Teaching your kids to ride a bike is giving them a skill they will carry with them throughout their lives – and they’ll thank you for it. To ensure a safe and exciting experience for your child, you will need the right age-appropriate size of bike (and don’t forget the safety helmet and knee guards should you require them), encouraging approach and armed with the relevant how-to knowledge.

Here’s some handy info to follow:

Start toddlers on a balance bike

Balance bikes are a great option to teach young children (aged 2 to 4) how to balance themselves properly. As these do not have pedals or training wheels, children learn essential bike riding skills like balance and control by zooming about on the ground.

The best technique is to let the child walk the bike, then progress to a kick-along technique before lifting both feet up to roll freely.

For older children

The key priority for older children is to ensure they fit on the bike properly. They should be able to sit on the bike with the balls of their feet comfortably on the ground. Find an ideal riding location with a slight downhill slope and where there are no obstacles to bump into. While grass surfaces provide a sort of cushion in case the child falls, flat surfaces make for easier rolling.

Here's a step-by-step guide of their first experience on a bike:

Step 1:

Remove both pedals.

Step 2:

Let the child get the feel of squeezing the brakes as they climb into the seat. The brakes should be released slowly and they should coast slowly down the slope. This step should be practised numerous times as necessary.

Step 3:

Put both pedals back on.

Step 4:

Motivate the child to mount the bike while squeezing the brakes. Placing one foot on a pedal, he should slowly release the brakes and find the other pedal with his other foot and cruise downhill. Step 4 should be repeated until he has perfected it.

Is your child at that age when they are ready for their first riding experience? Find the right kids bike for his or her age group at Bikes.com.au. We have the widest range of children’s bikes in Melbourne. Visit us today to find out for yourself!