A kid bike with training wheels is an “old-school” bicycle with chains, cranks, brakes, pedals, and training wheels equipped. This bike is sometimes referred to as a kid pedal bike with stabilizers because it employs dual training wheels connected parallelly with the rear wheel to support kids while they are pedaling on the two-wheeler. By doing so, children can comfortably be in the upright position. The kid bike with training wheels is suitable for most children, aged two and up.
Unlike a balance bike, the kid bike with training wheels is designed for cruising on a flat surface road, not on the rough and soft ground. To get on the bike, make sure that training wheels are firmly connected with the rear wheel, and parents can help their kids by pushing the bike forward as this type of bicycle requires more force to pedal than a little kid may find it challenging to do it.
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The bike with training wheels: How to deal with it
The essence of training wheels
The essential feature of training wheels is to assist kids in riding in an upright position, which is considered the most comfortable posture when riding. Training wheels contribute less in helping your kid to gain a sense of balance but, instead, it does make your kid familiar with a bicycle. The bike with training wheels is equipped with essential components such as handlebars, saddle, brake system, cranks, pedals, and training wheels. Your kid will be able to learn how to steer, pedal, and stop the bike. These activities will lay the groundwork for cycling for your child, and once they are familiar with the system, you can move to the next step by disintegrating training wheels and letting your kid get a sense of balance on his own.
Focus on pedaling
Usually, a bike with stabilizers does require more force to pedal than a typical bicycle because it has a relatively lower gearing ratio. Therefore, a little kid may need his parent to assist him by pushing the bike forward. Besides, training wheels sometimes add up the total weight of a bicycle and make pedaling even more difficult. Furthermore, this bike is originally designed to be cruised on flat, paved roads rather than on dirt trails because training wheels are easily stuck on the soft, uneven ground-like trail roads. For those parents who plan to buy a bike with training wheels for their kid, it is advisable to find an appropriate place to train your little angle
Adjustable Seatpost and saddle
Parents may consider adjusting the Seatpost and saddle by the kid’s height. For bicycles with training wheels, you don’t need your kid’s leg to touch the ground. Just maintain enough clearance for pedals not to hit the ground. Ideally, the kid’s leg may be allowed to touch the ground as long as he can easily hop on and off the bike. To accommodate your child’s safety, try to adjust the saddle so your kid to reach the ground on his tip-toe while in a sitting position.
The D.I.Y. approach to installing training wheels
Training wheels are mounted directly to the hub of the rear wheel. The bolt and washer must be directly attached to the axel to accommodate the training wheels’ arm. To install training wheels, first, you need to have at least
a 15 mm wrench and an adjustable wrench ready. After that, do the following steps;
- Make sure that you have all parts ready.
Pay attention to the number of nuts, washers, bolts, and bracket plates.
Follow the instruction by attaching the wheel to the bracket plate and tightening washers and nuts. After that, remove the axle nut and washer from the wheel hub. Then cover the axel hub with a bracket brace plate. Finally, attach the bracket plate with the wheel onto the bracket brace plate and align it firmly.
- Tighten the washer and nut back on the rear hub
The safety measures to ride the bike
Cornering
Basically, you should exercise more caution when the bike is about to make a turn. As you might already know, training wheels do complicate the bike’s shift as they may lean away from the corner onto the outside range. Unfortunately, the bike will lose its balance and possibly clash with the ground. Thus, the parent must keep a close eye on the speed, and do not let their kid pedal too fast when turning to prevent any possible injuries.
Wheels and tries
Like a regular bicycle, this bike is also equipped with wheel rims and tires. Both components must be in good condition. Typically, tires are made of elastic rubber to provide firm traction during cycling. On the contrary, most training wheels are made of cheap plastic and covered with rubber-like hard plastic, which often rattles a lousy noise when rolling on the ground. Be cautious about bending the wheel arm, which usually causes the bike to lose balance. Again, our rule of thumb is to watch out for a bike’s speed carefully.
Braking system
Under U.S. regulation, the kid pedal bicycle must be equipped with dual brakes on the front and rear wheels. More importantly, the rule also mandates that the rear brake must be a
coaster type that is operated by pedaling backward. Typically, most manufacturers are likely to install a regular hand brake on the front wheel and a coaster brake on the rear wheel. Therefore, children will have two options to stop the bike either by squeezing the brake lever or pedaling backward.
The myth and fact of a bicycle with training wheels
Is it true that training wheels should be installed above the ground?
Yes, it is true. Technically, training wheels should be installed higher than a rear wheel to facilitate the cycling movement as a child is tilting the bike left and right while pedaling. It is not recommended to set all three wheels on the ground at the same time because the most weight will probably be shifted from the rear wheel to the training wheels instead, which subdue traction and braking power. According to U.S. regulations, most kid bikes are required to have a coaster brake-equipped on the rear wheel to provide ample stopping power when necessary.
Additionally, to encourage the kid to obtain a sense of balance faster, parents should consider removing training wheels as soon as possible so that a kid will concentrate on riding on two wheels instead of relying on training wheels.
Should training wheels be set parallelly in equal height?
Definitely! By doing so, a kid will quickly learn a sense of balance while trying to maintain the upright position because the bike will slightly be leaned on either side as one of the training wheels is in contact with the ground. Furthermore, it ensures that they will not cause the driving wheel to lift above the ground while cruising on uneven terrains.
Although parents use training wheels to help their kids to ride the bicycle safely without risk of falling, at some point, it is expected that a kid will abandon the training wheels and start cycling on his own. Thus, to facilitate this transition, one side of the training wheels is designed to be on the ground while another is being lifted in the air.
>>>Need tips to ride a bike with your kids for the first time? read
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The Bottom Line
The kid bicycle is merely a tool to teach children how to ride a bike quickly and effectively. However, it depends on the characteristics and skill level of your kids. Some prefer to ride in a relatively cozy environment around the house. In this case, a typical bicycle with training wheels will do the job well. On the contrary, if your children are looking for a more challenging ride on different terrains, a balanced bike may be suitable for their riding style. As kids grow up and later acquire more skills and preferences, they will decide whether to go for a road bike or a mountain bike. For parents like us, please sit back, relax, and let them choose their style.
