Is (just turned) 4 too young?

[Jaynnus]

We had a rough week with the sudden death of my cousin and Mary having pneumonia and in and out of the ER, but in the middle of it all we managed to have some fun.

"He JUST turned 4 they said, he is too little they said..."

I bought a CRF50 with training wheels...I think they are more like outriggers than training wheels. Cleaned the tiny carb, put some fresh fuel in it, repaired and straighted the training wheels and limited the throttle. I brought it home on Friday along with some pants, a jersey, gloves, helmet and googles (as he calls them).

Apparently it is a really good thing they are on there as it will be at least another year before he can even hope of reaching the ground.

Day 1:
I tell him to roll on the throttle, on and off, on and off, on and off. I want him to figure out the stop and go only....oh yeah, that lasted about 2 minutes...he was begging it to go faster. I watch him as he turns the throttle and looks at the rear tire, watches what is happening when he presses the rear brake, pays attention to how we started it etc. You could see his little head calculating the whole thing. He rode for about an hour before it started getting dark.

Day 2:
Up and at it at 6:30 am (he slept with his Answer jersey on!) and proclaiming that the sun is out and it is time to ride! He figures out a few more things like shifting his weight, drag the rear brake and throttle in the corner to create a roost. Laughs then looks at me like 'oh oh, I might be in trouble'. Day 2 was when he took is first fall, the training wheel hit the fence post spun him around and launched him off. He was trying to get back on before I could even right the bike. Later he hit the huge rocks in the back yard and when I explained that you have to go wider around there so the training wheel does not hit, he informed me that 'not the training wheel grandma, I'm going up there jumping'. Oye.

Day 3:
It poured buckets all morning and he decides that he wants to ride again. I let me know it will be all muddy and he is completely unphased. I truck him to a friends so he does not totally ruin my yard and the kid has a blast in the mud and has to throttle through some deep ruts. Comes home COVERED in mud!

He is hooked! Now I need a dirtbike...how cool is it to go dirty riding with your grandmother?

disclosure: I know he does not have boots and that is a priority that I am working on, the bike has outriggers and the chance of him getting his foot crushed is damn near not existent. His boots are on order though.

Let the fun begin!

[Pittenger5]

Jane you should really get him some boots.

[Pigman]

Love it............

[gadget]

,
You are awesome.

[Paul_E_D]

4 is not too young, but the outriggers, those are a curse. Get him on a strider bike and let him learn to turn naturally, then put him back on the 50 without those things.

[OreoGaborio]

[Jaynnus]

4 is not too young, but the outriggers, those are a curse. Get him on a strider bike and let him learn to turn naturally, then put him back on the 50 without those things.

But he does not even come close to touching the ground

[GixxerJosh]

Awesome! I wish I rode when I was 4. I didn't start til I was in my 20's. Over protective mom!

[OreoGaborio]

But he does not even come close to touching the ground

Maybe get him a strider, too? That way he knows how to balance it once he's big enough to ditch the trainers?

[Jaynnus]

Maybe get him a strider, too? That way he knows how to balance it once he's big enough to ditch the trainers?

He just got a BMX for his birthday...we will work on balance on that.

[OreoGaborio]

[gadget]

I think you guys are over thinking this.

I'll bet he demands their removal in no time at all.

btw, I have an 80 for sale so when he grows out of that 50 next week....

[Rosco61]

What a cool Grandmother!
Sick!

[Jaynnus]

What a cool Dad.
Sick!

[OreoGaborio]

[Chippertheripper]

That was me 30 years ago. My 50 is sitting in the garage waiting for RTR.

I approve this message.

[Stoneman]

My boy was riding his own ATV at 5. We had him on wunna those Stryder bikes (thanks, Paul!) when he was 3 and before he was 5 he was riding a regular bicycle. Now at 6, he's added a mountain bike to arsenal for when he gets bored on his 'stunt bike' (the BMX-type bicycle). He's a midget too, but he can easily handle his buddy's little 50-whatever without training wheels. He immediately figured out how to lean to one side/leg to stop and get off it...

BTW-we've outfitted him almost exclusively shopping at thrift-shops in our area. Not sure about your 'hood, but we saved bajillions of $$. We're talking Fox boots for like, $20...chest protectors for $10 (we actually grabbed him a coupla 'cuz he couldn't decide which one he wanted. At that price, we figured what-the-hell!). We paid $5.00 for one pair of 'dirtbike pants' and they thought he was cute, so they tossed in the other pair for free at one of the places. The only thing we bought new was a helmet (and his orange suction cup mohawk - thanks a lot Randy!), and goggles...

It's never too early. You're doing the right thing. Keep it up!

[Karate.Snoopy]

Very very cool, I plan on getting something similar for my almost 3 year old next summer. Hope he learns to balance well by then. I have him working his skills on a little YBike. He lifts both his feet up and away he goes.

[Sheppo]

Jane, you're the best !

[Falko]

Definitely a good move. I can't get my 9yo on a bike, kills me. Love to ride with my son, so I just bought a pedal bike....

[Paul_E_D]

Jane. the stryder is fundamentally better than a pedal bike to learn on. Young kids can't handle learning BOTH turning (countersteering) and pedaling at once. THat's why it's always traumatic. The stryder takes the pedaling out and they learn countersteering without the trauma of falling and getting hurt. Then you add in pedals, and it's easier. No training wheels EVER. Those things screw you up for life! Think about it. It doubles the complexity of the task! Whe the training wheels are off the ground, the rider must countersteer, then they touch, and the rider has to NOT countersteer. What a clusterfuck!!!

[Jaynnus]

Are you telling me that everyone in my generation did not learn to ride a bike with pedals and balance? Or that we were all traumatized?

I will take the training wheels off his 'big boy' bike and see how he does. Something tells me he will be fine, if not, I will look into a balance bike.

I am starting to feel like the Bank of Katie & Nathan.

[carsick]

Jane. the stryder is fundamentally better than a pedal bike to learn on. Young kids can't handle learning BOTH turning (countersteering) and pedaling at once. THat's why it's always traumatic. The stryder takes the pedaling out and they learn countersteering without the trauma of falling and getting hurt. Then you add in pedals, and it's easier. No training wheels EVER. Those things screw you up for life! Think about it. It doubles the complexity of the task! Whe the training wheels are off the ground, the rider must countersteer, then they touch, and the rider has to NOT countersteer. What a clusterfuck!!!

Man, wish I'd known this. Me and the kids just fall down a lot and once you're scabbed up enough you get the hang of it. I'll have to try that stryder thing.

[Paul_E_D]

Are you telling me that everyone in my generation did not learn to ride a bike with pedals and balance? Or that we were all traumatized?
.

Well, there are specific reasons people can't lean a bike over as far as they want. I think they go back to that early fear of falling that gets under our skin learning with training wheels.

It's just a suggestion from a friend. Mom always knows best.

[ZX-12R]

I'm in a similar boat with my 4 year old. Since I brought home a dirty toy for myself, he's been obsessed with dirt bikes. I plan on getting a smaller bike for him when he's ready but he understands that he needs to ride his bicycle without training wheels first. I expect that day to come sooner than later since he appears to be fully committed to learning how to ride.