with a straight chainstay
  • Equipped with a solid rear axle
  • Extended at least 3/16″ past nut on the rear axle (In case your rear axle doesn’t stretch enough, consider purchasing axle extenders)
  • Having rear axle thread 3/8″ x 24 or 26 TPI (thread per inch)

Although FATWHEELS is designed to work with most the bicycle models, buyers should watch for a few bike models that are not compatible with the device.

Myth and Fact of FATWHEELS adaptive training wheels

Myth: FATWHEELS is not compatible with a multi-speed bike with a derailleur.

Fact: FATWHEELS is designed to work with a multi-speed bike with derailleur and single-speed bike.

Myth: FATWHEELS works fine on a bike with active rear suspension.

Fact: FATWHEELS is not compatible with a bike with active rear suspension.

Myth: all FATWHEELS models can be used on a bike with quick-release hubs.

Fact: Only small (HD) and adult kits are compatible with a bike with quick-release hubs.

Myth: FATWHEELS is compatible with special bikes such as folding bikes, tandem bikes, and e-bike.

Fact: FATWHEELS is not compatible with the special bikes mentioned above.

The Bottom Line

Learning how to ride may be a difficult task to accomplish for many children with autism and their parents. With the adaptive training wheels, autistic children will be able to steer, pedal, and stop their bikes without fear of falling. Parents also enjoy spending time with their kids more. However, it is difficult to put everything into practice, especially for autistic kids. There will be critical moments when all techniques you have read don’t work at all. Do not give up and, instead, try to take inspiration from this indication. You will find the best way to spend time pleasantly with your kids even though it means devoting all your efforts. Trust me. It’s worth waiting.

1 Comment
  1. Thank you, I’m so glad I found your article via my Google search. My autistic son is 10 and he’s always been afraid of really trying to ride a bike yet really wants to participate. Most adaptive cycles are too much support for more physically disabled, although they work when we’ve tried them out at stores. He still really wants to be on a traditional style bike and we’ve just never found a compatible solution, until now! I’ve looked at the FATWHEELS site and they seem to be our answer all around for the best shot at learning to ride. I like the price point, how they can be a transitional learning tool OR a long term permanent one, and fit both mountain and cruiser styles. As our son is anxious about falling as is with all he’ll have to think about, I think getting their cruiser bike bundle is a perfect start, providing the most stable and easy to operate (no gears) slower moving frame. We’ll be riding on pavement around our mountain vacation town of Ketchum until he feels ready to try a mountain bike, and if he doesn’t then we’ve got a great stable solution if it works! Thanks so much again for the article!

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