Can you go from balance bike to pedal bike w/o using stabilisers

[buggie]

As above - hubbie is sure that even after using balance bike, stabilisers are a necessity in the road to learning to ride a pedal bike independently & doesn't believe that any child can go from using balance to pedals without them...

anyone able to prove either of us right/wrong?!

[mkelly]

My daughter went from her balance bike to a pedal bike without using stabilisers when she was 3 1/2 years old. We were amazed at how well she transitioned to her new pedal bike. I have no idea if it was a fluke but I would try no stabilisers first and see how your child takes to it.

[midivydale]

We made the transition with stabilisers, but my son, as you know, is alot younger than buglet;)

Good luck!

[nunheadmum]

My not so practical daughter went easily from balance bike to normal without stabilisers. She would go back and forth between the two bikes for a while before the balance bike was truly given up. But we were surprised how well she took to it.

[sanity girl]

Both my children went straight from balance bike to pedal bike without stabilisers using islabikes - they basically started cycling by themselves straight away. Islabikes are great as they are so light and easy to handle. I don't think it would be possible with a heavier bike.

[Gubodge]

A mix for us: One daughter managed to pedal off without stabilisers on her first go on a pedal bike when she was three; the other didn't get the hang of it at all (possibly because she'd had less time on the balance bike) so had stabilisers for a while.

Once they've had stabilisers they do become dependent on them, so you should certainly give your child the opportunity to do without. If only for the opportunity for smuggery when he/she pedals straight off into the distance, unlike all those poor other wobbly children.

[njc97]

My 5 year old did, with about 1/2 an hour of me holding/pushing him along. I have a set of islabikes stabilisers still in their box to prove it.

[KatDew]

My son went from balance bike to push bike with no stabilisers. Required help for about 30 mins max and he was off.

[sunbob]

Another whose daughter made the transition unaided. When they get the hang of the balance bike they will be steering and freewheeling with feet off the ground so when they go to pedal bike already have the 'balance' necessary (hence the name). Ours was a heavy bike slightly too high for her too.

[snowboarder]

Just to add a lone voice of a less successful 'transition'....neither of my boys really 'got' balance biking - they never really did that scoot along thing, they sort of ran with it between their legs, and massively preferred their scooters. Probably because of this they both had/have stabilisers, eldest only for a couple of months, youngest still has them at 4. But they enjoy their bikes, youngest loves to potter along and actually has pretty good balance, but just is happy for now. So yeah, we 'failed' at the balance bike/pedal thing but it hasn't made cycling any less fun for them in the long run I don't think! 6yr old loves his new islabike with GEARS (which is very exciting to him!) and did a 6 mile route happily at the weekend.

[buggie]

Thanks for all replies, Bugglet loved (& think still would use) her balance bike, but got a pedal bike at Christmas (at her insistence) and we've taken her out on it a few times but even with a handle there's ++ wobbling/it's tricky to keep up & do with mini-bugglet in tow.

This week we've given stabilisers a go while at Center Parcs & she's doing well, but think this is more because she's been in the bike several times a day & by us being on bikes too there's been a lot of role modelling. Other half was sure this meant stabilisers should be bought for her pedal bike quick smart, but we've now negotiated to do a bit more with the balance bike & hire bikes at Dulwich Park with both her bikes with us & see how she goes.

[oimissus]

gosh, who knew that stabilizers were such a bad thing. 'Dependent on them'? - they're not hard drugs! No balance bikes when I was a kid, you just had stabilizers for a bit and at some point they just went. It's not like they'll be still using them when they're 10. Some children get on with balance bikes, some don't (or never have a balance bike), they'll learn to ride a bike either way.

[midivydale]

I should have added that my ds never took to the balance bike, he kept saying the bike father christmas got him was "bloken" as it had no pedals...for his 3rd bday a couple of weeka ago he got a bike, with stabilisers on. He loves it,and when the time is right we will take them off.

[buggie]

Oimissus - 😀 definitely not thinking of them in those terms, more not wanting the kerfuffle of buying/fitting/sussing out moving between them if there's a strong chance that a bit more patience will get the same result, there's lots of stuff online that does make stabilisers out as something to be avoided/can delay independent peddling, I just wanted to find out what parents experiences were in real life.

[Otto]

straight from balance bike to no stabilisers with no probs for both my kids. took about all of 20 seconds for them to adjust to pedal bike...

[Gubodge]

Oimissus, I assume that was directed at me. Agreed, we had none of this new-fangled balance bike nonsense when we were kids and still learned to cycle. But we also all went through a stage, sometimes lengthy, where our poor parents had to run behind the newly unstabilised bike, keeping it upright while we panicked and made them promise to never let go. It's stressful for all, and a painful process for those of us with back problems.

Being a slack modern parent I'm very pleased that there's a way to avoid that stage completely. It's allowed my daughter to teach herself to ride with no involvement from me other than an occasional injunction to try using her brakes rather than the nearest wall to slow down. That's progress for you.

[Northeastview]

My three year old did it in one day (Boxing Day) by begging to go on her brothers new pedal bike after playing on her large size new balance bike. That's why I have a balance bike for sale....

[helenblack]

My two (ages 4 & 5) did it in a few hours, very nervous at first along with a few tears (well that was just me) but a few days later they loved it!