At What Age Do Kids Learn To Ride A Two-Wheeled Bike?

There is a range between four and eight years old when a child develops the competence to graduate from a trike to a bike. 

If your child has had a lot of experience riding a tricycle, they have probably mastered peddling, steering, and braking. However, the challenge of riding a two-wheeler will be learning to balance. If a balance bike - small two-wheeled bike without pedals - is available, it provides an excellent way to develop and strengthen balancing skills and can even eliminate the need for training wheels on the two-wheeler.

A very important point: whether using a balance bike or training wheels, a child's interest and motivation to conquer the challenges of riding a two-wheeler are vital to this transition.

Humans and children, in particular, seem to constantly be on the lookout for the next new thing. Either through the experiences of older siblings or what they see at the playground or in their neighborhood, kids naturally seek out activities that challenge them physically, mentally, and emotionally.

And because learning to ride a two-wheeled bicycle can be daunting, it is essential to explain to children their need for patience and perseverance. Setting realistic expectations before getting on the bike will help children prepare emotionally for a process that may take days, if not weeks.

A good way to assess readiness for the transition to what a five-year-old considers a "big kid's bike" would be to evaluate the following skills: attention span, hand-eye coordination, and most of all, strength.

A few trips to the bike store to "try on" this next "ride" may be in order.

Be safe and have fun!

For more information check out this link: Buying A Bike For Your Child. on the Stanford’s Children Health website.