When my daughter Adina was born, I was convinced she’d be a cyclist. A cyclist’s daughter has to love bikes, right? Or could she have other interests? Everyone says not to push it, so I didn’t. But let’s face it – every cyclist hopes their kids will share their passion. We look forward to riding together and investing all the time needed to teach them. In return, we expect progress – not immediately huge steps, but at least some. But in our case, progress just didn’t come. I’m not writing this to complain but to assure other dads with similar experiences that they’re not alone.
When Adina was a year and a half, a friend gave me a child seat that mounted to the bike’s headset, allowing her to sit in front and enjoy the ride far more than kids sitting behind their parents, staring at their backs. Together, we enjoyed long rides. I loved sharing the experience, and it was obvious she loved it too. To my surprise, one of her first words was “bike.” “Bi-ke!” she’d shout every time I started putting on my cycling gear, immediately running for her helmet. The highlight of our “tandem” days was entering a family bike race where we were the only duo riding on one bike.
The next logical step was a balance bike, which teaches kids to steer and maintain balance. We bought a versatile model that could be converted from a tricycle into a two-wheeler as she grew. I started bringing the balance bike along on our walks, offering it to her whenever the conditions or her mood seemed just right. She wasn’t very keen on riding herself, so I often pushed her along instead. But to be honest, she was more interested in stones on the path or butterflies flying by. I didn’t mind; I enjoyed the walks with her, but progress on the bike was non-existent.
While other kids sped past us on their balance bikes, Adina remained disinterested. Eventually, we stopped bringing the bike on walks. If you’re thinking, “You shouldn’t have given up,” you’re right. I didn’t give up. That spring, when she was three and a half, she got a bike with training wheels. Adina loved it! It was pink, and to motivate her even more, I added a basket for her toys and lights on the front and back. I couldn’t wait to take her to the park, her helmet decorated with Paw Patrol stickers. She eagerly packed Ariel the mermaid and a pony into her basket but insisted on wearing a flowery dress instead of sporty clothes. “We’re going for a picnic!” she cheered.
It soon became clear that she lacked the fundamentals she should have learned on the balance bike. Instead of focusing on the path, her attention wandered, and any slight downhill made her nervous. Steering was her biggest issue, which led to two falls when the handlebars “closed up”. I comforted her each time and didn’t push her. When she wanted to stop, I carried the bike on my shoulder, and we went for ice cream instead.
Slowly, Adina learned how to pedal and managed to ride loops around the colourful concrete track in the park. But, as it turns out, her interest faded – and eventually disappeared entirely. Right now, she’s four years and a few months old. The season has ended, and I’m waiting to see what next spring will bring. I’ll stick to my strategy of not pushing or forcing it, so I don’t turn her off cycling entirely. I still believe that every child learns to ride a bike eventually – it’s just a matter of timing. And how was your story?
