Training wheels – yes or no?

Yay, the youngsters want to start their first attempts at riding a bike.
But how best to go about it? Thirty years ago the question was relatively easy to answer: just put the training wheels on and off you go!

However, there were no real alternatives to the two auxiliary wheels at the time. But one also remembers the heavy bicycles that were normal back then. These are of course not comparable to today's “standard” of our light children's bikes.
In this article you will find out whether training wheels are still a suitable aid for starting your cycling career or whether there are now better solutions.

When to get started?
When faced with the question of “how,” many parents are first faced with the question of “when”: When is the right time for children to start cycling?
There is no general answer to this, as it depends more on the child's individual development and motor skills, but also on their body size and motivation. While some people don't get a taste for it until they're four or five years old, others would love to race around on their bike all day at the age of two.
On average, most children are between three and four years old when they sit on the saddle for the first time. Basically, your child should be able to safely maintain their balance while doing several things at the same time, such as pedaling, steering, braking and cornering.

Training wheels – a good idea?
Most adults probably made their first attempts at driving with the good old training wheels. Mounted on the left and/or right to support the rear wheel, they helped to maintain balance when cycling. Once pedaling and steering were relatively safe, the wheels were removed either gradually or all at once. Somehow we all learned it - but: Are the supporting helpers really ideal for learning to ride a bike?

From today's perspective, experts advise against this. In their opinion, training wheels give a false sense of balance and the child essentially has to start from scratch after removing the training wheels. Wheels are often praised as preparation for easy entry into cycling. In fact, kids who have previously ridden balance bikes regularly find it much easier when they get on the bike for the first time. Why? The balance bike trains balance, coordination and motor skills in a playful way - all important factors that are also useful for cycling. The best thing about it: It all happens playfully and more or less casually, without the child noticing anything.

Our conclusion
Support wheels are considered to be the veterans of the first driving tests. We advise against using it. They give novice riders a false sense of balance and the little bikers essentially start from scratch once they are removed. To make it easier for your child to get started with cycling, we recommend using a balance bike beforehand. This allows you to playfully practice balance and motor skills, which are essential for cycling.